Robbie Lawler’s second combat with Rory MacDonald left him with battle wounds that had UFC boss Dana White involved for Lawler’s well being.
In a latest interview on UFC’s YouTube channel, Lawler was requested about his epic rematch with MacDonald at UFC 189, which ended with Lawler scoring a dramatic fifth-round knockout to retain his welterweight title. The battle is broadly hailed as one of many best ever within the historical past of fight sports activities.
Afterwards, Lawler’s lip was visibly break up and he recollects White telling him to not exacerbate the damage post-fight.
“It really healed fairly quick inside, like, two weeks,” Lawler stated. “I used to be like, ‘Man, this really seems fairly freaking good.’ Clearly, the UFC [had] every thing lined up so meals wasn’t falling out, water wasn’t falling out of my mouth, so it was good. I didn’t notice how unhealthy it was after I was within the combat and I’m speaking to Dana and he’s, like, ‘Hey man, don’t speak.’ I simply began laughing.
“As a result of actually in my eyes, you ever seen the film Predator? It’s one among my favourite strains: ‘Hey, you’re bleeding.’ ‘I don’t have time to bleed.’ In order that’s form of my mindset. No matter, there’s blood, it’s not an enormous deal, however I didn’t notice it was this lip.”
Lawler defeated MacDonald twice, first by way of a break up choice at UFC 167 in 2013 after which of their championship rematch two years later. It was the second assembly by which each males have been pushed past their limits, leading to various memorable (and grisly) scenes, together with Lawler spitting blood on the canvas on the finish of Spherical 4.
“At that time limit, it’s humorous, I used to be pondering, ‘Let’s go,’” Lawler stated recalling the incident. “I felt like he was working, however actually it wasn’t, he was being strategic and I used to be like, ‘Let’s go, it’s freaking time,’ is what I used to be pondering.”
The tip of the combat additionally etched an indelible mark in followers’ recollections as Lawler broke MacDonald with punches a minute into the ultimate spherical to drive the stoppage. In contrast to a lot of Lawler’s finest knockouts, it didn’t finish with “Ruthless” clobbering his opponent into oblivion and that was a aware selection.
“That’s in all probability the one time in my fights that I didn’t simply attempt to destroy anyone after they have been down as a result of I knew it was over,” Lawler stated. “Usually, I’m like ‘rraaaah’ however I might inform this was over.”
Interviewer Dean Thomas praised Lawler for the traditional combat, which was inducted into the UFC Corridor of Fame Combat Wing in 2023 with Lawler later inducted himself into the Fashionable Wing in 2025. Based mostly on Thomas’ standards, he doesn’t see how every other bout could possibly be thought of higher than Lawler vs. MacDonald 2.
“Biggest combat of all time,” Thomas stated. “To ensure that it to be an important combat, simply on the whole, it’s all about storytelling. So the very first thing is you must have characters within the story individuals care about even earlier than the story. So being champion and having Rory MacDonald, who comes from such an important camp, the protege of Georges St-Pierre, you had already overwhelmed [MacDonald before]. There’s simply built-in story in simply the 2 characters already and that’s one thing that we care about as a result of there are nice fights, however in case you don’t care in regards to the individuals, it’s on the undercard. It will get tossed out. However when there’s already built-in storyline between the characters that we love, it’s automated.
“Now, for the storytelling, it must be factors the place it could possibly finish at any second and Robbie possesses that. One shot. So we’re on the fringe of our seat simply ready for that second after which what you want is backwards and forwards, and that combat had it. Forwards and backwards. Instances the place we virtually thought it was over. He kicked you within the head, like, ‘Oh no, that is it!’ And then you definately hit him again and, ‘Oh no, that is it!’ It has to shuttle.
“After which, visuals. That was crucial a part of this combat, the visuals. We noticed the way it escalated from Spherical 1, he’s received a bit blood coming down his nostril; Spherical 2, it’s popping out of his eye and his nostril; Spherical 3, now you’re busted up, after which because the combat goes on blood is in all places. The visuals. After which to cap it off, which makes this actually the very best combat of all time, the end. It had every thing. It checks all 10 containers for excellent fights. No different combat within the historical past of MMA checks all 10 containers like this one does.”
Watch Thomas’ full interview with Lawler under.
0 Feedback
