Among the many names put forth for Robbie Lawler’s next title defense in the last month has been former UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St-Pierre, but while there’s been continuous discussion on him returning in 2016, Lawler isn’t buying it just yet.
In a media scrum at UFC Fight Night 81 in Boston last month, Lawler talked about the potential for that fight, and why he’s not so sure there’s any validity to St-Pierre returning.
“I am not in charge of the UFC and who fights and whatnot,” he said (transcribed by BloodyElbow.com). “I mean, obviously they might be excited about it. But I’m just… I’ll believe it when I see it. I just concentrate on numero uno.”
Additionally, Lawler gave a similar answer when asked about the possibility of a fight with current UFC Featherweight Champ Conor McGregor, who will challenge for the UFC Lightweight Title next month at UFC 196.
“It’s like one of those things where I don’t really concentrate on all the hoopla around me, and this guy and that guy and those kinds of things,” he said. “That’s kind of like for the fans, and the UFC to kind of decide, and I just show up and work every day.”
Penick’s Analysis: There are numerous options at the top of the welterweight field right now, most of whom make perfect sense for the UFC to book. That makes it all the more difficult to pin down just which one of them is going to get that fight. If St-Pierre doesn’t return, Carlos Condit’s got to be a top option, but if Conor McGregor moves up the UFC may want to book that insane type of fight for UFC 200. If none of those three wind up in that slot, Lawler could easily face Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson, or Demian Maia should Maia defeat Matt Brown, or even Tyron Woodley if they aren’t able to get Thompson in there by whenever Lawler wants to fight. Clearly not hurting for options in this field, but a GSP return remains one of the more interesting options should it come to fruition.
[Photo (c) Joe Camporeale via USA Today Sports]
(Scrum video via MMAFighting.com)
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