(First Condom Depot and now Ultra Lube. This sport is turning into one big game of grab-ass, I tell ya. Photo via Getty.)
Fresh off third round TKO’s of Erick Silva and Jake Ellenberger at Fight Night 40 and UFC 173, respectively, Matt Brown and Robbie Lawler are set to do battle in what will surely go down as “The greatest brawl since Frye vs. Takayama” at UFC on FOX 12 on July 26th. The announcement was made by Dana White via Twitter earlier today, who also confirmed that the winner of Brown vs. Lawler will earn the next shot at Johny Hendricks when he returns from bicep surgery.
Suffice it to say, any MMA fan whose isn’t verging on a Scanners-esque mindsplosion trying to comprehend the awesomeness of this fight is either dead or dying. Lawler and Brown are essentially mirror images of each other — uber-violent, no-nonsense brawlers who have experienced improbable career comebacks in recent years — and their upcoming clash is all but guaranteed to deliver a “Fight of the Year” nominee and a clear cut #1 contender at 170 lbs.
Is it just me, or does the booking of Lawler vs. Brown signify the culmination of what has been an amazing couple of months for MMA? The past few UFC events have all delivered in terms of excitement, Bellator 120 was great in its own strange way, and despite being booked less than an hour ago, Brown vs. Lawler has already has already resulted in the NASDAQ going up 45 points, SKOAL’s lifetime sales tripling, and the subject of the Third Eye Blind song “Jumper” finally deciding to step back from that ledge, my friend.
MMA comes in ebbs and flows, Nation, and right now, we are in a flow. Or an ebb, maybe. I never really understood that expression. Regardless, let’s all just hold hands and pray that the injury Gods don’t f*ck this one up for us. Kumbaya, my lord, Kumbaya…