Tyron Woodley successfully defended his UFC welterweight belt with a unanimous decision victory over Demian Maia at UFC 214 on July 29, but the promotion had a backup plan in case Maia didn’t accept the title shot on short notice.
Rafael dos Anjos, a former UFC lightweight champion who had just defeated Tarec Saffiedine in his 170-pound debut days before in Singapore, received a call from UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby before Woodley-Maia was done, and was asked if he would take the fight if his fellow Brazilian declined the offer.