Robbie Lawler and Rory Macdonald faced off for a fight for the ages, at UFC 189, for the second time in their career. The epic title fight will now be included in the UFC Hall of Fame, class of 2023. UFC announced this during the broadcast of UFC 287.
This is the only fight to be included in the Hall of Fame from the fight wing this year. Anderson Silva made his way into the Hall of Fame from Pioneer’s wing. And the modern wing included Jose Aldo and Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone in the Hall of Fame.
What transpired in Lawler vs Macdonald 2?
Lawler Vs Macdonald 2 was an absolute rollercoaster of a ride. The fate of the match swung like a pendulum. The match, however, started at a brisk pace. Both fighters seemed to take their time as they were reluctant to be out of their pockets.
The highly anticipated match returned to life in the second round. Lawler showed why he was the champion at that point. With a brutal blow to the head, Lawler pierced through Macdonald’s head.
Inflicting a deep cut, Lawler looked to bounce back but Macdonald had other ideas. The Canadian, this time around, was not ready to let the fight slip away from him. And all hell broke loose as the fight went on. As Lawler looked to dominate, Macdonald turned things around with a brutal head kick in the dying minutes of the round.
Picking up from that round, Macdonald fought like a possessed soul. He wanted to cinch the championship belt around his waist right then and there. The “Red King” kept hurling relentless blows. However, Lawler showed why he was the champion. He stood tall, absorbing all the blows like an absolute unit.
Doing justice to his name, “Ruthless” returned in ruthless fashion in the fifth round. Just at the eleventh hour of the round, Lawler landed a thunderous left hand and lights went out for Macdonald. And Lawler screamed to the top of his lungs with the joy of victory, yet again.
One of the greatest fights of all time?
The fight was an instant classic. ESPN held a poll back in 2017, where fans voted for this bout as the greatest fight in UFC history. Imagine the caliber of the match that gained more traction in a card that Conor McGregor headlined. It is no wonder that this fight has found its place in the UFC Hall of Fame.
Do you remember Lawler Vs Macdonald 2? Where would you rank this fight in UFC history?
