Sherdog’s Top 10: Greatest UFC Fights

7. Robbie Lawler vs. Carlos Condit | UFC 195

The back-and-forth battle for the welterweight crown finishes seventh on this list. Robbie Lawler was the UFC welterweight king of the time, having just defended in an amazing blood-and-guts war against Rory MacDonald, which we will discuss later. Condit was a perennial top contender who was getting a second crack at the title, having lost a competitive fight against Georges St. Pierre in 2012. What unfolded was a highly entertaining affair for all 25 minutes. Condit moved around the cage, pelting Lawler with kicks and punches. Lawler, meanwhile, stayed patient, absorbing blows while waiting for his own spot to explode. He did so on several occasions, recording knockdowns and highly damaging blows. Condit landed far more strikes, but Lawler's were more telling. The final frame was especially memorable, with Condit dominating the early round, hitting Lawler at will. However, Lawler caught him with a big hook with about 90 seconds and from there poured it on, landing numerous big shots that had Condit badly hurt and stunned at times. In fact, Lawler landed more significant strikes (53) in the final round than he did the rest of the fight combined (39), though it was still fewer than his opponent (62). In the end, Lawler clearly won Rounds 2 and 5 while Condit clearly took rounds 1 and 4. It all came down to round 3. Lawler had his moments, but most analysts and fans, myself included, had it for the challenger. Alas, two of the three cageside judges disagreed, giving the stanza to Lawler, and thus the split decision victory. Still, the questionable verdict shouldn't detract from what was a very fun fight.

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