Former UFC title contender Rory MacDonald is currently preparing for PFL’s million-dollar tournament.
This year the PFL hopes to complete its third season of million dollar tournaments. The upstart MMA org had to cancel 2020’s program due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The cancellation came despite the PFL announcing the signings of a number of well known fighters, including Fabricio Werdum, Anthony Pettis and Rory MacDonald.
MacDonald, a former UFC welterweight title challenger, recently did a Q&A session where he discussed his future plans. One of the questions he answered was from a fan asking if it was likely we’d ever see ‘The Red King’ back in the UFC.
“UFC comeback? Possibly. We’ll see,” said MacDoanld (ht Adam Martin, bjpenn.com). “I plan on doing some of my best fights in PFL in the next couple of years while I’m with them, but you never know what’s going to happen after that.”
During the Q&A MacDonald also revealed that his first PFL fight is slated for April 29, though the Canadian doesn’t know where it will be held. For opponents MacDonald said there was a chance he would face either former PFL tournament winner Ray Cooper III or Magomed Magomedkerimov
Along with those fighters, the PFL’s welterweight tournament includes Nikolay Aleksakhin, Andre Fialho, Alex Lohore, David Michaed, Sadibou Sy and Joao Zeferino.
Before joining the PFL MacDonald had a two year stint with Bellator. During his time in that promotion he won the Bellator Welterweight title with a win over Douglas Lima. He defended that title versus John Fitch (via a draw) and Neiman Gracie, but then lost it to Lima when the pair rematched in the Bellator Welterweight Grand Prix Final in October 2019. That was his last appearance with the company.
During his time in Bellator MacDonald also unsuccessfully challenged for the Bellator middleweight championship, losing via TKO to Gegard Mousassi.
Prior to Bellator MacDonald fought under the UFC banner. MacDonald had 13 bouts inside the Octagon, beginning in 2010 when he was just 21-years-old. In his UFC career he defeated Nate Diaz, B.J. Penn, Demian Maia and Tyron Woodley.
In 2015 MacDonald fought a bloody battle with Robbie Lawler for the UFC welterweight title. MacDonald lost the fight by TKO in the fifth round. That contest would be remembered as Fight of the Year. Following that gruelling bout MacDonald lost a decision to Stephen Thompson before leaving the UFC.