Can Neil Magny upset Robbie Lawler?
Neil Magny made his spectacular return to the octagon after almost a year and picked up quick back to back victories to announce his return to the Welterweight division. Neil Magny is a veteran in his own right and with over 20 fights under the UFC. Magny has emerged victorious on 18 occasions from the 22 times he has stepped inside the octagon for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Magny's resume is courtesy his exceptional mixed martial arts career, and at 33, he could find himself in the top-10 UFC Welterweight ranking with a win over former champion Robbie Lawler this weekend.
Neil Magny will take on former Welterweight Champion Robbie Lawler in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night: Smith vs Rakic this weekend at Las Vegas. Neil Magny is coming off back to back victories against top contender Li Jinliang and Anthony Rocco Martin. Magny took a year-long hiatus after losing to Santiago Ponzinibbio back in November of 2018. He returned to the octagon in March of 2020 and made a quick turnaround to fight Li Jinliand in the main card at UFC 250.
Can Neil Magny upset Robbie Lawler?
Neil Magny is an exceptional striker who has proven his cardio several times in the past. With notable victories over Johnny Hendricks, Carlos Condit, and Kelvin Gastelum, Neil Magny is already a notable name in the Welterweight division. Magny will take on former champion Robbie Lawler in the co-main event this weekend. It's safe to say that a win from here will plummet Magny closer to the top-5 in the UFC Welterweight rankings.
Neil Magny created a UFC record back in 2014 when he tied the UFC record for most wins in a calendar year with five victories to his name. However, he fell prey to Damien Maia's impeccable grappling and suffered his first UFC loss via submission in the second round after picking up five back to back victories. Neil Magny was also the first fighter to finish former Bellator Middleweight Champion Hector Lombard who had an impeccable record of 34 wins and 4 losses before he fought Magny.
Neil Magny vs Robbie Lawler is an exciting match-up between two exceptional strikers. However, both the fighters have an impressive ground game with multiple submission victories to their name. Robbie Lawler has already solidified his position as one of the greatest mixed martial artists in the history of mixed martial arts. However, at 38, he is still a threat to any fighter in the division. It won't be an easy task for Neil Magny to get past the former Champion.
Lawler faced #2 ranked Welterweight contender Colby Covington in his last fight, and top-ranked Ben Askren and Rafael Dos Anjos in 2018 and 2017 respectively. Despite having not won a single fight in the last three years, Robbie Lawler has faced Championship level fighters. It's safe to say that if there's any fighter who can upset Robbie Lawler, it is the dark horse of the Welterweight division, Neil Magny.