Robbie Lawler's illustrious MMA career comes to an end at UFC 290, as he faces Niko Price in his final welterweight battle. Lawler, a Hall of Famer with over two decades of experience, leaves behind a legacy that includes numerous accomplishments and iconic fights.
It makes sense that the featherweight title bout is the main event of UFC 290: Volkanovski vs. Rodriguez on Saturday, July 8, but to put Kill Cliff Fight Club’s Robbie Lawler’s welterweight battle with Niko Price in the prelims…it’s just a little insulting.
It is, after all, Lawler’s final fight. The Hall of Famer is retiring after this weekend, putting to end one of the greatest MMA careers ever, with more than 20 years in the UFC. And it’s not like he’s hitting a tomato can: Price is 15-6 as a pro with 10 KO victories.
Besides being a loyal and long-time Kill Cliff beverage ambassador, Lawler, who is 41, made his pro debut in 2001 and rapidly hit the big time with UFC in 2002 (he’s 14-10 in that promotion). (For comparison, Price debuted in 2016, 15 years after Lawler entered the octagon.)
In those years the California native has accumulated some ridiculous stats, including 21 knockout wins (a UFC welterweight record); he was UFC’s welterweight champion from 2010 to 2013, defending the title four times; and Sherdog and MMA Fighting have declared him the winner of three “Fights of the Year,” including forever classics with Johny Hendricks and Rory MacDonald (watch the first first and then the rematch if you want a big hit of dopamine in your brain).
But the good news is you can watch Lawler’s final bout for free, coming at the end of the preliminary rounds that begin at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN; early prelims, featuring KCFC’s rising star Esteban “El Gringo” Ribovics (11-1-0) kick off at 6 p.m. ET, with Ribovics vs. Kameula Kirk’s lightweight bout opening the show.
It all comes to us live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.