LAS VEGAS – Anyone who felt ahead of UFC 189 that UFC welterweight champion Robbie Lawler couldn’t truly be considered a champion until he successfully defended his title can rest easy.
Lawler (26-10 MMA, 11-4 UFC) was able to defend his title in one of the greatest bouts in UFC history, knocking out Rory MacDonald (18-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC) in Round 5 of their epic fight. Both men were bloodied, Lawler from a horribly split lip and a cut on his scalp and MacDonald from a broken nose and a collection of cuts scattered across his face, as they came out for the final round of their back-and-forth war. A Lawler punch connected directly to the badly damaged nose of MacDonald, sending the challenger reeling and to the canvas, where he turtled up and absorbed shots until the fight was called to a halt at the 1:00 mark of Round 5.
Check out the video highlights of the bout, which took place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The main card aired on pay-per-view following prelims on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass.
For complete coverage of UFC 189, check out the UFC Events section of the site.
view original article >>