Tag: Robbie Lawler

UFC 181: Robbie Lawler Looking to Complete Resurgence with Welterweight Gold

Robbie Lawler’s journey through mixed martial arts has been nothing short of compelling and is a tale told in two parts. The opening chapters were filled with both success and failure—great expectations and letdowns—while the second ha…

Robbie Lawler‘s journey through mixed martial arts has been nothing short of compelling and is a tale told in two parts. The opening chapters were filled with both success and failure—great expectations and letdowns—while the second half that is currently being written has a story of redemption fit for a Hollywood portrayal of a prize fighter.

As the saying goes, “Everyone loves a comeback story,” and Ruthless has battled back from the brink of obscurity to become one of the most dominant forces in what is arguably the most talent-stacked division under the UFC banner. Simply put: Lawler isn’t the type to squander second chances, and his work inside the Octagon over the past two years is proof to solidify that notion. 

Since making his return to the UFC in early 2013, the American Top Team standout has won five of his six showings inside the cage as he’s notched one impressive performance after another. Over this stretch, the storied knockout artist has not only returned to form but surpassed previous expectations as he’s battered a collection of top-ranked opponents en route to becoming a title contender.

Yet the one setback he’s suffered during what has been an extraordinary resurgence came when the stakes were at their highest when he squared off with Johny Hendricks for the vacant welterweight title at UFC 171 back in March. The 32-year-old powerhouse and Bigg Rigg put on one of the year’s best scraps as they took turns teeing off on one another throughout the duration of the 25-minute affair with Hendricks earning the split-decision nod on the judges’ scorecards. 

And while Lawler is admittedly not one to linger in the past, that doesn’t take anything away from his determination not to repeat it. He has his sights set on Hendricks and championship gold once again as the dynamic striker heads into their highly anticipated rematch at UFC 181 on Dec. 6. Since coming short that night in Dallas, Lawler has worked furiously to get another shot at the welterweight crown, and he accomplished that task on the strength of back-to-back victories over fellow members of the divisional upper tier of the 170-pound fold.

Hendricks has been on the sidelines recovering from a torn bicep he suffered in their first meeting and hasn’t stepped inside the Octagon in eight months, but none of this makes any difference to the current No. 1 contender. He sole focus is locked on what he has to do to get his hands on the welterweight title, and that’s exactly what Lawler plans to do at UFC 181 on Saturday night.

“I’m not too worried [about Hendricks’] time off,” Lawler told Bleacher Report. “I’m thinking about how I’ve improved as a fighter now. I’m not necessarily thinking about how Johny’s training is going. I’m focused on making myself the best fighter I’ve ever been before, and that’s the only issue that matters to me. I’m going to be the best fighter I’ve ever been on fight night, and that’s what the problem is going to be for Johny Hendricks.”

While the lion’s share of attention will fall on the fate of the welterweight title Saturday, Lawler‘s renewed run at the highest level of the sport stands a great chance of being unaffected regardless of the outcome. Granted, winning his first UFC title would be a tremendous feather to add to his cap, but failing to do so won’t change the fact that fight fans have fallen back in love with watching Lawler work when the cage door closes.

Over the course of his current run of success, he’s reminded MMA‘s passionate fanbase what made him a must-see attraction in the first place, and that’s an incredible accomplishment in its own right. Every second of any fight Lawler is just one clean shot away from bringing his opponent’s night to a brutally abrupt end, and the lingering threat of such things will always be one of the biggest attractions in combat sports.

It’s the very thing that made him want to be a fighter growing up, and the fact he’s now someone people tune into see for that exact reason is a part he’s honored to play.

“I just go out there and do what I do best, and that’s fight,” Lawler said. “I let my hands and feet go and try to finish fights. I guess fans appreciate that, and that’s what I always looked up to when I watched martial arts and boxing growing up. I always appreciated guys who went out there looking to finish and gave it their all. That’s what I’m looking to do every time I go out there.”

 

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Healed Up and Hungry, Johny Hendricks Aiming for Dominant Victory at UFC 181

When Johny Hendricks heard his name announced as the new UFC welterweight champion following his battle with Robbie Lawler at UFC 171 back in March, he fell to his knees under the weight of the moment.
The former two-time NCAA Division I national champ…

When Johny Hendricks heard his name announced as the new UFC welterweight champion following his battle with Robbie Lawler at UFC 171 back in March, he fell to his knees under the weight of the moment.

The former two-time NCAA Division I national champion wrestler turned MMA powerhouse had just come through a five-round war with a resurgent slugger turned contender—four of which he did without the use of his left arm due to a torn bicep—and now had 12 pounds of championship gold around his waist to make it all worthwhile.

It was a surreal moment for Hendricks and one that capped the 31-year-old’s three-year rise through what is arguably the most talent-stacked division under the UFC banner. The welterweight division is a shark tank of a weight class and one where any one of the divisional elite can defeat another on a given night. That said, Hendricks took every major challenge put in front of him and proved his worth every step of the way.

During his rise to the top, Bigg Rigg dusted a pair of perennial contenders in Jon Fitch and Martin Kampmann, went toe-to-toe with former interim champion Carlos Condit in a raucous 15-minute affair then pushed long reigning welterweight king Georges St-Pierre further than any man had ever done in the past in his first title opportunity at UFC 167 last November.

The title challenger had the longstanding champion in a position where he was consistently forced to fight himself out of danger, and with that being the case, a large percentage of the MMA community believed Hendricks bested the pound-for-pound great when the final bell sounded on their five-round affair.

Nevertheless, two of the three cage side judges believed GSP had done enough to win the bout, and the Team TakeDown representative was forced to exit the Octagon empty-handed. Yet, the sting of that night in Nevada wouldn’t last long, as four months later the heavy-handed Oklahoma native was officially crowned as the new champion of the 170-pound fold—winning the title St-Pierre vacated shortly after their clash the previous year.

It was the moment Hendricks had dreamed of and was one he made sure to allow himself to slow down and appreciate.

“The time off was good,” Hendricks told Bleacher Report. “It’s been nice to spend time with the family. It’s been good to spend time with the wife and kids. It’s also been nice to heal the body and mind and get hungry again. Get hungry to get back into the Octagon and get hungry to train again. That desire and drive to keep going are crucial things to have and time off gave that to me. I kept watching people fight, and I couldn’t because I was healing up. But now that I’m able to jump back in there, I’m super excited.

“You get time to let everything soak in, but you also get time to let it all go away. You know what I mean? You get time to feel proud that you are the welterweight champion, but you also get time to realize it doesn’t matter anymore because now I have to retain it. With every fight, as soon as I sign that bout agreement I’m no longer the champ.

“I’m trying to defend it and I plan on defending it a bunch of times,” he added. “But as soon as I sign that bout agreement, you forget about what you have done in the past and start thinking about what you are going to do next. Right now, I’m thinking about defending that title.”

The bearded slugger fought his heart out to become champion, and if a lifetime accomplishing great feats on wrestling mats across the country has taught him anything, it’s that there cannot be too much time spent admiring past achievements. While obtaining goals are a crucial part of his personal progression as a fighter, setting new goals are a necessary catalyst to reigniting the fires of motivation when the moment arrives to do so. 

And for Hendricks, that time has come front and center.

After spending the past several months rehabilitating his injured arm and adjusting to life as the welterweight champion, the Texas transplant will soon step back into the Octagon to defend the belt he fought so valiantly to obtain. The former Oklahoma State University wrestling standout and “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler will once again lock their proverbial horns in one of the year’s most highly anticipated rematches at UFC 181 on Dec. 6.

The first tilt with the American Top Team representative was an instant classic where both fighters gave their all in pursuit of the vacant welterweight strap. And despite having to push through an early injury—a caliber toughness Arlington-based fighter gives full credit to his wrestling background for—Hendricks had the savvy to dig deep in the final frame to win the round and ultimately the bout. The fight was a 25-minute gut check for the welterweight powerhouse and one he relied on his inner grit and heart to earn him the victory.

Yet, while their initial go around was a closely contested affair, Hendricks is coming into the rematch looking to put on a much more definitive performance. He knows full well what Lawler brings to the table but doesn’t believe Lawler knows what a 100-percent healthy Johny Hendricks looks like.

In his opinion, that alone will make a tremendous difference, and Hendricks is determined to put a definitive stamp on his reign as the new welterweight king by defeating Lawler in spectacular fashion at UFC 181.

“I always want to win, and if I can go out there and beat Robbie Lawler a second time—especially considering the things he’s done while I was out—that’s going to send a big shock through the welterweight division,” Hendricks said. “Lawler is a very tough fighter and so are a lot of the other guys who are all trying to get a shot at the title. If I can go out there and get my hand raised the way I think I can, then it will look way better on me. That’s really what I’m focusing on.

“I’m going to go out there and get it done the way I need to so that there aren’t any questions at the end of the fight. I am focused on making sure this fight isn’t as close as the last one was.” 

 

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Kill a Half Hour Watching Johny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler’s First Fight at UFC 171

(Props: UFC on YouTube)

In advance of their welterweight title fight rematch at UFC 181 (December 6th, Las Vegas), the UFC has released the full video of Johny Hendricks vs. Robbie Lawler 1 — the Fight of the Year candidate that took place at UFC 171 in March. Hendricks won the bout by unanimous decision (48-47 across the board) following a wild brawl that we stopped trying to score after the second round. In particular, the third round, which starts at the video’s 15:18 mark, is an incredible testament to both fighters’ ability to give and receive damage. It’s a true classic, and not a bad way to spend a half hour if you’re bored at the office today.


(Props: UFC on YouTube)

In advance of their welterweight title fight rematch at UFC 181 (December 6th, Las Vegas), the UFC has released the full video of Johny Hendricks vs. Robbie Lawler 1 — the Fight of the Year candidate that took place at UFC 171 in March. Hendricks won the bout by unanimous decision (48-47 across the board) following a wild brawl that we stopped trying to score after the second round. In particular, the third round, which starts at the video’s 15:18 mark, is an incredible testament to both fighters’ ability to give and receive damage. It’s a true classic, and not a bad way to spend a half hour if you’re bored at the office today.

5 Former Strikeforce Fighters Who Are Threats to UFC Gold

When the UFC purchased Strikeforce back in March 2011, it was first believed that the organization was going to continue to operate under then-President Scott Coker. But in January 2013, after Tarec Saffiedine became the promotion’s last welterwe…

When the UFC purchased Strikeforce back in March 2011, it was first believed that the organization was going to continue to operate under then-President Scott Coker. But in January 2013, after Tarec Saffiedine became the promotion’s last welterweight champion, big brother brought over a stash of prime Strikeforce talent to stockpile several of its weight divisions.

Strikeforce had been the No. 2 mixed martial arts organization in America for roughly six years. They fostered elite-level talent, such as Gilbert Melendez and Jake Shields, which helped spark debate over who exactly was the best in the world. Since the takeover, Strikeforce fighters have gone 0-5 in championship fights, with three left to be played out. Those who have failed in their efforts to capture UFC gold include Shields, Melendez, Robbie Lawler and Nick Diaz, who lost twice.

There are three championship bouts in the light heavyweight, lightweight and welterweight divisions featuring the pride of Strikeforce. Melendez and Lawler are both back at it again—with Melendez facing an entirely different foe this time around. Each lost a close split decision in his initial title fight. The last one on the docket pits Olympic wrestler Daniel Cormier against Jon Jones.

We are a year and a half removed from the time Strikeforce contracts were transferred over to UFC brass, and they have yet to establish a championship reign. Which fighters have the best chance to become UFC title holders?

The following set of rankings is composed of the most able—and dangerous—threats to champions. This does not mean that the fighter necessarily needs to be challenging for a belt. Fighters who have fought for a belt prior don’t hold an advantage over rising divisional candidates.

Fighters in the women’s bantamweight division are also candidates, however—spoiler alert—none made the list. Here are the five biggest Strikeforce-bred threats to UFC champions—but first, here are a few fighters who failed to make the cut.

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MMA’s ‘Fighter of the Year’ a 2-Man Race Between Cerrone and Lawler

As 2014 winds down, and we look to what the future might hold in 2015 for mixed martial arts, the pack starts to thin in the race for “Fighter of the Year,” and so far it’s down to two men: Robbie Lawler and Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone.
U…

As 2014 winds down, and we look to what the future might hold in 2015 for mixed martial arts, the pack starts to thin in the race for “Fighter of the Year,” and so far it’s down to two men: Robbie Lawler and Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone.

UFC champions have not been particularly active this year. Cain Velasquez will only have one fight in 2014, the same goes for Jon Jones, Chris Weidman and Anthony Pettis. Johny Hendricks, Jose Aldo and Demetrious Johnson will have each fought twice by the time the year is over, and bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw has fought three times.

You could make a case for Ronda Rousey as Fighter of the Year due to the dominance in her two victories in 2014, which took a total of 1:22. There have been a lot of fighters who have been more active than the current group of UFC champions over the past year, and two in particular have stood out from the rest.

Robbie Lawler’s first fight of 2014 was against Johny Hendricks for the vacant UFC welterweight title at UFC 171 in March. He rallied back from being down two rounds, and won the third and the fourth round on all three judges scorecards. It was tied going into the fifth and final round.

The round itself was a microcosm of the larger fight as a whole, as it was super close with Hendricks just barely pulling away with a takedown at the end of the round that he was able to use to keep Lawler down just long enough to win the decision.

After the close fight with Hendricks, Lawler rebounded with a third-round TKO win over Jake Ellenberger in May, where he outstruck Ellenberger for the first two rounds, and late in the third a devastating knee to the body of Ellenberger and a left hook from Lawler put him away.

He followed that up with his five-round battle with the hard-nosed Matt Brown in the main event of UFC on Fox 12. Two impressive victories and a close loss in a title fight might be enough to declare “Ruthless” the Fighter of the Year, but the fact that he has earned a second title fight that will also be taking place before the year is up is even more impressive.  

If Lawler takes the title from Hendricks on December 6, a new UFC welterweight champion would be hard to argue as the Fighter of the Year.

We don’t know exactly what the end of 2014 will look like for Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone just yet. He has been insisting since January that he wants to fight six times this year. He could wait and potentially fight for the lightweight title or in a top-contender fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov when he returns in early 2015. But Cerrone has said that he wants to stay active and fight again ASAP.

His 2014 offensive on the UFC 155-pound weight-class has been remarkable thus far. He kicked the year off with a first-round head-kick knockout of Adriano Martins at UFC on Fox in January.

Three months later he returned to action, where he engaged in a two-minute Muay Thai battle with Edson Barboza before jumping on his back and choking him out.

He finished Jim Miller twice in July. In the main event of UFC Fight Night Atlantic City, Cerrone caught Miller with a shot to the body that had Miller looking to the ref to save him. Mistaking it for a low blow, referee Dan Miragliotta briefly haulted the action and the resumed it. Cerrone then officially put Miller away with a head kick and some punches.

Two months after that, Cerrone had the daunting task of welcoming Eddie Alvarez to the UFC. Alvarez was thought to be one of the very best lightweights in the world, and would finally have a chance to prove it in the UFC. Cerrone defeated Alvarez by unanimous decision.

Four wins, three finishes, and the intention of fighting again within the next two months. Cerrone has set the bar pretty high for the fighter of 2014.

If Robbie Lawler starts off 2015 holding the UFC welterweight title, then he will be the year’s fightingest fighter, but if not, Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone will reign supreme.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC Fight Night 54 Results: 3 Fights to Make for Rory MacDonald

All the pressure was on Rory MacDonald at UFC Fight Night 54 on Saturday. Fighting in his own backyard against a relatively unheralded opponent in Tarec Saffiedine, and with a title shot possibly on the line, the 25-year-old performed admirably, taking…

All the pressure was on Rory MacDonald at UFC Fight Night 54 on Saturday. Fighting in his own backyard against a relatively unheralded opponent in Tarec Saffiedine, and with a title shot possibly on the line, the 25-year-old performed admirably, taking out his foe in the third round with a picture-perfect uppercut.

It was a mature performance from the young Canadian. He may not be quite as exciting as he was back in 2010, but he is arguably more effective. Is he ready for a title shot? It would be difficult to argue otherwise, and it seems to be what the UFC has in store for him.

Still, let’s take a look at MacDonald’s options for the near future, if you’ll indulge me.

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