UFC 189: Robbie Lawler Successfully Defends Welterweight Title


UFC 189 took place last night, and the main card featured Conor McGregor vs. Chad Mendes. The fight was for the Interim Featherweight Championship, which McGregor ended up winning via TKO in the second round. Another championship fight also occurred last night, with Robbie Lawler defending the Welterweight Championship against the number one contender, Rory MacDonald. This was the second time the two had met, as Robbie Lawler fought Rory MacDonald two years ago, but at that time Robbie Lawler didn’t hold the title, nor did Rory MacDonald. In that fight, Robbie Lawler won via split decision.

As for last night’s fight, Robbie Lawler ended up defeating Rory MacDonald for the second time, but this time around the decision wasn’t left up to the judges. Robbie Lawler ended up scoring a TKO in the last round of the fight, according to MMA Mania.

However, the first round started off rather slow, with Robbie Lawler and Rory MacDonald maintaining a slow and steady pace, and there were no significant takedowns or strikes. However, there were quite a few straight hands that Rory MacDonald landed, but it didn’t do much damage to Robbie Lawler.

Robbie Lawler and Rory MacDonald picked up the pace in the second round, but it was Robbie that caught Rory with some damaging strikes, which opened up Rory’s face and his nose. Rory ended up surviving the round and the fight entered the third round, which Robbie Lawler controlled, according to the Chicago Tribune. However, Rory MacDonald did end up hurting his opponent with a kick to the head, but it wasn’t enough to put Lawler away and the round came to an end shortly afterwards. In the fourth round, Rory MacDonald pounded Robbie Lawler, but Lawler absorbed the damage and landed a number of huge shots.

After winning the fight, Robbie Lawler said that he showed everyone that he was a true fighter and that he comes to fight, regardless of what happens. Robbie Lawler may have won the fight, but Rory wasn’t the only one that suffered damaged, as Robbie ended up with a split lip.

Dana White, the UFC President, also gave an interview after the fight and he said that if you were in the octagon and could see Robbie Lawler’s lip, then you would see that one part of his lip would move, while the other part didn’t.

Immediately following the fight, both Lawler and MacDonald were taken to the hospital, where they snapped a photo together.

[Photo by Derek Leung/Getty Images]

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