In an announcement that may pave the way for a blockbusting rubber match next year, UFC welterweight contender Rory MacDonald confirmed Wednesday that he is not the next challenger for new champion Robbie Lawler.
The news came via broadcaster Ariel Helwani on UFC Tonight, which airs on Fox Sports 1, and was later also reported by Damon Martin of Fox Sports:
Rory MacDonald confirms that he will NOT be getting a title fight. The UFC informed him of this last week.
— UFC Tonight (@UFCTonight) December 18, 2014
According to Helwani, though, MacDonald is not shedding many tears over the decision, at least not publicly:
Rory MacDonald on having the title shot yanked: “It’s all good, I’m just gonna light up whoever is next.”
— UFC Tonight (@UFCTonight) December 18, 2014
It was widely thought that MacDonald (18-2), a winner of his last three and the No. 2 welterweight in the UFC’s official rankings, was the only fighter who made sense as Lawler‘s first challenger. The only fighter, that is, except for Johny Hendricks, who was himself the champion until Dec. 6, when Lawler narrowly bested him at UFC 181.
The No. 1 contender in the current UFC welterweight rankings, Hendricks (16-3) originally captured the belt himself in March—after it had been vacated by Georges St-Pierre following his semi-retirement in late 2013—at UFC 171 when he earned a close decision win of his own over Lawler. That fight has already been hailed by media members as the best MMA fight of 2014.
After Lawler (25-10-1) returned the favor at UFC 181, Hendricks and MacDonald were the two clear contender choices. Lawler and MacDonald also previously fought, with Lawler taking a split decision over MacDonald in November 2013
Shortly after the news broke that MacDonald would not get the title shot, Hendricks sent a rather telling tweet, complete with a telling winky-face emoticon:
— Johny Hendricks (@JohnyHendricks) December 18, 2014
Lawler said on The MMA Hour (h/t MMAFigting.com‘s Chuck Mindenhall) he would prefer to fight next during Memorial Day weekend 2015. That just happens to be a prime weekend for big-time UFC main events, and Lawler-Hendricks would fill that need pretty neatly.
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