Robbie Lawler is happy to finally be back at UFC on ESPN+ 33, especially because it took longer than he wanted.
Lawler (28-14 MMA, 13-8 UFC) will meet Neil Magny (23-7 MMA, 16-6 UFC) in Saturday’s headliner, which takes place at UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The former UFC welterweight champion hasn’t seen action since an August loss to Colby Covington, which marked a three-fight skid for him.
It was Lawler’s hope to not sit out for more than a year, and he said the only reason he didn’t have to wait longer is because Magny’s original opponent, Geoff Neal, was forced out of the matchup due to a health scare.
“I’ve been looking to get back for a while and just couldn’t get anything together, then they just offered this one on a few weeks’ notice and I’m like, ‘All right, I guess I’m going to fight,’” Lawler told reporters, including MMA Junkie, during Wednesday’s UFC on ESPN+ 33 virtual media day. “It is what it is. I’m going to fight. I haven’t fought for a while, so it’s nice to get back in there.”
At 38, Lawler enters UFC on ESPN+ 33 in unchartered career territory. He’s won just once in five attempts since losing the 170-pound belt to Tyron Woodley at UFC 201 in July 2018. He doesn’t seem to be overthinking the situation, though, and said he’s not strapping any major goals to his career outside of beating Magny.
“Right now I’m just competing,” Lawler said. “One step at a time. You have to get past this fight and showcase your skill and let people know who you are. … Everyone at Sanford (MMA) has done a great job with me, and I’m excited to get out there.”
In what looks on the outside to be a must-win for his career, Lawler doesn’t appear to have any intention of taking a cautious approach to the matchup with Magny. He said he intends to produce the same action he always does in what he hopes is a bounce-back effort.
“I always fight a certain way, and that’s always to try to get in the guy’s face and create a fight and get into a fight,” Lawler said. “That’s what this sport is about, I believe. Obviously guys are technical and you try to use that technique, but when push comes to shove, you try to do some damage in there.”
Skidding ex-champ Robbie Lawler focused on ‘just competing’ at UFC on ESPN+ 33