The UFC presents a huge World championship double header at UFC 189 on July 11 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas with Conor McGregor and Chad Mendes facing off for the interim Featherweight title and Welterweight champion Robbie Lawler defending against Rory MacDonald.
MacDonald and Lawler first battled in 2013 at UFC 167 in an intensely competitive bout that was all changed by one punch, landed by Lawler, that made the difference and gave the edge to the American Top Team product who would go on to claim a split-decision victory.
An original product of Miletich Fighting Systems, and most recently American Top Team, ‘Ruthless’ Robbie Lawler stands as one of the most improved fighters in UFC history. At 33-years-old he now serves as a focused and matured champion of the UFC, far removed from his younger days as a hugely powerful brawler who seemed to miss out on his full potential due to a wild approach to fights.
In contrast, 25-year-old Canadian Rory MacDonald, fighting out of Montreal’s Tristar Gym, finally gets his opportunity, but not without great pressure, to live up to the expectation of being Canada’s next great champion following the retirement of teammate Geogres St-Pierre.
While the original fight’s most memorable blow is considered to be the tipping point for Lawler’s victory, MacDonald’s approach to the fight provided a great deal of space for Lawler to prove himself as the aggressor.
MacDonald enjoys bringing a calculated, chess-like approach to his fights by managing the distance, something he generally does with great effect. However, this didn’t play to his advantage upon facing Lawler who used every opportunity to go on the attack when MacDonald would stop to measure, and it was this that lead to a close scorecards victory for the American.
In MacDonald’s three victories since facing Lawler; Demian Maia, Tyron Woodley and Tarec Saffiedine did not fire back to the extent that we can expect from the current champion, and the ‘Red King’ must stay busy if he is to snatch the 170lb crown.
The question of whether or not MacDonald can stay active throughout the championship rounds is a valid one. Lawler may not have defeated Johny Hendricks in unquestionable fashion when winning the title for himself, but nonetheless did so by going the full distance. In MacDonald’s two career loses to both Lawler and Carlos Condit, he was slowed in the later stages and these were just three round fights as opposed to the championship distance of five rounds.
Lawler has proved that he can hurt MacDonald on the feet. The current #2 ranked Welterweight was unable to significantly rock Lawler in the previous bout, and as the more rounded athlete, will have a better edge on the ground with forceful top control, perhaps closing in on a stoppage with elbow strikes.
Prediction: Rory MacDonald – split decision.
