No surgery required for Robbie Lawler, who could be ready for UFC 195 on Jan. 2

Robbie Lawler’s hand injury won’t keep him on the sidelines for as long as feared.

In fact, the UFC’s welterweight champion might be able to defend his title against Carlos Condit by the very beginning of 2015.

According to a report on UFC Tonight on Wednesday, his manager Dave Martin said the injury isn’t serious, and will not require surgery. At most, the injury — which is a thumb injury on his right hand — will keep him sidelined a month, which would have made fighting on the UFC 193 stadium card in Melbourne, Australia difficult.

Martin also said that he could be ready for UFC 195 on Jan. 2 in Las Vegas should the UFC need a headliner. Which, at this point, it looks like it does.

Lawler, who trains out of American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida, was originally booked to face Condit as the headliner for the Nov. 15 pay-per-view at Etihad Stadium. Once he pulled out of the fight with an injury, women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey was moved from UFC 195 to UFC 193. She’ll now headline the Melbourne card against Holly Holm, in an event that is aiming to break the UFC’s attendance record with more than 70,000 people.

UFC 195, which takes place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, will feature women’s strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk.

Robbie Lawler’s hand injury won’t keep him on the sidelines for as long as feared.

In fact, the UFC’s welterweight champion might be able to defend his title against Carlos Condit by the very beginning of 2015.

According to a report on UFC Tonight on Wednesday, his manager Dave Martin said the injury isn’t serious, and will not require surgery. At most, the injury — which is a thumb injury on his right hand — will keep him sidelined a month, which would have made fighting on the UFC 193 stadium card in Melbourne, Australia difficult.

Martin also said that he could be ready for UFC 195 on Jan. 2 in Las Vegas should the UFC need a headliner. Which, at this point, it looks like it does.

Lawler, who trains out of American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida, was originally booked to face Condit as the headliner for the Nov. 15 pay-per-view at Etihad Stadium. Once he pulled out of the fight with an injury, women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey was moved from UFC 195 to UFC 193. She’ll now headline the Melbourne card against Holly Holm, in an event that is aiming to break the UFC’s attendance record with more than 70,000 people.

UFC 195, which takes place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, will feature women’s strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk.