2008-10-27 22:01:03
Will "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler Sign With the UFC?
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"Ruthless" Robbie Lawler, current middleweight title holder for the now-defunct Elite XC promotion, is on the verge of signing with the UFC, according to multiple sources. Lawler, along with Jake Shields (current Elite XC welterweight champion), are two of the names that are currently in contract negotiations with the UFC.
Robbie Lawler was seen sitting in the crowd at UFC 90 this past weekend. He was also mentioned by name by Dana White in a post-fight press conference, which should be a pretty clear indication that Lawler will eventually sign with the promotion. Apparently the two sides are just haggling over money at this point, but all indications point to Lawler inking a deal with the UFC shortly.
The appeal of having Lawler in the UFC is obvious from a marketing standpoint:
First off, he is considered by most to be one of the top five middleweight fighters in the world. Anderson Silva is obviously at the top of the list, while most people have Paulo Filho, Yushin Okami, Dan Henderson and Robbie Lawler rounding out the top five. Silva has stated that he will never fight Filho, and Silva/Henderson has already taken place. This would obviously give the UFC a couple of interesting fights for Silva in Okami and Lawler.
Second, the marketing of a Silva/Lawler fight would be easy to pull off. Former EliteXC middleweight champion vs current UFC middleweight champion.
Third, Lawler is an exciting fighter to watch and would certainly appeal to the casual UFC fan. He has a career record of 16-4-0, with 13 of his victories coming via knockout.
Robbie Lawler would be a great pick-up for the UFC, and I really hope that they manage to ink him to a deal. Lawler/Silva would be an epic fight that I would definitely pay to see. As a matter of fact, I would pay to see any Lawler fight.
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