Ruthless Robbie Lawler hung on to his UFC Welterweight Title just barely as he scraped by with a razor thin split decision Saturday night in Vegas at the MGM Grand in the main event of UFC 195. Lawler was unbothered that so many, including White, thought two of the three judges erred in awarding the third to Condit.
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A back and forth fight led to a controversial split decision, with the heavier hitting champion Robbie Lawler getting the nod over the much more active Carlos Condit to retain the title.
In the end the win could have gone either way and both fighters know it. There were all praise from Lawler to his opponent.
Lawler will face Condit (30-8), the 170-pound divisions former interim champion, in a pay-per-view main event with no strong favorite. Lawler said he wanted to go for a stoppage, but Condit was too clever and sharp in their match. “He had a great game plan, we battled it out”.
At the post-fight press conference after UFC 195 in Las Vegas, the UFC President explained why he would have scored Condit higher if he was a judge.
“I felt like I had three rounds in the bag, but that’s why you don’t leave things to the judges”, he was quoted as saying. “I think having gone through that experience I’m better for it and I’m definitely more prepared”.
Asked why he would consider walking away after coming agonisingly close to securing the belt in a bruising five-round affair, Condit replied: “I’ve been at this for a long time”.
“He’s never in a boring fight”, White said. Just when it seems the best of Robbie Lawler has come out he steps into the octagon for his next fight and exceeds expectations once again.
Robbie Lawler now holds the Welterweight title and has struggled to defend it over the past year.
Miocic, who came into his fight tonight as the number four ranked heavyweight, stormed across the cage after his victory and screamed “give me my shot!” So even if you think you’re winning, you’ve got to still fight.
Lawler first fought in the UFC shortly after turning 20 years old, but he didn’t win a UFC title until he was 32. He took the fourth easily, something Lawler noticed.
The UFC’s next show is scheduled for January 17, as bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw puts his belt on the line against Dominick Cruz.
“I got caught in the second and in the flurry in the fifth”. If I got that strap, I was going to keep fighting. He didn’t get that finish, but he did win the round after destroying Condit with several huge punches.
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In 2014, Condit suffered an ACL injury during his fight against Tyron Woodley, forcing him out of action for a year.
