Former UFC welterweight champion Robbie Lawler will look to end 2019 by snapping the longest losing skid of his career.
MMAJunkie reports that a matchup between Lawler and Santiago Ponzinibbio is targeted for UFC 245, which is slated for December 14th in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Lawler (28-14-1 NC) is on a three-fight losing streak, most recently dropping a unanimous decision to Colby Covington at UFC Newark. He’d previously lost by submission to Ben Askren at UFC 235 in somewhat controversial fashion, and missed all of 2018 with a knee injury he suffered in his December 2017 defeat vs. Rafael dos Anjos. The 37-year-old’s last win was a unanimous decision over Donald Cerrone at UFC 214, and it’s indeed his only victory since he lost his welterweight title to Tyron Woodley in 2016.
Ponzinibbio (27-3) is on a seven-fight winning streak, but he hasn’t competed since a knockout of Neil Magny last November. The native of Argentina has also notably bested Mike Perry, Gunnar Nelson, and Nordine Taleb through his impressive unbeaten run. He’s not lost since a TKO vs. Lorenz Larkin in 2015. Current UFC rankings have Ponzinibbio at #8, while Lawler has fallen down to #13.
UFC 245 does not have a main event, although a women’s bantamweight title bout between Amanda Nunes and Germaine de Randamie is confirmed for the card.
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