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Former UFC title challenger Rory MacDonald was unsuccessful in his latest attempt at winning the $1 million PFL welterweight tournament. After losing to last-minute replacement Dilano Taylor in the semi-finals, he left his gloves on the canvas and left the cage. It has now been confirmed that he has officially retired from MMA.
It is astonishing that the 'Red King' began fighting professionally at age 16. MacDonald has fought many legends and past champions including B.J. Penn, Tyron Woodley, Robbie Lawler, and Paul Daley.
During his career, 'Red King' also won championships in both King of the Cage (KOTC) and Bellator. He defeated Douglas Lima via unanimous decision to become Bellator welterweight champion in his second bout in the promotion. He then had two successful title defenses.
After a 17-year long MMA career, he felt the time was right to retire at 33. He had many memorable moments inside the octagon, his battle against Robbie Lawler remains one of the greatest fights ever in the history of the UFC. This list will look back at the top five Rory MacDonald UFC fights.
#5. MacDonald vs. Tarec Saffiedine - UFC Fight Night 54
The 2010s saw the UFC expand their presence in Canada. They traditionally hosted their Canadian events in Montreal and Toronto as they were the larger markets, but that changed during the decade. In 2011, the promotion hosted their first Fight Night event in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The main event saw Tarec Saffiedine taking on Canada's own Rory MacDonald.
MacDonald came into the fight riding a two-fight winning streak that included wins against Demian Maia and Tyron Woodley. He did well utilizing his precise striking throughout the fight. He didn't throw with reckless abandon, but instead threw volume strikes that found their mark.
In the third round, 'Red King' dropped 'Sponge' with a left uppercut and finished him with strikes. The win not only earned MacDonald a 'Performance of the Night' bonus, but it also earned him a welterweight title shot against Robbie Lawler.
#4. MacDonald vs. Nate Diaz - UFC 129
UFC 129 was an excellent showing for Canadian MMA fighters in the sport. It was the promotion's first event in Toronto, Canada, and took place at Rogers Centre infront of over 55,000 fans. The event still holds the record for being the promotion's largest attended event.
MacDonald fought Nate Diaz on the Spike TV prelims in one of the former TUF winner's early forays at 170lbs. It was a dominant performance for the 'Red King' as he effectively utilized range and timed his strikes well. He landed a lot of calf kicks and didn't let Diaz's mind games affect him.
MacDonald also suplexed Diaz multiple times and outgrappled him, which clearly earned him more points on the judges' scorecards. He earned a unanimous decision after the judges scored the bout 30-26, 30-26, and 30-27 in his favor. It was only his third fight in the promotion.
#3. MacDonald vs. Carlos Condit - UFC 115
Rory MacDonald was given a massive opportunity at UFC 115, which took place in his hometown of Vancouver, British Columbia. It was only his second bout with the promotion and they booked him in the pay-per-view opener against Carlos Condit.
At the time, MacDonald was an undefeated fighter with a 10-0 MMA record. Condit, on the other hand, was a former WEC welterweight champion and much more experienced with a 25-5 MMA record.
Despite the vast discrepancy in experience, the 'Red King' was in control in the first and second rounds. He secured a takedown in the opening round and was getting the upper-hand in the majority of striking exchanges. The second round concluded with a memorable exchange as both landed front-kicks at the same time.
'The Natural Born Killer' completely shifted the momentum in the final round. He bloodied MacDonald and dropped him to the ground, finishing him with hammer-fists with only 7-seconds remaining. Although the event featured Chuck Liddell's retirement bout, Condit vs. Rory stole the show and was awarded "Fight of the Night."
#2. MacDonald vs. Demian Maia - UFC 170
2014 was a massive year for Rory MacDonald in the UFC. He had a relatively quick turnaround following his split-decision loss against Robbie Lawler and immediately matched up with another top welterweight. He fought former middleweight title challenger Demian Maia, who was coming off a split-decision loss to Jake Shields.
There was a lot at stake during this fight as it became apparent that longtime welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre was taking a hiatus. With that in mind, there was an opportunity for other 170-pounders to emerge as title contenders. Maia, a former middleweight title challenger, took 'Red King' down and controlled him on the ground in the first-round.
MacDonald's durability was on display in the opening round as he remained composed while an elite-grappler like Maia attempted to finish him. It paid off and he took over in the second and third rounds as he exhausted Maia with his pace and striking. Both fighters were awarded a bonus for "Fight of the Night."
#1. MacDonald vs. Robbie Lawler 2 - UFC 189
MacDonald vs. Robbie Lawler at UFC 189 is still regarded as one of the greatest fights of all time. The two welterweights squared off in the co-main event and capped off a successful International Fight Week for the promotion. The bout was a rematch of their 2013 encounter in which Lawler had earned a split-decision.
'Ruthless' was the welterweight champion, while the 'Red King' was the challenger looking to follow in teammate Georges St-Pierre's footsteps and become welterweight champion. For years, MacDonald was viewed as a fighter who would take over the division once 'Rush' departed. The motivation and desire to avenge his previous loss added more fuel to the fire and led to an all-out slugfest.
MacDonald and Lawler had their moments throughout the fight, but the challenger seemed to have the advantage. Both fighters were bloodied and the staredown following the end of round-four was one of the most iconic moments in their respective careers.
But 'Ruthless' turned the tables and caught Rory with a left-hand and finished him with ground strikes to retain the welterweight championship.
