Former UFC welterweight champion Robbie Lawler is ready to give back to MMA.
‘Ruthless’ has been out of the cage since a knockout loss to Bryan Barberena last July at UFC 276. Nearly a year on from that defeat, the former champion is set to return this Saturday. At UFC 290, Robbie Lawler will face fellow action fighter, Niko Price. ‘The Hybrid’ is coming off a knockout loss to Phillip Rowe last December.
Ahead of the contest, the former has announced that it will be his final. At 41 years old, Robbie Lawler’s place in history is secure. A former champion with multiple title defenses and wins over names such as Rory MacDonald, he will head into the Hall of Fame this Saturday.
However, Robbie Lawler would’ve never made it there without some help, as he noted in a recent interview with ESPN. There, the former champion was asked about what he planned to do with his extra time. There, he stated that he was interested in potentially coaching, and helping the next generation of fighters.
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“I wouldn’t say that I have been dreading it,” Robbie Lawler stated when asked about retirement. “I would think it’s almost like holy crap, this is the unknown. Like I’ve been doing this my whole life pretty much since 2000. Just nonstop training, focusing on myself, you know. This is a solitary sport, a lot of people helped me, but I was focused on getting myself better.”
He continued, “Now, it’s like oh shoot, I’m not doing that anymore. It’s just the unknown that can be scary, but it’s a blessing. I’ve done this for so long, and because of the things I’ve accomplished, I’m going to be able to make an impact on these different fighters. They’re going to be like ‘Oh, he’s been there, he’s done that, I should probably listen to this’.
“I actually have a little bit of knowledge that I can give to these fighters to make them better, and life easier for them.”
What do you make of these comments? Are you excited about Robbie Lawler’s final fight?
