CHARLOTTE – Count in Tyron Woodley for the “stacked” card UFC champs are clamoring to fight on in July at UFC 226.

The UFC welterweight champ told MMAjunkie his shoulder is progressing faster than expected after a recent surgery. Still, he figures he’ll wait until the summer to fight on the promotion’s biggest card of the year.

“At that point, it will be perfect time, and the proper opponent will emerge,” said Woodley (18-3-1 MMA, 8-2-1 UFC), who serves on the commentary desk for Saturday’s UFC on FOX 27 event, which takes place at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C.

UFC flyweight champ Demetrious Johnson (27-2-1 MMA, 15-1-1 UFC) recently requested a spot on the card that anchors the promotion’s International Fight Week. In an interview with ESPN.com, he said he needed a big card to take a fight with bantamweight champ T.J. Dillashaw (15-3 MMA, 11-3 UFC).

Johnson also tabbed Woodley vs. Georges St-Pierre (26-2 MMA, 20-2 UFC) as one of three title fights on the card, which is expected to take place July 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The third title fight, a women’s featherweight tilt between champ Cris Cyborg (18-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) and bantam titleholder Amanda Nunes (15-4 MMA, 8-1 UFC), recently got a thumbs up from both fighters.

Woodley is on the same page as his fellow UFC champs. And after that, he wants to fight at Madison Square Garden if the UFC returns to New York City in November. In general, he sees March, July and November as prime fighting time.

“Keep me on the big cards, because at the end of the day, I’m the best in the world,” he said.

Woodley previously said he could fight as early as the first quarter of this year. That timeline could still hold with an aggressive rehab program that includes stem cell and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatement. At five weeks out, he’s twice as far in his recovery as he was after surgery on another shoulder.

But he still doesn’t think there are any contenders worthy enough to fight him right now.

“(Former UFC lightweight champ Rafael dos Anjos) is probably the closest,” he said. “Of anybody in that pool, it would probably be him.

“The other guys that are talking and chirping, they know they’re not in position to fight me. But they figure, hey, nobody else is going to fight him, why not try to put myself in position. But none of these guys really want to see me. They all talk about wanting to fight – my toughest matchups are behind me.”

There are no shortage opponents for the welterweight champ. He’s the constant target of surging contender Colby Covington (13-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC). Up-and-comers Kamaru Usman (12-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC), Darren Till (16-0-1 MMA, 4-0-1 UFC) and Santiago Ponzinibbio (26-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC) all want a piece of him. Two-time opponent Stephen Thompson (14-2-1 MMA, 9-2-1 UFC) also wants another try.

But Woodley thinks none of the current crop possess the skill to take his belt. Instead, he’s focused on a “legacy” opponent such as former welterweight and middleweight champ St-Pierre. He’s also pitched “money fights” against lightweight champ Conor McGregor (21-3 MMA, 9-1 UFC) and Nate Diaz (19-11 MMA, 14-9 UFC).

For those attempting to talk their way into his crosshairs, try again.

“Of course, they want to talk,” Woodley said. “They want to fight. They saw what Conor McGregor did, and it’s unfortunate that some guys that aren’t even good at trash-talking are trying to talk themselves into a fight.

“I’ve earned my position, even before the UFC in Strikeforce. Name the last easy fight I ever had. I’ve been fighting killers, former champions, former title contenders, and that’s been my road to the top. So if these guys want to make me interested, they need to win a little bit more. They need to make their resume a little bit stronger.”

For more on UFC 226, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.