Tag: Booking Alert

UFC Booking Alert: Robbie Lawler to Face Jake Ellenberger at UFC 173


(Robbie Lawler storms the Octagon, refusing to leave until Joe Silva offers up a sacrifice. / Photo via Getty)

UFC 173 just got a little more star power. An intriguing welterweight bout between Jake Ellenberger and Robbie Lawler just got added to the May 24th card.

Originally, Ellenberger was slated to fight Tarec Saffiedine at UFC 172 in Baltimore next month. However, an injury Saffiedine sustained in training changed all that. Not to diss Saffiedine, but Ellenberger-Lawler is a much more exciting fight to daydream about.


(Robbie Lawler storms the Octagon, refusing to leave until Joe Silva offers a sacrifice. / Photo via Getty)

UFC 173 just got a little more star power. An intriguing welterweight bout between Jake Ellenberger and Robbie Lawler just got added to the May 24th card.

Originally, Ellenberger was slated to fight Tarec Saffiedine at UFC 172 in Baltimore next month. However, an injury Saffiedine sustained in training changed all that. Not to diss Saffiedine, but Ellenberger-Lawler is a much more exciting fight to daydream about.

Lawler is coming off a decision loss to Johny Hendricks in what was basically the fight of his life. He had the title within his grasp, but couldn’t reach it. Watching him (try to) bounce back will be interesting. Ellenberger, too, is coming off a loss. His was to Rory MacDonald at UFC on FOX 8 last July. He looked disinterested and flat. He’ll likely be looking to erase that performance with his efforts against Lawler.

UFC 173 needed a match like this—one between two top fighters that actually matter and that has implications in the weight class. The card started off well enough, with Chris Weidman vs. Vitor Belfort Lyoto Machida as the main event. Then Weidman hurt his knee, and the MMA fandom collectively breathed a sigh of woe as the main event became Renan Barao vs. TJ Dillashaw. But thanks to Ellenberger-Lawler, as well as Junior Dos Santos vs. Stipe Miocic, UFC 173 might actually be worth paying for now.

UFC Booking Alert: Rory MacDonald to Face Demian Maia at UFC 170


(If MacDonald’s fighting career doesn’t pan out, he can always get a job as a male model. / Photo via Getty.)

The UFC announced that welterweights Rory MacDonald and Demian Maia would face off at UFC 170 this February. They made the announcement when the MMA world was abuzz with talk about the stellar fight card taking place. You know, the one that hosted one of the most exciting main events ever? So the news didn’t really stick.

Maia is coming off a disappointing loss to Jake Shields at UFC Fight Night 29 back in October. He looked his age, 36, during the fight.

MacDonald recently had his hype train derailed by a resurgent Robbie Lawler at UFC 167, snapping a five-fight winning streak and presumably a fight with Georges St.Pierre.

MacDonald-Maia is good booking. The well-rounded MacDonald is an atrocious match-up for Maia—who has average striking and deficient takedowns. It’s clear that the UFC wants to get their 24-year-old, Canadian prospect back in “the mix” as soon as possible, and the best way to do that is give him a name opponent that he has a high chance of beating. They want to make him their next GSP sooner rather than later.


(If MacDonald’s fighting career doesn’t pan out, he can always get a job as a male model. / Photo via Getty.)

The UFC announced that welterweights Rory MacDonald and Demian Maia would face off at UFC 170 this February. They made the announcement when the MMA world was abuzz with talk about the stellar fight card taking place. You know, the one that hosted one of the most exciting main events ever? So the news didn’t really stick.

Maia is coming off a disappointing loss to Jake Shields at UFC Fight Night 29 back in October. He looked his age, 36, during the fight.

MacDonald recently had his hype train derailed by a resurgent Robbie Lawler at UFC 167, snapping a five-fight winning streak and presumably costing him a fight with Georges St.Pierre.

MacDonald-Maia is good booking, at least from a business perspective.  The well-rounded MacDonald is an atrocious match-up for Maia—who has average striking and deficient takedowns. It’s clear that the UFC wants to get their 24-year-old, Canadian prospect back in “the mix” as soon as possible. The best way to do that is give him a name opponent that he has a high chance of beating. They want to make him their next GSP sooner rather than later.