Lawler

By Michael Hatamoto

MMA veteran Robbie Lawler will step into the cage on Saturday night against Rory MacDonald, as both fighters look to try and prove their worth in the UFC’s welterweight division.

MacDonald has already shown he is a world-class talent, while Lawler continues to work hard and use his heavy hands to the best of his ability.

Since dropping to welterweight after returning to the UFC, Lawler has finished Josh Koscheck and Bobby Voelker. The TKO win against Koscheck also earned him “Knockout of the Night” honors at UFC 157 in February.

Meanwhile, besides losing to Carlos Condit at UFC 115 in 2010, MacDonald has looked like a human wrecking machine, beating the likes of Nate Diaz, Mike Pyle, Che Mills, B.J. Penn, and Jake Ellenberger.

However, following the Ellenberger fight where MacDonald used his size and reach – relying on a strong jab and front kicks to stifle Ellenberger – UFC President Dana White and many MMA fans voiced displeasure of MacDonald’s fight strategy.

Following the criticism, MacDonald told MMA reporters fans can expect to see a more aggressive fight strategy against Lawler.

I look forward to watching Lawler and MacDonald fight at UFC 167 this weekend, as this could be a great fight for the fans.

Lawler looks to continue building momentum towards a possible title run in 2014, while MacDonald clearly has the skillset possible to be a future welterweight champion. In reality, I expect this to be an ideal fight for MacDonald to bounce back from a heavy amount of criticism, and Lawler provides the perfect opportunity to look for a submission win against a well-known opponent.

If his remains on the feet, MacDonald will likely use his jab and leg kicks to keep Lawler off-balance and guessing as to when a takedown will be attempted.

Follow Full Contact Fighter this weekend to see how both fighters do in their welterweight clash.