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With UFC 181 just around the corner, we are looking at one of the best rematches in the history of the organization. When Robbie Lawler and Johnny Hendricks met for the first time earlier this year, it was for the vacant UFC Welterweight championship of the world, and Lawler came ever so close to getting his hands on the richest prize in the business, and although he couldn’t cross the finish line, Lawler and Hendricks put on one of the best matches of the year.
In 2 weeks, ‘The Ruthless One’ will once again have the opportunity to win the Welterweight title, as he faces Johnny Hendricks for the second time this year. But before that, my colleague Ratish Menon and I had the pleasure of catching up with the number one contender for an exclusive interview for the MMA and UFC fans in India, and across the globe.
AG: As a veteran in the fight game, you are well-known for your ability to finish fights. With your start being in Karate, are you able to elaborate on your background in the traditional martial arts before switching to MMA training under Pat Miletich?
RL: Yeah, I started doing Taekwondo at a young age. I was always into martial arts and boxing. I was a huge Mike Tyson fan, would sit through the night watching boxing matches and would hit the bag at every opportunity I would get. In college, I tried to start wrestling as soon as I could and when it was available to me as I loved competing, and then got into MMA under Pat Miletich, where I was able to sharpen all my skills and develop into a true fighter.
RM: During your career, you have had some of the best highlight finishes. Any particular finish or KO that really sticks out in your mind? My personal favourite is the come-from-behind KO over Melvin Manhoef.
RL: They all are different, but yes that was an awesome finish. Fighting somebody like Manhoef, who can take anyone out at any point in time; that was a big win for me and one of the best finishes. In that fight, it wasn’t looking good for me, but I kept believing in myself and was able to land a big shot which was huge!
AG: While your talent was never in question, in the past couple of years, you have made one of the most remarkable career turn-arounds ever seen in the history of the fight-game. What would you attribute that to and what have you been doing differently that helped alter the course of your fighting career?
RL: There are a lot of things involved in that. I have been excited about being able to come back to the UFC, moving down to the welterweight division where I am a little bigger and my body isn’t the same as everyone else’s. I also moved my training to the American Top Team, where I have some of the best fighters as training partners who keep pushing me every day. I am learning everyday and am growing as a person, which is great as everything is coming together at the right time, having learnt from all my mistakes, I am pushing myself to be the best I can.
RM: This year has been very busy for you, with the upcoming fight being the 4th fight of the year for you. Out of the previous 3, 2 were 5 round wars. Going into this fight, is there any injury sustained from any of the battles that you would be carrying?
RL: No. Training is going really well and having been doing this for a long time. I train smart and my coaches have been watching out for me and keeping me healthy. I listen to my body and push it accordingly, so that I peak at the right time and not go in with too many bumps and bruises. Since I have been doing this for a while, I know how to take care of my body and my training partners are helping me out and my trainers too are pushing me and keeping me healthy.
AG: You are well-known in the fight game for your unorthodox training methods where you don’t spar in camps leading up to fights. How do you work on the timing and the range of your shots in training without simulated fight setting?
RL: Yes, I have been sparring in training for the past 2 years. That was just a time before that, for probably about 6 years or so where I wouldn’t spar in training, but since then I have been doing it and that is also why I have been doing so well.
RM: Your opponent Johnny Hendricks and yourself engaged in a 5 round battle at the beginning of the year, which ranks among the probable MOTY candidates. It was a pretty even fight until the final round where he nudged past you with a takedown. How disappointed were you with the loss and what did you think of your performance in that fight?
RL: Yeah, I was disappointed with the fact that I didn’t knock him out, that I didn’t get the victory and take the belt like I thought I was going to. But I learnt from that mistake, I showed who I was as a fighter and didn’t whine about anything and took the loss and moved forward and been trying to get better every day. That’s all one can do in life where you push forward and believe in yourself and believe that there is an opportunity out there.
AG: It was revealed later that Johnny was carrying a torn tricep and an elbow injury into the fight which affected his ability to throw punches. What do you make of the whole situation and how differently do you see things go down this time around?
RL: Well, I am not too worried about Johnny’s issue with his bicep and what not. I just concern myself with looking at how I can go out there and dominate the fight now. I am ready for whatever he has got.
AG: I know you are certainly not looking past Hendricks, however with the recent return of Nick Diaz, would you be keen on re-matching with him and avenge the only KO loss of your career?
RL: I don’t really call who I fight, as the UFC, Dana & Joe Silva tell me who I am fighting and I just show up and fight. So, I don’t really call anybody out and I am sure that if that is a big fight somewhere down the line, the UFC will try to put that together.
RM: Among the many changes that we have seen in Robbie Lawler over the years, one of the more surprising ones has been how you handle media now. You were quite the recluse only a few years ago. How have you been dealing with the challenge of the sport going main stream and the increased media attention, while going through intensive training camps?
RL: I am kind of used to it now, I have seen many of my training partners including Matt Hughes go through it and I kind of knew how you have to deal with the professionals and the UFC and how to act when dealing with the media commitments. I am getting used to it and have been just embracing it every day and it doesn’t bother me anymore as I have realised that it is part of the game and it is a part of being a true MMA professional.
AG: We know you have a family and with how hectic your schedule has been this year, do you plan on slowing it down a bit in 2015?
RL: I would like to slow down, maybe a little bit and fight just 3 times next year and give my family a little bit of attention, relax a little bit with them. I have been just grinding out this year, just training hard for the last 3 fights. It’s been a long hard road, but it’s been worth it and I have enjoyed it.
RM: You are a part of the most stacked card of the year. Any thoughts on the other title fight (lightweight) between Pettis & Melendez, scheduled to happen on the same night as your fight?
RL: It’s going to be a great fight. Melendez has been fighting MMA for a while and is really tough. Then you have a guy like Showtime Pettis, who can do it all – he can submit you, he can knock you out, he is a part of the new breed that is coming up. It’s going to be a good fight and we’ll see what happens. But I am not a guy to pick someone in fights and so I wouldn’t do that.
AG: In closing, tell us how it is going down on Dec 6th and any final message for the fans of the ‘Ruthless One’ in India?
RL: I just want to thank everyone for supporting me and I am going to go out there, fight my heart out, give it my all and be the best Robbie Lawler anyone has ever seen and I am looking forward to putting on a great performance.
You can watch UFC 181 live on Sony Six, the official broadcasting partner of UFC on the 7th of December in India, at 7:30 AM IST. Also, you can follow Robbie on Twitter here.
