Robbie Lawler vs. Rory MacDonald clash at UFC 189 announced for UFC Hall of Fame

Robbie Lawler and Rory MacDonald left everything in the cage at UFC 189 and for that they will soon be in the UFC Hall of Fame.

It was announced on Saturday’s UFC 287 broadcast that Lawler vs. McDonald 2, a classic welterweight title fight that took place on July 11, 2015, will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame Fight Wing during International Fight Week (July 3-July 9) in Las Vegas.

Watch video of the announcement below.

Lawler was in attendance at Kaseya Center in Miami on Saturday to bask in the glow of the announcement with a packed house cheering him on.

Lawler entered UFC 189 as the welterweight champion, having won a narrow split decision over Johny Hendricks to claim the title. MacDonald, just 25 years old at the time, was viewed as the future of the division and he was eager to avenge a previous decision loss to Lawler from 2013.

What ensued was a back-and-forth classic, with MacDonald at times looking like he was ready to steal the torch from Lawler’s hands, and Lawler showing the inhuman grit and toughness that has made him a fan favorite for over two decades. For over 20 minutes, Lawler and MacDonald bludgeoned each other and both were a bloody mess by the time the fifth round bell rang.

It was Lawler who outlasted MacDonald, doing long-lasting damage to the Canadian’s face, and finally earning the stoppage early in Round 5. The bout was widely hailed one of the greatest in MMA history, an appraisal that has stood the test of time.

Lawler and MacDonald join an illustrious list of 2023 inductees that includes Anderson Silva, Jose Aldo, and Jens Pulver.

They will be inducted to a Fight Wing that includes 2022 inductee Cub Swanson vs. Doo Ho Choi, as well as Forrest Griffin vs. Stephon Bonnar 1, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua vs. Dan Henderson, and Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson 1.