On this day 10 years ago, one of the greatest UFC fights we’ve ever seen took place in Las Vegas.
Robbie Lawler’s iconic title run cemented him as one of the greatest welterweights of all time.
The Hall of Famer was involved in some of the very best UFC title fights, with the incredible heart and toughness of the champion seeing him emerge victorious.
In a run of classic matchups, there is one of Lawler’s title defenses that stands above the rest as the highlight of his remarkable career.
The co-main event of UFC 189 was such a back and forth war that even Lawler admitted that his opponent was never the same again after what they went through on July 11 of 2015.
Dana White questioned whether Rory MacDonald would be permanently changed by UFC 189
Robbie Lawler’s rematch with Rory MacDonald for the welterweight title at UFC 189 remains one of the greatest title fights of all time.
Despite the challenger nearly pulling off a remarkable victory after hurting the resilient champion with a head kick, Lawler’s toughness somehow kept him in the fight.
In the final round, the damage that MacDonald had taken throughout the fight eventually caught up to him as he fell to the floor to put an end to a war for the ages.
While Lawler certainly didn’t come through the fight unscathed, MacDonald had pushed himself to the brink to try and win the 170-pound belt.
In his post-fight press conference, Dana White stated that the challenger didn’t know what year it was when he was asked backstage after exiting the Octagon.
The UFC CEO didn’t produce a definitive statement on what would be next for the division following Lawler’s title defense and questioned whether MacDonald would ever be the same again.
“Guys who know the fight business and have been around a long time, a fight like tonight can change you,” White said. “We’ll see what Rory’s got when he comes back, but right now he’s the second baddest dude in the world in the 170-pound division.”
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Rory MacDonald only fought one more time in the UFC before parting ways with the promotion
After nearly a full year away from the Octagon, Rory MacDonald looked to bounce back from UFC 189 but was defeated by Stephen Thompson in what would be his final UFC fight.
‘Red King’ was recently in attendance for the fan Q&A event at UFC 315 in May where he was asked about whether he has ever considered making a return.
“I mean, from time to time, [the itch] has come back but shortly after, when I actually think about it and what it entails, I’m not that kind of person anymore. I don’t have the drive, the intensity it takes to be at a championship level anymore.”
After leaving the UFC, MacDonald fought in Bellator and the PFL for five years before retiring in August of 2022.