Issue 126

March 2015

Robbie Lawler’s reign as UFC welterweight champion was a decade in the making and may well be the most popular in the history of the Octagon

And the new...” Three words every prizefighter dreams about hearing after the final bell. Three words most challengers will forever pursue, yet never get to experience. A decade ago, Robbie Lawler’s exciting potential meant he was predestined to hear those words inside the Octagon. Yet five years later, you would have been hard-pushed to find anyone outside the Lawler household who thought the same way.

Another five years down the line and ‘Ruthless’ begins 2015 as the new UFC welterweight champion of the world. First with and then against all the odds, his roller-coaster career has come full circle. Robbie Lawler has finally realized his full potential. One of the remaining old-school UFC favorites is on top of the world.

Lawler’s four fights in 2014, culminating in his capture of the title, resonated with fans old and new. Despite facing one of the most competitive fields in history, MMA fans worldwide voted Lawler as their ‘Fighter of the Year’ at the Seventh Annual Fighters Only World MMA Awards. A just reward for one of the sport’s most esteemed scrappers.

“Yeah, 2014 was a good time. It was a lot of hard work without much rest but it was worth it,” Lawler concedes to FO. “I just look at myself as another guy. I don’t get caught up in the attention, but it’s nice to be recognized by the fans for all the effort I put in.

“There were a lot of great fighters nominated so it means a lot that the fans voted for me. A lot of guys did a lot of great things last year. Neil Magny fought a whole bunch, winning five fights, TJ Dillashaw only fought twice but what he did in those two fights was very impressive. Plus, Fabricio Werdum is on a tear, as is ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone. There are a lot of guys out there who are very impressive. I am a fan of all these other guys, so it’s awesome just to be put on a shortlist with them.”

The 32-year-old was also shortlisted in the ‘Fight of the Year’ category twice, while his American Top Team base was up for ‘Gym of the Year’ too. “To be nominated in all of these categories at the World MMA Awards, well, that’s cool,” he adds.

Lawler started 2014 by challenging Johny Hendricks for the vacant welterweight belt following Georges St Pierre’s early retirement weeks earlier. That opportunity was given to him on the back of a dream return to the Octagon in 2013. The former EliteXC 185lb champion – who went 3-5 under the Strikeforce banner – notched up a 3-0 run to kick off his second stint with the UFC.

Though Hendricks emerged with the belt after 25 grueling minutes, the fight raised more questions than answers in terms of who was the true new number one at 170lb. Five rounds simply weren’t enough. “It was a heck of a fight,” Lawler recalls of the UFC 171 main event. “I trained for a very long time for that night, for that moment. 

“I thought I was going to get the job done on the night. It was a back-and-forth battle but it ended up going to a decision. Even though I didn’t get it, it was a really good scrap. I felt like I really did do a lot in that fight and I showed everybody what kind of fighter I was.”

Ultimately, injury would keep Hendricks on the sidelines for several months, but Lawler, typically, refused to wait around. Instead, he took on two other leading contenders to ensure the new champion’s first defense would be the rematch MMA fans most desired.

With Jake Ellenberger and a resurgent Matt Brown behind him, Lawler prepared to face Hendricks again, this time at UFC 181 in December. He insists the second time around he simply would not be denied his place in history.

“The result of the first fight really didn’t impact on my game plan for the second fight, it just changed how I got ready. It showed me both what I did and didn’t need to go away and work on and improve as a fighter. But my plan was the same for both fights.”

“Actually, I was a little frustrated after the first fight,” he adds. “As I say, I thought I did enough to win the fight. So when we rematched I just wouldn’t be undone. I truly felt like it was my time, so I stepped it up again in the fourth and fifth rounds the second time around. My energy levels were still pretty high and I was able to land some good shots and wear Johny down.”

The final 20 seconds of the second fight were vintage Lawler. He pressed and marched Hendricks down, brazenly dropping his hands and goading him as he unleashed wild punches, 

reminiscent of his early days in the sport when he was considered little more than a heavy-hitting brawler – albeit one with true championship potential. 

Was that a glimpse of the true Robbie Lawler? Is he constantly wrestling with his dark side to stick to a game plan? Lawler isn’t quite sure. “My coaches have picked up on that too. But while I wouldn’t say I’m constantly wrestling with that side of me, it is something I hold onto.

“I hold that side of me back until the end of the fight. I wouldn’t describe it as the real me, but it is a lot of spirited heart coming out. I guess it was a build-up of all those years of working towards a goal. But I have to fight smart out there. I can’t fight at this level like that from the get-go. I can only let it come out when it’s time.”

Lawler concedes experience and maturity are his allies these days. After all, with 14 years of competition in the tank, only a fool would fight the same way he did at 19. Though, when the UFC belt was wrapped around his waist in Las Vegas, he felt 19 again. With former training partner Matt Hughes awarding him his belt and former long-time mentor Pat Miletich ringside, the occasion couldn’t have been any sweeter.

Asked to relive that moment when Bruce Buffer called his name and his mentor stepped up to wrap the gold around his waist, Lawler says: “It was awesome. Matt has been around me for a long time. I met him when I was a senior in high school. He brought me out to many of his fights. He helped me become who I am today in the sense of doing my interviews and being a professional. 

“He would always be up early in the morning the week of fights doing interviews and media obligations. I was thinking, ‘Why are you up this early doing interviews?’ He was a professional and he showed me the ropes. I appreciate everything he has ever done for me. He has done a lot. So has Pat. It’s been a team atmosphere all the way.”

Now a proud member of ATT, of course, it’s Lawler’s coaches today who have kept him out of the Octagon at the beginning of 2015. The new champion appreciates the notion he could do with a break after four consecutive fight camps – including two leading contender matches and two world title fights – he says sitting around and “being lazy” isn’t a part of his DNA.

The UFC initially planned for Lawler and Hendricks to go at it again in March in a trilogy fight. But that’s been shelved while Lawler sits out, leaving Hendricks to mix it up with the rest of the 170lb elite.

“It was my coaches really who made the decision for me to have some time off,” Lawler says. “It wasn’t necessarily fighting four times in 2014, which was exhausting, it was all the fight camps. I just need to take some time at the start of this year to allow my body to rest. It was continuous training last year, just back-to-back camps, and it definitely wore me out. It took a lot to do what I did in 2014.

“Actually, my time off is not really time off either. I’m actually still training. I’m still working hard to get better as a mixed martial artist during this time out. Originally the UFC wanted me to fight again in March, but that was too soon. I had like three weeks off in total in 2014, so my team wanted me to have a little time to myself this year. All the work was worth it, of course. But rest is important too.”

Can he rest? “Yeah, but resting to me is when I’m working out. I’m just not that person who can sit around and be lazy. That’s not me. But there’s a big difference to just training and training for a fight. Right now I’m training to get better and I know I’ll make huge gains during this time and it will make me a much better fighter. 

“I’m not pressing or concerning myself about styles or plans for a certain fighter or fight. I’m just enjoying myself, training hard but staying fresh. It’s really good. It’s a different type of training. It’s more about getting my body stronger and faster, while also improving techniques. I’m not breaking myself down. 

“This week I was just hitting the weights, getting my body ready to go. But most days I’m in the gym, working on my strength and conditioning first, then I’m training and improving as a fighter. I’m lucky to be in a position and an environment where I can do that. I really do have great coaches and that’s huge.”

It’s this team, this inner circle or trustees, that Lawler appreciates most. Of course, the journey to the title has been his alone. But those working alongside him day in, day out, are equally as deserving of success, he says. 

Asked about his favorite moment from last year, Lawler says: “The most pleasing thing for me, aside from winning the belt of course, was just how I was able to motivate myself and get up for every fight. It was a whole bunch of fights and it was back to back-to-back. 

“I fought Johny the first time, took a week off, then got right back into training camp for Jake Ellenberger. Then as soon as that fight was over I knew I had to fight Matt Brown. So I took another week off before getting right back at it again. So the work my coaches and my sparring partners all did to get me ready for those fights, it wasn’t easy. They worked hard – but I think they’ll agree too that it was worth it for sure.”

“There was a lot of change in me as a professional last year,” he adds. “There was a lot of fighting, a lot of training, and not a lot of downtime. Looking back I wonder how I got it done. I was busy. I was constantly in the gym but it was good for me. I had to be a professional. I showed everyone at my gym what it takes to be a professional mixed martial artist in the UFC. I think that was huge. Everyone at American Top Team is getting better, we are all growing and I am glad I can be a part of it.”

Lawler has evolved to become a complete martial artist. But after 14 years of grueling fight camps, religious dieting and top-level competition, is he as passionate about the sport today as he once was?

“I wouldn’t say much has changed over the years, I still enjoy the sport as much as ever, but I would say I am growing again as a fighter and those are the best times,” he says. “When I first started out I had a lot of work to do, and nothing’s changed. Moving down to American Top Team, there’s a lot of quality down here, so I’m getting better, getting stronger, I’m seeing a lot of improvements. And I’m getting better day to day.”

Lawler appears to be a million miles away from the career skid he suffered under the Strikeforce banner between 2009-2012. When Zuffa decided to cease operations at the San Jose-based promotion it looked more likely that Lawler’s fighting career would come to an end. Instead, it was the catalyst he needed to kick it back into action.

So were there any times when Lawler – or even his family and friends – questioned whether he would ever fulfill his potential? “There were never any times when I doubted what I was capable of, but there was a period where I was just unable to showcase what I was able to do, and that’s why I always kept going,” he says. “I knew I was better than the performances I was producing.

“In training during that time I was doing some really good things, but I just couldn’t put it together on fight night. Whereas now I feel like everything is coming together and that’s enabled me to fight at a higher level, which in turn is allowing me to show was I can really do. But I also know I still have much more to show too.”

Lawler doesn’t believe it was a psychological barrier holding him back. It was more like a frustrating period in his career, one that he’d like to forget. “No, I don’t think it was in my head,” he says. “I think moving down here to train with the team at ATT, who are all good guys, that really helped me to refine my own skills. 

“The change didn’t come in one fight either. It wasn’t like there was one bout in particular where it all just clicked. It’s happened over time and I feel like it’s still happening now. I feel like I’m improving with every fight. For every fight I’m adding things to my arsenal and it’s making me very dangerous. And I’m going to continue to do so.”

With Lawler taking a break, Matt Brown has the task of stepping up to face Hendricks at UFC 185 as he looks to maintain his position as number-one contender. Lawler is looking forward to a good fight in March between the two men who provided ‘Fight of the Year’ candidate foil for him last year, but he says doesn’t care who he faces for his first defense, likely in the spring. He’s not concerned whether Hendricks “earns” his rematch or not.

“I don’t really worry about anything like that,” he says. “I’m indifferent about what anybody else does. It’s up to the UFC to decide who I should or shouldn’t be fighting next. What they decide is down to them. All that concerns me is getting ready to fight again in May. I’ll be watching those guys fight but it won't concern me who wins.”

Pushed for a prediction, he adds: “It’s going to be a good fight. I know that much. Johny is a heck of a competitor and so is Matt Brown. I actually feel Brown is getting better so it’s going to be a really good fight... May the best man win.”

Speaking of rematches, another opponent out there for the champion who would be is guaranteed to generate tons of fan interest and a large amount of pay-per-view buys would be with Nick Diaz, who also returned to the Octagon at the end of January against Anderson Silva.

Lawler suffered a humiliating KO defeat to Diaz back at UFC 47 in April 2004 and, a decade on, that’s a matchup fight fans the across the world would love to see. That’s every fight fan except Robbie Lawler, at least. “I don’t really care about fighting Diaz again,” he shrugs. “I don’t carry any of my losses around with me. 

“Again, whoever the UFC chooses for me to fight; that’s fine. I don’t concern myself with what anybody else is doing. I’m quite selfish in that I just focus on what I’m doing or need to do. I’m just striving to be the very best I can be and the UFC will put the best fight they believe in front of me. All I have to do then is show up and give it my best.”

So, does that selfish streak mirror in Lawler’s preparations too? Is he a fighter who just turns up in the best condition without watching any tape? “No, I watch a little tape, but only because my coaches tell me to watch it,” he admits. “A have a whole host of coaches who watch a lot of tape and break down a lot of timings and stuff, so I’ll benefit a whole lot from the work they’ve done. They’re the ones that analyze the opponents and then in camp, put me in positions that are going to help me most heading into the fight.”

Fans voted Lawler as the number-one fighter on the planet in 2014 and while he hopes for much more of the same in the year ahead, he’s also shrewd enough to no that the sport never stops growing. For now, he’s happy to have finally crowned his career with a world title reign – regardless of how long it may last.

“I’m not surprised by anything that’s happened in the sport, except perhaps the growth of the sport,” he says. “It’s huge now. Before when you were a UFC champion most people wouldn’t know who you were. There wasn’t a lot of notoriety. 

“Now, if you’re a fighter in the UFC, never mind a champion, everybody knows what you’re up to, everyone knows who you’re fighting. It’s just blanket coverage now. And you can’t stay under the radar at all. It’s a big sport, plain and simple. And it’s still growing, which is awesome.

“I just plan on enjoying my time at the top as long as I can. As I said, I feel like I’m always improving so I just hope to give the fans as much enjoyment this year as I did 

in 2014.”

Big debate extra

Should a cocaine bust, like Jon Jones’ – even out of competition – result in a competitive suspension?

“Here’s my thoughts on it,” says Lawler. “If you’re going to test for it then you should follow through and prosecute for it. If you’re testing for cocaine, pot or whatever, you should be testing for it with consequences. I know the UFC will take care of it, but if you’re testing for it you should get penalized.

“It’s going to end up being a good thing for the UFC in regards to they have the opportunity in showcasing what action will and should be dished out. How the UFC acts should send out a message to everybody on 

what’s right and what’s wrong.”

Protecting his sponsors

Robbie Lawler is proudly sponsored by Adidas. Just because the UFC’s deal with Reebok comes into effect in July, the 170lb champ sees no reason why his own deal can’t continue, albeit away from the Octagon.

“We’ve spoken about it already and we’ll be sitting down to come up with some kind of game plan to figure it all out,” Lawler says. “Obviously, I have obligations inside the Octagon and during fight week with the UFC and with Reebok, but outside of that, throughout my camp and whatever, I’m all Adidas.”

Lawler admits he understands the logic behind Zuffa’s new deal with Reebok, but he sees the bigger picture. “I can see how it would benefit the main UFC roster of fighters. And I can see how it would benefit the look of the UFC brand. 

“Like everybody else, I’d like to know a little bit more about it all before I really pass comment, but I think it will look better for the UFC brand to have all the fighters looking the same. It just brings us into line with all the other big sports organizations: the NBA, the NFL and the Premier League. It will make us all look more professional and that can only be good for the sport.”