Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Longstanding welterweight contender Neil Magny wants credit where credit is due for his one sided drubbing of former champ Robbie Lawler at UFC Vegas 8.
Neil Magny has been a quiet workhorse for years since his UFC debut back in 2013, fighting 23 times and amassing an impressive 17-6 record in the UFC’s welterweight shark tank. On Saturday night he took his third former champion scalp in a dominating three round decision win over Robbie Lawler.
It wasn’t the firefight many might have been hoping for, but you definitely can’t accuse Magny of simply clamping down and taking Lawler the distance. He aggressively worked Lawler over on the fence and ground like some sort of tarantula / boa constrictor combo, limbs coming in from all directions to trap Robbie and work submissions.
“Coming in the gameplan was stay real active on the outside, force him to throw heavy shots, make him miss,” Magny told Paul Felder following the win. “And as soon as he does clinch him up and get him to the ground and go for the submission.”
“It’s definitely a feather in my cap beating a legend like Robbie Lawler. This guy’s done amazing things in the sport through his time here and it was literally an honor to go out and face him tonight. Feels goo to actually be able to execute a gameplan and come out victorious like a guy like Robbie Lawler.”
Magny just wants to make sure you put the due credit on his victory and not chalk it up to Robbie Lawler being shot (like we may have done a bit earlier today).
“When he was the champion, I was one of the fighters in a group to potentially fight him,” Magny said. “It was me, Demian Maia, and Carlos Condit at the time. So I knew what I was capable against a guy like Robbie Lawler, it was just frustrating that it took so long to finally get that fight. And the thing that goes with a fight like that now is everyone wants to say ‘Oh, well he’s past his prime, he fought too late, he fought bad.’ No, I fought well. I went out there and did what I knew I could do against a guy like Robbie Lawler whether it was tonight or five years ago.”
This win puts him two fights behind Georges St-Pierre for most victories at 170 (GSP sits at 19), and Magny sounds eager to tie that legend’s record as soon as possible, which in turn will bring him a title shot.
“Leading up to this week I was being put into categories with guys like Matt Hughes and Georges St-Pierre,” he said. “And here tonight fighting Robbie Lawler, I’m doing the right things and going in the right direction. It’s only a matter of time before I’m considered a world champion — am a world champion!”
“I’m right there for top ten. Any of those guys that are ready to go, let’s not waste a lot of time here. We got plenty of more months left in the year. Let’s get me another fight this year and make a run for the title.”
During the post-fight press conference he reiterated that desire to fight whoever, as soon as possible, even someone outside the top ten if that’s what’s up.
“It’s one of those weird things in MMA right now, everybody feels entitled to fight certain people and that kind of thing,” Magny said. “I honestly do not care. If I have to fight number 1 through 10 in order to get a title shot, I’m ready and willing to do that. Just line ‘em up, I’m ready to go.”