Rory MacDonald (photo via UFC)

By FCF Staff

Rory MacDonald absorbed a ton of punishment in his gruelling and bloody war with Robbie Lawler last summer, but the welterweight is still gunning for a third fight with the champ.

MacDonald and Lawler fought for the first time in 2013, and the latter won the tightly contested bout by split decision. In the rematch last July, both men were battered and bloodied during the thrilling fight, before MacDonald went down in the fifth.

At UFC Fight Night 89 on Saturday, MacDonald will take on rising contender Stephen Thompson. If MacDonald can defeat the vaunted striker then he’ll remain right in the thick of the title shot mix. While discussing Lawler’s July 30th bout with Tyron Woodley, and who he’d rather face, MacDonald recently told UFC.com this:

“I feel like I’m happy to fight both, as long as it’s for the title, but if my fighter spirit were to pick one that I would want to rematch, it would be Robbie because he got the nod on me two times now, so I’d like to clean that up.”

The 26 year-old was also asked if he’s watched his violent loss to Lawler, and the Canadian responded:

“Of course,” MacDonald said. “Obviously, I get pretty pumped up about it. I get upset because you’re watching yourself lose a fight, but you come to terms with it. You watch it for your weaknesses that you find or things you screw up.”

UFC FN 89 will take place in Ottawa, Ontario.