When it comes to the idea of Robbie Lawler vs Nick Diaz II being sold as a rivalry rematch 17 years in the making, the former Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight titlist isn’t looking at the matchup that way.
Rematches are very common in fight sports, but one with a nearly 20-year break in between certainly isn’t. When Lawler (28-15) vs Diaz (26-9) was made official for Sept. 25 at UFC 266, fans were excited. It was a rematch of two action-friendly fighters who had a memorable scrap and then went on to have even more memorable careers. It always felt like a rivalry with unfinished business. However, for Lawler, 39, a second go-around with Diaz was the motivation he needed to return to action because the Stockton bad boy is a big name that is far different than the man he faced in 2004.
Nick Diaz offered Robbie Lawler the reason he needed to dive back into a fight camp
“Yea, I mean it’s 17 years. I’ve grown so much [and] he’s changed so much. It’s just a lot of time,” Lawler told ESPN recently. “[I] learned a lot from that fight, and used a lot to get me better. It’s what I continue to try to do. … Obviously, we come to fight. Nick Diaz is no-nonsense. He has antics in the fight but really he’s coming out to fight and get you out of your game. Looks to push the pace. I like to get in people’s faces and try to land big shots so it’s gonna be exciting.”
“Ruthless” has only competed once since his August 2019 loss to welterweight #1 contender Colby Covington. That was a unanimous decision loss to Neil Magny last summer. When asked about his inactivity over the last two years, the Strikeforce veteran explained that no fight offers came that seemed worth the effort. However, when Diaz was suggested, that was the caliber of opponent that stoked Lawler’s competitive fire.
“I haven’t been banged up, just kind of nothing made me want to go out there and put in a whole bunch of time,” said Lawler. “No big fights for me, so [I’ve] just been kind of hanging out until something got me excited to spend some time training. … He’s a big name. Definitely, a guy who gets me out there putting in extra time, and being more selfish and making sure I’m training hard.”
Lawler is not ready to retire just yet
The 20 year MMA veteran is in the midst of the longest losing streak of his career at four straight. Just a few months away from his fortieth birthday, many wonder how much longer Lawler plans to stick around as an active competitor. However, retirement doesn’t seem close at hand, since he still loves the work. Although he is viewing his career on a one-fight-at-time basis, even when he does call it quits, he still expects to be close to the sport always.
“Sh*t, I’ve been doing this since 2000,” Lawler said with a laugh. “I don’t know if I have 20 more years left in me. … I’m just taking it one fight at a time, one training camp at a time, and just enjoying the process. I love training, I love competing, and it’s just something I want to do until I don’t have any love for it.
“I love the preparation and just keeping my skills sharp. Even when I’m done fighting [and] retired I’m gonna be training. Be helping out other fighters and giving my knowledge to them to make their careers a little easier. It’s all about giving back to the sport that’s given so much to me.”
UFC 266 takes place on September 25, inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main card begins at 10 pm ET, and will air exclusively on ESPN+ pay-per-view for US $69.99.
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