Robbie Lawler debuted in the UFC as a heavy-handed 20-year-old in 2002. He retired in 2023 after scoring a dramatic first-round knockout of Nike Price as a battle-hardened 41-year-old.
It was mostly what he did in the 21 years in between those bouts that earned him a spot in the UFC Hall of Fame. On Saturday during UFC 313 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, the UFC announced that Lawler will be inducted into the modern wing of its Hall of Fame.
“Robbie Lawler is one of the most bad-ass athletes to every step inside the Octagon,” UFC CEO/President Dana White said. “Robbie was an absolute killer, and I have a ton of respect for his toughness and his fighting style, which helped grow the sport of MMA and UFC by attracting a lot of new fans. Robbie had an amazing career, and it will be an honor to induct him into the UFC Hall of Fame this summer.”
Lawler will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on June 26 at T-Mobile Arena during International Fight Week.
It will be the second time in three years Lawler will be part of the Hall of Fame ceremony. His bout with Rory MacDonald at UFC 189 at the MGM Grand Garden on July 11, 2015, was inducted into the Hall of Fame's fight wing in 2023.
That bout was Fight of the Year, the second year in a row that a Lawler bout won that honor. His title-winning effort over Hendricks was Fight of the Year in 2014.
Lawler finished an epic 46-bout career with a 30-16 record with a no-contest. He won 22 times by knockout and once by submission. Among the greats he defeated in his career were Hendricks, MacDonald, Nick Diaz, Donald Cerrone and Carlos Condit.
Lawler was 15-10 in the UFC, 1-0 in Pride and 3-5 in Strikeforce. He won five Fight of the Night bonus and one Knockout of the Night award.
Courtesy UFC
Robbie Lawler won the welterweight title at UFC 181 on Dec. 6, 2014, by defeating Johny Hendricks.