Robbie Lawler not only expects to beat Nick Diaz but expects to finish him.

In a five-round middleweight bout on the main card of UFC 266, Diaz is set to return to the Octagon for the first time since 2015 when he rematches Lawler. The two first met in 2004 with Diaz winning the fight by KO but this time, the former UFC welterweight champion is confident he will KO Diaz this time around.

“He’s a guy that goes out there and tries to put on a show (and) doesn’t show his opponent any respect. So, it’s going to be nice to go out there and knock him out,” Robbie Lawler said on the UFC’s fight preview. “I expect a hell of a fight, two guys going out there ready to put on a show for the fans, I can’t wait to go in there and do some damage.”

Although Lawler does have KO power, he does not have a KO win since he TKO’d Rory MacDonald at UFC 189 in 2015. Diaz, meanwhile, has only been knocked out twice but anything can happen in an MMA fight and it appears Lawler is in good shape and the right mindset for this scrap at UFC 266.

Robbie Lawler (28-15 and one No Contest) is on a four-fight losing skid and hasn’t fought since last August when he dropped a decision to Neil Magny. His other losses came to Colby Covington, Ben Askren, and Rafael dos Anjos. The former UFC welterweight champion holds notable wins over Carlos Condit, Donald Cerrone, Rory MacDonald, Johny Hendricks, and Matt Brown among others. If he can beat Diaz though, he would be getting another big name in his next fight as he is down to his final few fights left in his legendary career.

Do you think Robbie Lawler will KO Nick Diaz at UFC 266?