A pivotal welterweight fight appears to be set for July 8’s UFC 213, which will take place during International Fight Week in Las Vegas, Nevada. According to a report from ESPN’s Brett Okamoto, UFC President Dana White has confirmed that former 170-pound champion Robbie Lawler will return to the cage to take on Donald “Cowboy”
A pivotal welterweight fight appears to be set for July 8’s UFC 213, which will take place during International Fight Week in Las Vegas, Nevada.
According to a report from ESPN’s Brett Okamoto, UFC President Dana White has confirmed that former 170-pound champion Robbie Lawler will return to the cage to take on Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone:
Lawler, who remains ranked at No. 2 in the division, hasn’t competed since last July when he was brutally knocked out by Tyron Woodley in the first round of their UFC 201 main event where he surrendered his title in the process.
The No. 8-ranked Cerrone, on the other hand, was riding a four fight win streak since moving up to welterweight in Feb. 2016, but he suffered a stoppage loss to Jorge Masvidal this past January in Denver, Colorado.
Lawler and Cerrone were actually scheduled to meet last November at UFC 205 in New York City, but Lawler made it clear that he needed more time to recover after the knockout loss to Woodley.
Who do you expect to come out on top when these two 170-pound warriors meet this summer?
Donald Cerrone is set to take on No. 5-ranked Kelvin Gastelum at this Saturday’s (Nov. 12, 2016) UFC 205 from New York, but he was originally scheduled to take on No. 1-ranked former champion Robbie Lawler, although Lawler was forced to withdraw from the bout shortly after agreeing to the terms. Despite being disappointed that
Donald Cerrone is set to take on No. 5-ranked Kelvin Gastelum at this Saturday’s (Nov. 12, 2016) UFC 205 from New York, but he was originally scheduled to take on No. 1-ranked former champion Robbie Lawler, although Lawler was forced to withdraw from the bout shortly after agreeing to the terms.
Despite being disappointed that the fight was called off, “Cowboy” hasn’t lost any respect for the “Ruthless” one, and he admits that a bout with Lawler would be ‘a hell of a fight’:
“I still respect the sh-t out of the dude. He’s a good friend of mine, I have more respect for him calling me first and letting me know, that tells you how he is. This is a guy that would be a hell of a fight,” Cerrone said via MMA Fighting.
When it was reported that Lawler had pulled out of the fight, fans were a bit confused as it wasn’t exactly made clear why he wasn’t able to fight. In fact, a reason has still yet to be given, although Cerrone feels as if it has to do with the fact that the ex-champion is coming off of a brutal knockout loss to Tyron Woodley just last July:
“I don’t know mentally what was going on with Lawler, he’s not really a guy that pulls out of fights,” Cerrone said. “He’s a tough dude. What I think might have happened, maybe he got rocked in sparring, or maybe his head wasn’t all the way healed up. Maybe there wasn’t enough time.”
“Those are just things I’m making up, I don’t really know what was going on with him, those are just things that can happen.”
If Cerrone can get by Gastelum, he will extend his winning streak to four since moving up to 170-pounds earlier this year, making a bout between him and Lawler still a possibility.
Donald Cerrone is set to take on No. 5-ranked Kelvin Gastelum at this Saturday’s (Nov. 12, 2016) UFC 205 from New York, but he was originally scheduled to take on No. 1-ranked former champion Robbie Lawler, although Lawler was forced to withdraw from the bout shortly after agreeing to the terms. Despite being disappointed that
Donald Cerrone is set to take on No. 5-ranked Kelvin Gastelum at this Saturday’s (Nov. 12, 2016) UFC 205 from New York, but he was originally scheduled to take on No. 1-ranked former champion Robbie Lawler, although Lawler was forced to withdraw from the bout shortly after agreeing to the terms.
Despite being disappointed that the fight was called off, “Cowboy” hasn’t lost any respect for the “Ruthless” one, and he admits that a bout with Lawler would be ‘a hell of a fight’:
“I still respect the sh-t out of the dude. He’s a good friend of mine, I have more respect for him calling me first and letting me know, that tells you how he is. This is a guy that would be a hell of a fight,” Cerrone said via MMA Fighting.
When it was reported that Lawler had pulled out of the fight, fans were a bit confused as it wasn’t exactly made clear why he wasn’t able to fight. In fact, a reason has still yet to be given, although Cerrone feels as if it has to do with the fact that the ex-champion is coming off of a brutal knockout loss to Tyron Woodley just last July:
“I don’t know mentally what was going on with Lawler, he’s not really a guy that pulls out of fights,” Cerrone said. “He’s a tough dude. What I think might have happened, maybe he got rocked in sparring, or maybe his head wasn’t all the way healed up. Maybe there wasn’t enough time.”
“Those are just things I’m making up, I don’t really know what was going on with him, those are just things that can happen.”
If Cerrone can get by Gastelum, he will extend his winning streak to four since moving up to 170-pounds earlier this year, making a bout between him and Lawler still a possibility.
The MMA world was dealt some disappointing news last night (Fri., September 9, 2016) when word arrived former UFC welterweight champion Robbie Lawler was out of his anticipated slugfest with Donald Cerrone at November’s UFC 205 from Madison Square Garden. “Cowboy” was then quick to offer his services to fill in for the injured CB
The reason “Ruthless” can’t fight is yet to be officially clarified, but fans are obviously out a fight that could have potentially been up there with the best fights of the year.
However, all hope is not lost. According to a report from The Las Vegas Post’s Mario Saunders, returning welterweight star Nick Diaz is apparently in negotiations to replace Lawler at the UFC’s debut show from NYC:
If that is indeed the case, it’s impossible to deny that Diaz vs. Cerrone would be another absolute barnburner that MMA fans will be eagerly anticipating. The fight also comes with a built-in revenge angle, as Nick’s younger brother Nate famously picked Cerrone apart to win a decision at 2011’s UFC 141 after a bad blood-fueled buildup and a heated weigh-ins face-off.
Nick Diaz, who, despite not securing a win in the Octagon since October 2011 over an outsized and over-matched BJ Penn, remains one of the biggest and most recognizable names in MMA. That’s only grown in scope throughout his controversial 18-month suspension (which was reduced from a ridiculous five years) from the NAC for his latest marijuana offense, thanks in no small part to Nate’s heavily publicized feud with Conor McGregor.
Yet he’s also repeatedly stated he only wants to take on the biggest names in MMA, and reportedly eschewed the idea of a possible title fight with newly-crowned 170-pound champ Tyron Woodley. His last two fights were defeats at the hands of arguably the two greatest mixed martial artists of all time in Anderson Silva and Georges St-Pierre, and even though Cerrone remains one of the biggest fan favorites in the UFC, he may or may not be big enough for Diaz’s own personal scale.
Now it could be Nick’s turn to take the reigns for the Diaz brothers and throw down with ‘Cowboy’ in a fight that would have the entire sport buzzing.
It was recently rumored that a potential welterweight clash between former champion Robbie Lawler and former lightweight title challenger Donald Cerrone was in the works for November 12’s UFC 205 from Madison Square Garden. It now appears as if the bout is a done deal. Anthony Lima of Cleveland 92.3 reported earlier today (September 7,
It was recently rumored that a potential welterweight clash between former champion Robbie Lawler and former lightweight title challenger Donald Cerrone was in the works for November 12’s UFC 205 from Madison Square Garden. It now appears as if the bout is a done deal.
Anthony Lima of Cleveland 92.3 reported earlier today (September 7, 2016) that the two men have signed on the dotted line per UFC President Dana White:
UFC News: @danawhite just told me the papers are signed off on a Robbie Lawler vs. Donald Cerrone match for #UFC205 card at MSG in NYC.
Lawler last competed at July 30’s UFC 201 from Atlanta, Georgia, where he surrendered his belt in brutal fashion at the hands of Tyron Woodley. Prior to the loss, Lawler had won five straight including two defenses of his previously held 170-pound strap.
Cerrone, on the other hand, has been on a tear since moving up to welterweight. After losing in a lightweight title bout with former champion Rafael dos Anjos, “Cowboy” decided to test the waters at 170 pounds and has now won three straight by finish over Alex Oliveira, Patrick Cote, and Rick Story.
This potential bout has all the makings to be a firefight and would be a fantastic edition to what should be one of the promotion’s biggest cards of the year in its first-ever event from New York City’s historic Madison Square Garden. The bout would also hold major title implications if it indeed comes to fruition.
A potential firefight of a welterweight bout is reportedly close to being scheduled for the UFC’s New York State debut of November 12’s UFC 205 from Madison Square Garden. After streaking UFC welterweight Donald Cerrone responded to former 170-pound champion Robbie Lawler’s reported request for a fight in New York earlier this week, ESPN’s Brett
A potential firefight of a welterweight bout is reportedly close to being scheduled for the UFC’s New York State debut of November 12’s UFC 205 from Madison Square Garden.
After streaking UFC welterweight Donald Cerrone responded to former 170-pound champion Robbie Lawler’s reported request for a fight in New York earlier this week, ESPN’s Brett Okamoto recently confirmed that while the bout is not official, the promotion is headed in that direction rather quickly:
Not official yet … But I'm hearing things are moving quickly in the direction of Lawler vs. Cerrone in NY.
If that does indeed prove to be true, the rumored bout would undoubtedly be one of the most action-packed affairs they could put on.
Lawler seems more than ready to prove his knockout loss to Tyron Woodley was merely a bump in the road, while ‘Cowboy’ has arguably never looked better than he has at 170. He’s finished Alex Oliveira, Patrick Cote, and most recently Rick Story this year to storm his way into the welterweight ranks, and a win over No. 1 Lawler would put him in title contention.
But not if “Ruthless” has anything to say about it. With UFC 205 supposedly one of the biggest events of the UFC’s biggest-ever year, adding this one as the first official bout would certainly get the ball rolling on some hype and anticipation.
