Forget all the previous free agents the UFC parted ways with and how they performed immediately following their departures; every case is different and in this case, there should be no question as to the what the right move is for the world’s largest, most successful mixed martial arts organization.
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As far as unsafe fights to bet a contractual future on, one might say MacDonald will get his money’s worth against Thompson.
MacDonald turns 27 later this summer and is just hitting his athletic prime. Lawler was down 39-37 on all three judges’ scorecards entering the final round.
If Theodorou can get back on track Saturday in Ottawa, he’ll likely reclaim his place as italics the italics end up-and-coming Canadian fighter to watch.
The fight will be a challenge for MacDonald who is 3-2 in his last five outings.
While nothing is officially at stake on the weekend when Thompson and MacDonald meet, it is hard to see how the victor will be denied a title fight.
To take place at TD Place Arena in Ottawa on Sunday (Manila time), the event is expected to be used by the protagonists to underscore their standing in UFC welterweight and position themselves for a shot at the title now held by “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler. One great fight may involve two technically sound combatants displaying every weapon they have in their arsenal, resulting in a attractive piece of moving art; the next could be two scrappy fighters putting their hearts on display, standing in front of each other and trading blows until the final bell rings, leaving the two exhausted, bloodied, and bruised.
Shared history aside, MacDonald obviously recognizes the significance of Saturday’s tilt with Thompson and what a win over “The Wonderboy” would do for his title hopes. But while MacDonald has tremendous discipline, his fight against Lawler showed that he can be taken out of his technical game and drawn into a dog fight. They can happen inside the cage after the fight.
“I think eventually at some point in time he is going to be shooting for my legs and I got to be ready for that”. This isn’t like Davis, whose ceiling in the light heavyweight division had been established below the elite class.
“I look it as me actually defeating the welterweight champion, but in the first round.Nobody has ever done that to him”. MacDonald is a black belt in no gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under David Lea, and trains at the famed Tristar Gym, home of former UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre, widely believed to be one of MMA’s all time great wrestlers.
As is customary, I’ll post the video window here as the event draws near and I’ll answer any questions you may have if you post them in the comments section below.
There are, as always, a few caveats.
The other one, of course, are the financial terms MacDonald is seeking, but provided the 18-3 welterweight contender and his team don’t approach the bargaining table asking for “Conor McGregor Money” (which is “Anderson Silva Money” adjusted for inflation and cost of living), than the parties should be able to find a deal that works for both sides.
MacDonald had thrown 222 significant strikes in 21 minutes, connecting on 86 according to FightMetric. That just doesn’t seem right, right?
MacDonald and Thompson are a study in character.
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The UFC needs to re-sign Rory MacDonald, period.
