Cleave Diaz vs. Robbie Lawler Main Match Battle in the Works, UFC’s Dana White Says

UFC president Dana White said Wednesday that a Cleave Diaz vs. Robbie Lawler matchup is on the docket for a September main tournament, basically based on Aaron Bronsteter of TSN. 

MMA journalist Ariel Helwani reported the deal is 90 to 95 percent performed, with the fight being centered as the co-main tournament for UFC 266 on Sept. 25. 

The pair final confronted off at UFC 47 in April 2004, with Diaz winning by a 2d-spherical knockout. 

That fight is surely one of many UFC’s more memorable matchups, as the 2 men traded blows—and the 20-twelve months-used Diaz taunted Lawler all the procedure via the bout—in an exhilarating, aid-and-forth brawl earlier than Diaz pulled off the upset. A rematch has been a truly very long time coming.

Diaz, 37, final fought in the UFC in 2015, losing to Anderson Silva at UFC 183 by unanimous determination, earlier than the terminate consequence became once overturned after Silva failed a drug take a look at. 

Diaz furthermore tested sure for marijuana following the fight, his third marijuana-associated offense, and became once suspended five years by the Nevada Reveal Athletic Commission. That ban became once later reduced to 18 months. 

For his profession he is long past 26-9-2. He had two photographs at the UFC welterweight title, losing to Carlos Condit in 2012 and Georges St-Pierre in 2013. 

Lawler, 39, final fought in August 2020, a unanimous determination loss to Neil Magny. It became once his fourth straight loss and his fifth loss in his final six fights. 

He won the UFC welterweight title in 2014, beating Johny Hendricks, and defended the belt twice earlier than losing it to Tyron Woodley in 2016. He’s 28-15-1 in his profession.