Prior to Conor McGregor's welterweight showdown with Nate Diaz at UFC 196, there was talk of the Irishman eventually challenging champion Robbie Lawler for the belt.
Unfortunately for McGregor, those championship aspirations were shot down when Diaz pulled off a stunning upset submission victory at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Diaz, who entered the bout as a considerable underdog, snatched a rear-naked choke in the second round after overwhelming 'The Notorious' with a series of combinations and Stockton slaps.
Lawler, who will defend his 170-pound title against Tyron Woodley at UFC 201, was asked whether he was disappointed with the outcome of the Diaz fight, given that it crushed any hopes of a potential mega-fight with McGregor in the near-future.
'Ruthless' spoke to WSB-TV in Atlanta about the matchup and said McGregor was lucky to avoid the fight.
"Obviously, that was a big fight," Lawler said. He’s a big draw, but it wouldn’t have been good for him. … Because if I hurt him, I wasn’t taking his neck."
"His soul," Lawler replied when host Zach Klein asked what he would have taken.
While not one for pre-fight hype, Lawler unleashes his emotions inside the Octagon, often standing toe-to-toe with his opponents and entering berserker mode during the final minutes of the fight.
In his most recent title defense at UFC 195, the American Top Team standout engaged in a thrilling back-and-forth affair with Carlos Condit in the main event, leaving the 17,000 seated attendees standing in awe after the fifth and final round of mayhem concluded.
Lawler will defend his belt for the third time at UFC 201 on July 30, while Conor McGregor will get his chance to avenge the loss to Nate Diaz - again at welterweight - at UFC 202 on August 20.
Get the latest gear
