LAS VEGAS – When you’ve been in the MMA game as long as Robbie Lawler has, a lot of things probably are second nature.
Over a fighting career that lasted nearly a quarter-century as a pro, Lawler no doubt has sharpened plenty of his instincts. Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, sitting cageside as a guest of the UFC, the promotion for which he once was welterweight champion, Lawler has a suspicion he might have been asked there for an announcement.
“I had a feel for it. I just did,” Lawler said Saturday after his summer induction into the UFC Hall of Fame’s Modern Wing was announced. “I didn’t tell anybody I had a feel for it. I let my wife know. I’m like, ‘Hey …’ And then when I was sitting where I was sitting, I was (suspecting it). But still, when it happens, you’re like, ‘Oh – this is actually happening.”
The UFC’s special announcement, accompanied by a video package, played in the arena after the first fight on the main card while Lawler watched for the first time.
Lawler said he got emotional hearing past opponents and colleagues like UFC CEO Dana White talked about his impact.
“It was going pretty good, but then once all those fighters and Dana were saying those nice things about me, I got a little choked up,” Lawler said. “I’m definitely honored – amazing accomplishment. A lot of hard work was put into it, not just me, but trainers, training partners, management team … it’s just been a long road, and just another gift.
“Probably the best part of it is all those kind words from all those fighters and my peers and guys who are coming up now, seeing what I put into the sport and how I fought. It definitely makes me feel good.”
Lawler (30-16 MMA, 10-5 UFC) retired after a July 2023 38-second knockout win over Niko Price. It was one of but just a few fighting highlights for Lawler after he lost the welterweight title to Tyron Woodley in mid-2016.
After that, he beat Donald Cerrone a year later, but then had a four-fight skid with losses to Rafael dos Anjos, Ben Askren, Colby Covington and Neil Magny. After a middleweight win over Nick Diaz, he was knocked out by Bryan Barberena in July 2022 before his return a year later to beat Price.
Lawler already is a member of the UFC Hall of Fame in the Fight Wing (2023 class) for his UFC 189 TKO win over Rory MacDonald, which was a virtually universal Fight of the Year winner in 1989.
He said he thinks the door is closed for any kind of combat sports comeback, but also, like most fighters, didn’t rule out a return. He’s been linked to a potential BKFC fight against Mike Perry.
“I’m not closing any doors, but they look like they’re closed,” he said. “But there’s always opportunities out there.”
