Tag: Robbie Lawler

Robbie Lawler had a feeling his UFC Hall of Fame announcement was coming

When you’ve been in the MMA game as long as Robbie Lawler has, a lot of things probably are second nature.

LAS VEGAS – When you’ve been in the MMA game as long as [autotag]Robbie Lawler[/autotag] has, a lot of things probably are second nature.

Over a fighting career that lasted nearly a quarter-century as a pro, Lawler no doubt has sharpened plenty of his instincts. Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, sitting cageside as a guest of the UFC, the promotion for which he once was welterweight champion, Lawler has a suspicion he might have been asked there for an announcement.

“I had a feel for it. I just did,” Lawler said Saturday after his summer induction into the UFC Hall of Fame’s Modern Wing was announced. “I didn’t tell anybody I had a feel for it. I let my wife know. I’m like, ‘Hey …’ And then when I was sitting where I was sitting, I was (suspecting it). But still, when it happens, you’re like, ‘Oh – this is actually happening.”

The UFC’s special announcement, accompanied by a video package, played in the arena after the first fight on the main card while Lawler watched for the first time.

Lawler said he got emotional hearing past opponents and colleagues like UFC CEO Dana White talked about his impact.

“It was going pretty good, but then once all those fighters and Dana were saying those nice things about me, I got a little choked up,” Lawler said. “I’m definitely honored – amazing accomplishment. A lot of hard work was put into it, not just me, but trainers, training partners, management team … it’s just been a long road, and just another gift.

“Probably the best part of it is all those kind words from all those fighters and my peers and guys who are coming up now, seeing what I put into the sport and how I fought. It definitely makes me feel good.”

Lawler (30-16 MMA, 10-5 UFC) retired after a July 2023 38-second knockout win over Niko Price. It was one of but just a few fighting highlights for Lawler after he lost the welterweight title to Tyron Woodley in mid-2016.

After that, he beat Donald Cerrone a year later, but then had a four-fight skid with losses to Rafael dos Anjos, Ben Askren, Colby Covington and Neil Magny. After a middleweight win over Nick Diaz, he was knocked out by Bryan Barberena in July 2022 before his return a year later to beat Price.

Lawler already is a member of the UFC Hall of Fame in the Fight Wing (2023 class) for his UFC 189 TKO win over Rory MacDonald, which was a virtually universal Fight of the Year winner in 1989.

He said he thinks the door is closed for any kind of combat sports comeback, but also, like most fighters, didn’t rule out a return. He’s been linked to a potential BKFC fight against Mike Perry.

“I’m not closing any doors, but they look like they’re closed,” he said. “But there’s always opportunities out there.”

Robbie Lawler joins UFC Hall of Fame Class of 2025

The “Ruthless” one is headed to the UFC Hall of Fame.

One of the most savage fighters in MMA history will be further enshrined in UFC greatness as a two-time Hall of Famer.

Former welterweight champion [autotag]Robbie Lawler[/autotag] will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame as part of the 2025 class in the Modern Wing, the promotion announced Saturday during the UFC 313 broadcast. Lawler already is in the Hall in the Fight Wing.

“Robbie Lawler is one of the most badass athletes to every step inside the octagon,” said UFC CEO Dana White. “Robbie was an absolute killer, and I have a ton of respect for his toughness and his fighting style, which helped grow the sport of MMA and UFC by attracting a lot of new fans. Robbie had an amazing career, and it will be an honor to induct him into the UFC Hall of Fame this summer.”

Lawler joins longtime producer Craig Piligian and Fight Wing inductee Israel Adesanya vs. Kelvin Gastelum announced for the 2025 class so far. The induction ceremony will take place June 26 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

A former champion who defended his title twice, Lawler engaged in numerous battles throughout his stints with UFC, Strikeforce, Elite XC, IFL and more.

Lawler, 42, retired from MMA in 2023. His UFC 289 (2015) battle vs. Rory MacDonald is in the Hall’s Fight Wing. Other memorable battles include his knockout of Nick Diaz, his title-clinching performance against then-champion Johny Hendricks at UFC 181 in 2014, and his all-out brawl with Carlos Condit at UFC 195 in 2016.

Other memorable wins for Lawler include Donald Cerrone, Matt Brown, Josh Koscheck, Matt Lindland, Melvin Manhoef, Frank Trigg, Murilo Rua, Chris Lytle and Tiki Ghosn.

Spinning Back Clique LIVE (noon ET): Fighter of the Year awards review, 2025 MMA predictions, interview with Eddie Alvarez

On “Spinning Back Clique,” our panel discusses our Fighter of the Year awards, 2025 MMA predictions, plus we interview Eddie Alvarez.

Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.

This week’s panel of Dan Tom, Matt Wells, Mike Bohn will join host Danny Segura live at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate the following topics:

  • We chat with former UFC and Bellator champion [autotag]Eddie Alvarez[/autotag], who returns to the ring on Jan. 25 to headline BKFC Knucklemania 5 against fellow veteran Jeremy Stephens. We discuss his return fight and career, along with some of the recent things happening in MMA.
  • Last week, we announced the winners of MMA Junkie’s 2024 Male and Female Fighter of the Year. We reflect on the winners’ years, who were UFC champion [autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag] and PFL’s [autotag]Dakota Ditcheva[/autotag], and discuss what could be in store for them in 2025.
  • Keeping the 2025 theme. The panel gives their bold predictions and wishes for MMA in 2025. We also discuss each chance of the current UFC champions being able to hold onto their belt till the end of the year.
  • Lastly, to end the show, we go over some of the recent headlines in MMA, including [autotag]Donald Cerrone[/autotag] returning to the UFC’s testing pool in hopes to make a comeback from retirement, [autotag]Mike Perry[/autotag]’s callout of [autotag]Robbie Lawler[/autotag] for BKFC fight, [autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag]’s comments on a potential move to light heavyweight, and much more.

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UFC free fight: Robbie Lawler outlasts Rory MacDonald in brutal title rematch war

Watch Robbie Lawler and Rory MacDonald go to war in a brutal title fight that got inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.

[autotag]Robbie Lawler[/autotag] and [autotag]Rory MacDonald[/autotag] gave fans one of the greatest, if not the greatest, UFC championship fight of all time.

Back in July 2015, Lawler and MacDonald met in a rematch for the UFC welterweight title. The two had fought previously in 2013 in a highly competitive non-title fight that ended in a split decision favoring Lawler. This time around, Lawler was the champion, and MacDonald entered the fight as the challenger.

The fight almost went the full distance, as it lasted 24 minutes. In the end, Lawler outlasted MacDonald in a grueling war to get the TKO finish. The bout had tons of blood, cuts, near-fight ending shots, and several swings of momentum between the two. Many regard this war as one of the most brutal fights in modern UFC history.

You can watch Lawler’s impressive title winning performance against MacDonald in the video above.

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Mike Perry calls out retired ex-UFC champion Robbie Lawler for BKFC fight

Mike Perry called out UFC legend Robbie Lawler, who was just feet away from him at Saturday’s BKFC Hollywood.

[autotag]Mike Perry[/autotag] is already name hunting for opponents for 2025.

The former UFC fighter and BKFC’s “King of Violence” champion took matchmaking into his own hands and called out former UFC welterweight champion [autotag]Robbie Lawler[/autotag] to a bareknuckle boxing fight. Perry did so by hopping in the ring, getting on the microphone, and calling out Lawler, who was sitting ringside at Saturday’s Bareknuckle Hollywood event in South Florida.

“Who should face me next? I see Robbie Lawler in the crowd and I think he should take the gloves off, and he should step inside the squared circle against ‘Platinum’ Mike Perry,” Perry said.

Lawler, 42, retired from fighting in July 2023 after stopping Niko Price at UFC 290. “Ruthless” is one of the more established names at 170 pounds of the last decade. He held the UFC welterweight title from 2014 to 2016. Lawler has defeated many notable names in MMA, including Nick Diaz, Carlos Condit, Rory MacDonald, Donald Cerrone and Josh Koscheck.

Perry, 33, has risen in fame since his UFC departure in 2021. He’s undefeated as a bareknuckle boxer under BKFC, with a record of 5-0. In his most recent outing, back in July, Perry suffered a TKO defeat to YouTuber turned fighter Jake Paul in the boxing ring.

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On this date in MMA history, Robbie Lawler and Rory MacDonald delivered a UFC Hall of Fame-worthy bloodbath

Nine years ago today, a couple pints of blood were splattered across the canvas during one of the best fights in UFC history.

Nine years ago today, a couple pints of blood were splattered across the canvas during one of the best fights in UFC history.

At UFC 189 in 2015, [autotag]Robbie Lawler[/autotag] beat challenger [autotag]Rory MacDonald[/autotag] to defend the welterweight title in a bloody, brutal and classic rematch in Las Vegas.

After four rounds, with blood everywhere, the two stared each other down before they were physically separated to return to their corners.

In a close fight, Lawler finally made some headway in the fifth when he shattered MacDonald’s nose, then finished him for a TKO win. The bout went into the UFC Hall of Fame’s Fight Wing in 2023.

You can watch the all-time classic above, and don’t miss the best photos from the bloody battle below.

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Finally in the UFC Hall of Fame himself, Jens Pulver stumps for Robbie Lawler, Dan Henderson

After years of campaigns, both underground and in the mainstream, Jens Pulver became a UFC Hall of Famer in 2023.

After years of campaigns, both underground and in the mainstream, [autotag]Jens Pulver[/autotag] became a UFC Hall of Famer in 2023.

He was the promotion’s first lightweight champion in 2001. In fact, he never lost the title. After pair of defenses over Dennis Hallman and B.J. Penn, he was stripped during a contract dispute.

Pulver retired in 2013 after nearly 50 pro fights in the UFC, PRIDE, WEC, ONE FC and others. He has a clear sense of pride over his Hall of Fame membership, yet said he knows his place there in the Pioneer Wing makes sense, like he thinks it does for Frank Shamrock, who isn’t in yet, either.

“As long as you have that Pioneer Wing – see, did I deserve it? Maybe in my (whole) career? No – just winning the title is not enough to me,” Pulver told MMA Junkie Radio during the UFC’s International Fight Week in Las Vegas. “And defending it twice, losing it on a contract (dispute) – I never got beat. Nobody beat me. But being the champ, I don’t know if that does it.

“But as long as you have that Pioneer Wing, you cannot not have Frank Shamrock. That’s kind of what was with me, and I think with everybody getting behind me on it all: If you have this Pioneer Wing especially, there’s no way you can’t have the guy who created the 155-pound division. I won the belt and defended two times, never lost it, and carried on as a pioneer for all the little guys. That’s where I would say yes to Frank, 100 percent.”

But he also wants to see other contemporaries in there who aren’t yet. as individuals. [autotag]Dan Henderson[/autotag] and former Pulver teammate [autotag]Robbie Lawler[/autotag] are Hall of Famers, but in the Fight Wing for specific bouts.

Henderson is in for his 2011 first fight against Mauricio Rua at UFC 139. And Lawler’s a member for his UFC 189 welterweight title defense against Rory MacDonald in 2015.

“I always had this one piece, and I kept this with me for a long time: When they talk about the sport, do they need to mention your name?” Pulver said. “There’s no way you couldn’t (say that about me). I started a weight class, so there’s a pioneer aspect of it, and then winning that belt – there’s no way you can tell the story without having it in there. When fans talk about the sport, who do they mention? Who do they talk about? Then you start going from there: Has that all been worthy?

“There’s no way Dan Henderson could never be. There’s no way that Dan Henderson can’t be, shouldn’t be, in a hall of fame. There’s nothing like Dan Henderson, nothing like what that man did.

“… I love Robbie – he’s my little brother. Another one: 100 percent should be in there. If you talk about the sport of MMA, there’s no way you won’t talk about Robbie Lawler. Some of the greatest fights you ever witnessed, the titles that he had, the fights that he had, how he started as a youngster, him and Nick (Diaz) in that first fight, and just how long he’s been in this sport – there’s no way you can talk about UFC and MMA and fighting without talking about Robbie Lawler.”

Top 5 rematches in MMA history, ranked

From UFC classics to a PRIDE FC gem, these rematches provided some of the most memorable action in the history of the sport.

When it comes to rematches in mixed martial arts, there seems to be little room for mediocrity whether we’re talking about the expectation or the result.

If the first fight captured our imaginations, then we as human beings tend to let expectations run wild when going into the second meeting. But as far as results go, MMA sequels seem to either continue to pile on the action atop the intrigue of the horror a la “Aliens,” or they just end up leaving us with that feeling we had when we walked out of “The Matrix Reloaded.”

That said, this sport has given us plenty of “Godfather 2” candidates over the years that are worth acknowledging.

So, with that in mind, I thought it would be fun to revisit some of the most memorable sequels in MMA by listing my top five rematches of all time.

As usual, these lists reflect my personal tastes and are not meant to serve as some ultimate authority. That said, I feel very strongly about not only my list but also my honorable mentions at the end – which are more than strong enough to serve as their own top five.

So, without further ado …

Top 5 welterweight wars in MMA history, ranked

That UFC 189 war between Robbie Lawler and Rory MacDonald was something else, wasn’t it?

Although the welterweight class in MMA is decently heavier than its contemporaries in other combat sports, it keeps in the tradition of offering a rich history of memorable battles.

Japanese organizations like Shooto have typically referred to fighters between 156-171 lbs. as “middleweights,” while the UFC’s 170-pound division dates back to the late 90s when the organization anointed its first welterweight champion, [autotag]Pat Militech[/autotag], at UFC 17.5 in Brazil.

Since then, the division has produced a slew of great fights and Hall of Fame fighters alike.

It’s impossible to properly pay homage to all the best bouts that have gone down at 170 pounds, so I’ll instead widdle down my list to my favorite welterweight wars.

Whether we’re talking about back-and-forth battles or brutally bloody affairs, I thought it would be fun to revisit some of my favorite fights from the weight class.

As usual, these lists reflect my personal tastes and biases and are not meant to serve as some ultimate authority. That said, I feel very strongly about not only my list but also my honorable mentions at the end – which are more than strong enough to serve as their own top five.

So, without further ado …

2023 MMA retirement tracker: A list of former UFC champions, legends and more who hung up the gloves

The MMA world already has said goodbye to many retiring fighters in 2023, from former UFC champions to icons of the sport.

MMA is a constantly evolving sport with a revolving door of athletes entering and exiting. Currently, fighters from the era who helped make the sport so popular are beginning to trickle away from competition and hang up their gloves in order to move on to the next chapter in life.

If there’s one thing that’s well known about combat sports retirements, though, it’s that they often don’t last long. The urge to compete, and perhaps more importantly get a payday, will continue to drive fighters back even well beyond their expiration dates.

2023 has seen an uptick in notable fighters announcing they are done with the sport, and we have a list of those who have opted to walk away this year (the list will update as new retirements are announced).