White: UFC aiming to book winner of Woodley-Maia vs. a returning GSP
The UFC has grand plans for Georges St-Pierre's return to the Octagon.
The winner of Tyron Woodley's welterweight title defense against Demian Maia at UFC 214 on July 29 is in line to take on St-Pierre next, UFC president Dana White told MMAjunkie shortly after the champ announced the bout on Wednesday.
Related: Woodley announces he'll defend title vs. Maia at UFC 214
"Georges and I talked a couple days ago when he was in Vegas," White said. "Georges is saying he wants to fight; we’ll get this thing figured out. We’re talking about Tyron Woodley and Demian Maia. These two are going to fight soon. That will free up the 170-pound champion for Georges St-Pierre to return and try to regain his belt."
White wouldn't set a timeline for GSP's comeback, but according to MMA Fighting's Ariel Helwani, the promotion is targeting a date at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
St-Pierre is currently recovering from an eye injury suffered earlier this year, and aims to get back in the saddle after October, which falls in line with the UFC's rumored November return to the Big Apple.
The former welterweight king was initially expected to challenge middleweight champ Michael Bisping in his return from a layoff dating back to November 2013. However, injuries to both fighters prompted White to pull the plug on the dateless bout before recently revealing that St-Pierre would be challenging the promotion's welterweight champion when he's fit to return. GSP reigned as the UFC's undisputed titleholder at 170 pounds from 2008-13 and vacated the title after besting Johny Hendricks in his ninth defense of the crown at UFC 167. He hasn't fought since.
Woodley, for one, would get the matchup he's been pining for since winning the title last summer, should he score the win over Maia necessary to book a bout with St-Pierre. Meanwhile, Maia - who earned his shot by besting Jorge Masvidal in May - would find himself in his third fight in just six months if he's able to win his first UFC title and emerge from the bout with Woodley relatively unscathed.
"The Chosen One" will defend his strap against Maia in a star-studded show at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.