Two-time UFC Hall of Famer Robbie Lawler finally\u00a0can admit: 'I was special'
In addition to holding a place in the Fight Wing for his unforgettable war with Rory MacDonald at UFC 189, Lawler (36-10 MMA, 15-10 UFC) was enshrined in the Modern Wing of athletes this past week for a standout career that included capturing and defending the UFC welterweight title.
"Ruthless" has been a man of few words throughout his career, but on the night where his career was spotlighted in front of the masses, he opened up about the self-belief that got him to this point, despite many setbacks along the way.
"It does (mean more that the Fight Wing induction) because that's a moment in time, (but) this is a lot of moments," Lawler told MMA Junkie on the 2025 UFC Hall of Fame red carpet. "This is the ups and the downs of the sport, the young kid coming in with a lot of promise. It's the story and it's a good story and it shows a lot of hard work and belief in myself. Not just belief in myself, but belief in me to help get me to where I am today. It's not just for me. It's for those people. It's for the fans who really appreciate it.
"I always thought I was great. I'm humble, but I always thought I was special. I thought I had something and that's why I did it for so long because I wanted to go out there and show the world who I was, and I think I did a pretty good job of it."
Lawler, 43, consistently points back to his passion for fighting as his primary and continued incentive in MMA. It's showed after his retirement, because he serves as a primary coach at Kill Cliff FC in Florida, which is among the top gyms in the sport.
Although Lawler admits cornering and coaching doesn't provide the same buzz as competition, he is happy with the memories and opportunities his UFC Hall of Fame worthy career provided.
"I just wanted to go out there and fight and do what I love to do, which is knock people out and train," Lawler said. "I'm like, 'They're going to pay me to freaking fight and freaking train?' That's why I got into it. I knew at a very young age as a teenager I was going to go full-time into fighting. To be able to do this at the level I've done it and for as long as I've done it, it's just quite an accomplishment to be where I am today."
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