UFC odds online: Breathtaking. Exhilarating. Just…wow. The epic fight between champion Robbie Lawler (26-10, 20 KOs, 1 SUB) and Rory MacDonald (18-3, 7 KOs, 6 SUBs) left many speechless – it was without a doubt the most thrilling battles in UFC history.
It started off as a superb technical chess match, devolved into a white-knuckle brawl, and ultimately became an enthralling test of will between two of the best in the world at 170. If you haven’t seen the fight yet, do yourself a favor and Google it already.
With both men emerging with rearranged faces after the bout, it’s safe to say that we won’t see these two in our UFC odds for a while. So where do they both go from here?
THE UFC’S CINDERELLA MAN
Our online UFC odds had pegged Lawler as a solid underdog at plus+166 going into the bout – even though he was the champ. This was a man that destined for midcard status after going 3-5 between 2010-2012. But since entering the UFC, he has capitalized on the massive potential that brought him into the fight game nearly 15 years ago. It’s possibly the best comeback story in UFC history: a supreme young talent turned journeyman turned unlikely champion.
Next up for Lawler is a probably trilogy bout with Johny Hendricks, the man that “Ruthless” took the belt one. They split a pair of spectacular bouts and a fitting conclusion seems inevitable. For once, I’d expect Lawler to finally be the favorite. While his bouts always seem excruciatingly close, his intangible championship mettle is beginning to separate him from the pack.
MACDONALD WINS IN LOSS
It sounds cliché, but there are no losers in a fight like the one we just witnessed. MacDonald raised his stock in victory, showing that he has everything it takes to be a champion. The Canadian was ahead 3-1 on all judges’ scorecards heading into the decisive fifth round, but was unable to take any more after having his nose completely shattered.
The big question now is how the brutal beating will effect the 25-year old. His face looked like it had gone through a meat grinder, he couldn’t sit up properly and reportedly didn’t even know what year it was immediately following the fight. He’s still young, but nobody comes out of a war like that the same. I think he’ll only get better – MacDonald hasn’t even reached his prime athletic years and still trains with one of the best fight teams in the business.
Possible next opponents include Matt Brown or Carlos Condit. Brown scored a wild win over Tim Means on the prelims, while Condit is coming off a destructive win over Thiago Alves at UFC Fight Night 67. Both men are as violent as they come, and a matchup with MacDonald would be a can’t miss affair.
ON DECK: UFC ON FOX 16
The next major event is UFC on FOX 16, which takes place on July 25, 2015 at the United Center in Chicago Illinois. The card will be televised live on FOX starting 10 p.m. ET. The bantamweight champion will be on the line, with T.J. Dillashaw defending his strap against the man he took it from, Brazilian Renan Barao. The first time these two met, Dillashaw scored one of the biggest upsets in championship bout history to stun Barao, who had climbed into the top-5 of many pound-for-pound lists.
Get the latest UFC on FOX 16 odds at our sportsbook and don’t miss out an opportunity to bet on a free fight card on network television.
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