Roundtables
ROUNDTABLE: Will Robbie Lawler be back in another UFC Title fight after UFC 171 performance?
Mar 19, 2014 - 2:10:32 PM ROUNDTABLE: Will Robbie Lawler be back in another UFC Title fight after UFC 171 performance?

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Given how close the title fight was, do you expect to see Robbie Lawler back in another title fight in the UFC? Why or why not?


DAN MOORE, MMATORCH UK COLUMNIST

He doesn't deserve an immediate rematch but there's no reason to suggest he can't work his way back into the title picture with a big win or two. It was a great fight on Saturday night and he acquitted himself admirably. However, if Alexander Gustafsson had to win a warm-up fight to get another crack at Jon Jones, then Robbie Lawler most definitely needs to do likewise at welterweight.

Normally the UFC match-up winners vs. winners and losers vs. losers, but in the case of Lawler he needs to fight someone currently on a win streak. As I mentioned in a previous roundtable, there are plenty of other challengers all desperately needing one big win to catapult them above the rest. A fight against someone like Dong Hyun Kim, Matt Brown, or the winner of Jake Ellenberger vs. Tarec Saffiedine makes perfect sense for Lawler.


KALE HAVERVOLD, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

I doubt it, I think was his last chance. He is still a great fighter, but I don't see him beating anyone else in the UFC's top five in the welterweight division.


FRANK HYDEN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

I absolutely do. He stifled Johny Hendricks and won at least two rounds. How many other guys can say that besides Georges St-Pierre? I think you can make a strong argument for Carlos Condit, but he's on the shelf for a while after his unfortunate injury. I think Lawler gets the next title shot, or perhaps has to win one more time to get it. Either way I think it's going to happen eventually.


CASH NORMAN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Yes, I think Robbie Lawler is only one fight away from being in the title picture again. Lawler showed he was durable and could take the fight to Hendricks. I think this will be a valuable learning experience for Lawler to utilize more tools in his arsenal, as well as focus more on his conditioning. Lawler was in the fight the entire time, but his conditioning began to fail him in the fifth round when Hendricks picked up the pace and began to rock him.


TOM STRONG, MMATORCH UK CONTRIBUTOR

Robbie Lawler has really impressed me since his return to the UFC and the drop in weight class. He's been going about his business, winning in style without calling out fighters or disrespectful towards his opponents, the way he handled himself after his defeat on Saturday night was pure class.

Though it was close fight, we definitely saw a clear winner. I would love to see the rematch, though I think Lawler will have to beat one or possibly two more fighters to get that shot that title shot again.

With lots of talk of Nick Diaz returning to the Octagon, the ideal match up for me would be Lawler vs Diaz. Nick won't come back to fight just anyone, though the incentive of fighting Lawler would be something I'm sure would interest him, as a win over him would put him very close to the title shot he seems to think he's earned.