Rory MacDonald wouldn’t come back for just any UFC fight.
This week marks three years since the former Bellator Welterweight Champion announced his retirement from the sport of MMA.
MacDonald was one half of arguably the most vicious fight in UFC history with Robbie Lawler back at UFC 189 in 2015. MacDonald had many memorable moments in his 34-fight career, defeating the likes of Tyron Woodley, BJ Penn, Nate Diaz, and Demian Maia.
MacDonald retired from fighting earlier than most, at the age of 33, after back-to-back losses in the 2022 PFL tournament.
Years removed from the decision, MacDonald said he probably won’t return to the UFC but he has been training again, recently working with former foe Stephen Thompson for his last fight.
MacDonald was asked, out of anybody, who he’d most likely fight in a potential comeback.
Photo by Christian Petersen/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty ImagesRory MacDonald says he’d be ‘super interested’ in Robbie Lawler trilogy
MacDonald went to war with Robbie Lawler not once, but twice in his career.
The Canadian unfortunately went 0-2 against Lawler, with his rival defeating him by split decision in 2013 and then again by fifth-round TKO in the 2015 ‘fight of the year’.
If ‘The Red King’ were to fight again, MacDonald says it’d likely have to be against Lawler again.
“Yeah, I would probably,” MacDonald said of a potential Lawler trilogy bout on the Overdogs podcast.
“Not to disrespect Robbie, but if they did offer it, I would be super interested,” MacDonald continued.
“Just because of like the nostalgia and he beat me twice.
“I love Robbie. I respect him. He’s awesome.
“So, if anything, I would talk to him personally about it before,” MacDonald said, if he were to rematch Lawler.
Robbie Lawler was in talks to fight Mike Perry before Jeremy Stephens
UFC Hall of Famer Lawler retired from MMA a year after MacDonald did, in 2023.
Lawler made headlines earlier this year when he was in talks for a comeback fight against BKFC’s ‘King of Violence’ Mike Perry. Lawler and Perry were supposed to fight each other in 2020 but never did because ‘Ruthless’ suffered an injury.
BKFC boss David Feldman said he was unable to get a deal done with Lawler, who is still under UFC contract at 43 years old.
Perry is slated to face long-tenured UFC veteran Jeremy Stephens at BKFC 82 on Oct. 4 in Newark, New Jersey.