The UFC announced Saturday that the 2015 classic welterweight bout between Robbie Lawler and Rory MacDonald at UFC 189 will be inducted into the UFC "Fight Wing" Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2023. The UFC 2023 Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place on Thursday, July 6 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The event will air live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS.
"The fight between Robbie Lawler and Rory McDonald at UFC 189 was one of the most exciting fights in UFC history," said UFC President Dana White. "It was an absolute war and a complete display of heart, courage, determination and will to win from both athletes. This five-round classic will be remembered as one of the best and I look forward to inducting this fight into the UFC Hall of Fame this summer.
How Robbie Lawler vs. Rory MacDonald at UFC 189 fell apart
As the co-main event of , which took place on July 11, 2015 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Lawler and MacDonald entered the event on three-fight winning streaks.
Lawler entered the Octagon as the UFC welterweight champion with a 25-10 (1 NC) record that included wins over UFC Hall of Famer Frank Trigg, former UFC welterweight champion Johny Hendricks, former WEC lightweight champion Scott Smith and a previous win over MacDonald in 2013.
Rory entered his rematch against Robbie as the top ranked welterweight contender with an 18-2 record and previous wins over UFC Hall of Famer BJ Penn, former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley, former Strikeforce welterweight champion Tarec Saffiedine, former WEC welterweight champion and Strikeforce Nick Diaz and Demian Maia.
Both athletes quickly moved to the center of the Octagon at the opening bell to establish their positions, with MacDonald striking first with a barrage of jabs. Lawler, normally a fast starter, patiently measured Rory in the first round, carefully matching leg kicks and responding to MacDonald's jabs and straight punches. Rory attempted a takedown in the first, with Robbie defending his attempt and countering with a right knee. The first round ended with both fighters trading punches.
Lawler took control of the pace early in the second round, striking first and checking MacDonald's kicks as the pair circled the center of the Octagon. Rory, connecting on bigger strikes, used his arm range and leg kicks to stay out of Robbie's reach. Both fighters began to open up with several combinations midway through the round, opening and pushing forward with each exchange. With a minute left in the round, an exchange from Lawler broke MacDonald's nose, causing a noticeable amount of blood to flow down his chest. The round ended with a final combination from Robbie, evening the match with one round for each fighter.
The slugfest would leave both athletes bloodied, with Lawler's lip visibly split in two pieces and MacDonald's face beaten as well.
Lawler won two of his next three fights after this event. Although he lost his title to Woodley in the main event of UFC 201 in July 2016, he continued to fight top contenders in the welterweight and middleweight divisions, earning a win over Nick Diaz at UFC 266 in 2021.
MacDonald would lose his next fight to Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson in June 2016 before leaving the UFC shortly after. He would continue to compete in Bellator and the PFL before retiring in 2022.
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