Neil Magny: Most afraid of Robbie Lawler-type fights, but they bring best out of me

Neil Magny relishes challenges like Robbie Lawler.

Magny (23-7 MMA, 16-6 UFC), who was originally scheduled to face Geoff Neal, will now take on former UFC welterweight champion Lawler at the UFC’s Aug. 29 event after Neal was forced out due to an unforeseen health scare.

For Magny, despite Lawler being ranked a couple of spots under Neal in the UFC’s welterweight rankings, it’s an even bigger opportunity.

Lawler (28-14 MMA, 13-8 UFC) has lost three in a row, but was once considered one of the most feared competitors in all of MMA. He’s been a part of numerous memorable barnburners and had two title defenses in his run as champion.

Magny is no stranger to facing power punchers, having outlasted the likes of Kelvin Gastelum and Hector Lombard in two of his most impressive wins.

So he expects to shine in the Lawler matchup.

“I see this fight playing out great for me,” Magny told MMA Junkie. “I know for a fact that Robbie Lawler is one of those guys that likes to come out super aggressive in the fight, so I’m looking to meet him right in the center of the octagon and bring that aggression right back to him. I’m excited for it. I know for a fact that these fights that most people are afraid of taking bring the best out of me.

“The fights like Kelvin Gastelum, Hector Lombard where most people are afraid of that kind of power or that kind of pace, I feel like are the fights that bring out the best in me. I expect nothing different going in the fight against Robbie Lawler.”

Lawler may be on a losing skid, having suffered three straight losses to Rafael dos Anjos, Ben Askren and Colby Covington, but Magny knows it would be dangerous to overlook the former champion.

“For me to underestimate Robbie Lawler or think that his last couple of performances are going to be something that’s going to give me an advantage in any kind of way, that’ll be silly on my part,” Magny said. “The guy’s a great athlete, a great competitor, been in the sport for a long time, and you don’t survive in this sport being a slouch. His last couple fights have been, in my opinion, just bad matchups.”

With the Aug. 29 headliner between Zabit Magomedsharipov and Yair Rodriguez falling through, Magny expected his fight with Lawler to be promoted to the main event. But either way, he’s confident that his matchup will deliver.

“At this point, I really do not care where the fight lands,” Magny said. “I know he and I are going to go out there and steal the show. So if we’re the first fight of the night, I’m good with that. If we’re the last fight of the night, I’m good with that. At the end of the day, I know we’re going to go out there and steal the show (and) put on a good performance.”

Magny has been a perennial contender in the welterweight division for years, but he’s yet to break into title contention. Having won four of his past five, he sees a win over an established name like Lawler pushing him a big step forward in his quest for gold.

“I think a win over Robbie Lawler puts me in the top of my division. But it’s not just any win – it needs to be a dominant win,” Magny said. “I need to go out there and really show people why I should be in the top 10. I know fighting (Anthony) Rocco Martin last, I didn’t really show much of what I can do and show my full potential. But I feel like this fight against Robbie Lawler does that for my career.

“It allows me to go out there and really demand what I want for my career. So going out there, putting on a dominant performance throws me back in the top 10 (and) allows me to keep moving forward closer to that title shot.”