Robbie Lawler exposes his secret motivation for iconic Rory MacDonald
Robbie Lawler is called “Callous” for a reason.The 2025 UFC
Hall of Fame conscript delivered some of the most legendary knockouts and battles in MMA history throughout his 22-year career. Lawler’s entry into the Hall later this month will be his 2nd after his legendary rematch with Rory MacDonald went into the Fight Wing in 2023. Arguably the best battle of perpetuity, Lawler vs. MacDonald 2 stands apart on its own regardless of becoming part of one of the sport’s most unforgettable events, 2015’s UFC 189 pay-per-view. In hindsight, it’s simple to forget the fight preceded the night’s headliner, the interim featherweight title clash between Conor McGregor and Chad Mendes.Advertisement Lawler revealed on Wednesday’s
edition of”The Ariel Helwani Show “how his co-main occasion position for his very first welterweight title defense was far more of an inspirational factor than he ever let on.” Leading up to that battle, Rory never ever
recognized it, however we were 2nd fiddle that entire freaking build-up to that fight,”Lawler said.”I resemble,’ Oh, they’re putting me on the undercard of [initial headliner José] Aldo and freaking McGregor. ‘So I’m simply freaking training like they’re disrespecting me.”I get it. Aldo’s the freaking male, Conor is
the up-and-comer. However I’m the much heavier guy. So, I’m freaking training hard. Like, truly freaking hard. And I actually had time to freaking relax after [having five fights in] 13 months [ahead of time] So I had the ability to rest and put in a difficult freaking camp for him– and I had something to prove. Then, two weeks before the battle, Aldo’s out and they put in freaking Mendes, and I’m still the undercard. I didn’t say anything. I wasn’t pissed. I resembled,’OK. ‘It is what it was, alright. So that’s who [MacDonald] was combating, too. ‘I’m the freaking guy,’ was what I was thinking.”
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If there’s one minute outside the cage to summarize the ruthless nature of Lawler, it ‘d be the popular line he delivered in reaction to a concern about McGregor’s loss to Nate Diaz the following year.Rather than take McGregor’s neck and send the Irishman like Diaz made with a rear-naked choke at UFC 196, Lawler flatly stated he would’ve instead taken McGregor’s soul.Lawler, 43, won 22 of his 30 victories by knockout and
only when submitted an opponent extremely early in his professional career. For the previous UFC welterweight champ, that was simply never his design. “[ Diaz] did just freaking take [
McGregor’s] neck and freaking let him off the hook,”Lawler stated. “He might have done whatever he desired. … I want to beat individuals up. That’s how I fought.Advertisement “It’s type of amusing because I’m coaching guys, and in the UFC I had no submission attempts.” In my eyes, and in my head, I was constantly believing, ‘If you submit someone, there’s techniques, right?’There’s little techniques like,’Oh, he fooled me. ‘But if you whoop somebody’s ass, then there was actually no technique to that.”That train of idea may lead one to
think Lawler headed out of his method to prove himself in an old-school “tough-guy “style. However Lawler assures that was never a concern. He combated how he felt was best for him. If somebody bested him, it was what it was.Advertisement” I would tap. I would never go to sleep.
That’s silly,
“Lawler stated. “Oxygen far from your brain. What does that prove? If you got, you got me.”Lawler has actually been enjoying life outside the Octagon considering that his instantly renowned retirement battle versus Niko Rate in July 2023. In one of the most ideal sendoff efficiencies ever seen in battle sports, Lawler knocked out his tough-as-nails opponent in a simple 38 seconds, leaving the battle world begging for more.Nearly a year and a half later on, Lawler has stayed true to his retirement guarantee, however not without a little enticement to return. Bare-knuckle boxing leader BKFC has actually honestly done its best to bring Lawler back sans gloves for a showdown versus the promotion’s leading star, Mike Perry. And while Lawler likes the idea, he’s still under agreement with the UFC and hasn’t seriously amused a return.”Not really, “Lawler reacted when asked if BKFC is a genuine possibility.” They touched base probably January of last year, and this is where we are today.
So, you tell me. I never state never to anything, but I’m retired. We have to cross those courses [with finding out his UFC status] when we need to. “A fight’s a fight, right? [Bare-knuckle is] how I first began fighting. … To me, a fight’s a battle.
Knees to the head of a grounded challenger, soccer kick, stomps, that’s combating. When I combated in Hawaii, we had all those rules. You weren’t safe anywhere. If you were in a front headlock position, you probably shouldn’t hang out there because you ‘d probably be getting kneed in the head. So there’s simply more things to stress over and no resting spot. “