While Nate Diaz and Tyron Woodley take their breaks, no-drama Robbie Lawler has another fight

Nate Diaz is holding out for a better offer. Tyron Woodley will undergo some shoulder surgery.

Robbie Lawler? He’ll be fighting.

The UFC’s former welterweight champion has the Fox-televised main event in Winnipeg Saturday (card begins at 5 p.m. Pacific) against former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos.

Will it get him a title shot? What about Diaz and Woodley?

Lawler (28-11) doesn’t do the politics. He’s here to hit someone in the face and test their mettle.

The second-ranked welterweight has a good case to make about being Woodley’s next opponent with a victory, but Diaz jumped ahead of him before rejecting the UFC’s bid, tweeting a reference that he’d convert to boxing.

Diaz “is a big draw, that [title shot] would be a good opportunity for him, but who knows? I don’t focus too much on the sport as much as I do on how I can sharpen my skills and become a better fighter,” Lawler said. “I really don’t look out as much as I’m looking in.”

Meeting Dos Anjos is an opportunity to “showcase all my skills, and everything I’ve worked on all these years, finally putting together some great performances of showcasing my talents.”

Lawler did that in July at Honda Center, defeating veteran Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone by unanimous decision in his first fight since losing his welterweight belt to Woodley in 2016.

“It was a good fight to get me back in the mix. I went 15 minutes, which was nice,” Lawler said. “It was a measuring stick to see where I was and showed where I wanted to be.”

Those close to Lawler say he maintains his warrior mentality, but is more deliberate about when to fully engage or seek a finish. He’s more refined.

Beating Cerrone also showed he can temper the doubt that arises from defeat.

“It’s easy to let doubt get into your head. I know if I’m clicking on all cylinders and everything is right with me that I’m tough to beat, though, and I know everything is good right now,” he said. “I’m very happy where I’m at, very confident.”

With Woodley sidelined, a rematch for the belt is on pause, even with a Saturday victory in the fervent mixed martial arts market in Canada.

“This fight will be showcased to a lot of people, a great way to show my skills,” he said.

“I was under the impression [a guaranteed title shot] was what was going on, but I don’t ever know. Rafael dos Anjos seemed to think the winner gets a title fight, so I assumed he’s correct. I don’t put much into that. I’ve got to get past him first, and then we can figure that out after the fact.”

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