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The Condit setback, while unprecedented, would not be the last time Macdonald faced adversity on the road to the title shot. He took on Jake Ellenberger at UFC on Fox 8. On the back of resounding wins against Che Mills and UFC legend BJ Penn, a lot was expected of Macdonald. While he would win the fight via unanimous decision, UFC President Dana White criticized his performance as lacklustre and called the fight ‘boring’.
That’s not what you want to hear from your boss, especially when you’re entering the championship picture. Macdonald would go on to state that he would not fight his teammate, training partner and role model and then UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre, comments that would further infuriate White who was adamant that if the time came, Macdonald would have no option but to face off against St-Pierre for the title.
At UFC 167, Macdonald faced Robbie Lawler in what was widely regarded as an unofficial number 1 contender’s match. Lawler would beat Macdonald via split decision, earning a title shot. Later that night, after defeating Johny Hendricks via a very controversial decision, Georges St-Pierre would retire and vacate the Welterweight championship.
Macdonald was bitterly disappointed to have missed out on the title shot, especially considering he would not have to face St-Pierre for the belt. After only his second professional defeat, he was at a crossroads in his career. Would he recover and make his way to the top, or would he falter and dwindle away?
At UFC 174, he faced Tyron Woodley. A heavy underdog, Macdonald won via unanimous decision after bullying Woodley for three rounds, which propelled him back into the title hunt.
Macdonald’s mental toughness and ability to handle pressure are testament to the kind of man he is, and his dedication and discipline set him apart from the competition. Not one to beat his own drum, a soft spoken, well mannered young man, Macdonald turns into a machine when the Octagon door shuts.
This Sunday, he steps into the cage to fight one of only two men to have ever beaten him, for the chance to become world champion. This is his chance to finally step out of Georges St Pierre’s long shadow and into the spotlight. He enters the fight as the odds on favourite, but will Rory Macdonald fulfill his destiny?
