When it was announced that Tyron Woodley had been forced out of his UFC Minneapolis main event rematch with Robbie Lawler with a hand injury, it opened the door for several opportunistic welterweights to attempt to step and replace him.
The first to do so was Darren Till, who specified that he would fight Lawler in Minneapolis, if Lawler agreed to meet at 175 pounds rather than 170.
https://twitter.com/darrentill2/status/1129411351942717441
“Yes [Robbie Lawler] I’ll meet you at 175 in 6 weeks for a tear up,” Darren Till wrote on Twitter.
Santiago Ponzinibbio, another top welterweight contender, threw his name in the hat quickly thereafter, telling MMA Fighting’s Guilherme Cruz that he’d love to take the fight.
Ponzinibbio: ”This fight makes total sense. We’ll put on an exciting fight. I deserve to face a former champion, and I’m ready. If they give me this spot, I’ll go in there and knock him out. He always puts on exciting fights, so fans will go crazy. This fight will make history."
— Guilherme Cruz (@guicruzzz) May 17, 2019
”This fight makes total sense,” Ponzinibbio told Cruz of a potential fight with Robbie Lawler. “We’ll put on an exciting fight. I deserve to face a former champion, and I’m ready. If they give me this spot, I’ll go in there and knock him out. He always puts on exciting fights, so fans will go crazy. This fight will make history.”
Santiago Ponzinibbio also took a shot at Darren Till on Twitter, shutting down the Brit’s suggestion of a 175-pound fight with Lawler.
Bruv, I’ll give you the bail money to come fight me in Uruguay (August 10) after I whoop @Ruthless_RL . You miss weight, back to back losses, knocked out in front of your own people and now you’re picking a new weight class? Spoiled brat.
— Santiago Ponzinibbio (@SPonzinibbioMMA) May 17, 2019
“Bruv, I’ll give you the bail money to come fight me in Uruguay (August 10) after I whoop [Robbie Lawler],” Ponzinibbio wrote, challenging Till to a fight in August. “You miss weight, back to back losses, knocked out in front of your own people and now you’re picking a new weight class? Spoiled brat.”
Darren Till and Santiago Ponzinibbio weren’t the only two welterweights to offer to step in against Robbie Lawler.
Streaking Brazilian contender Elizeu Zaleski did too, making his case to Guilherme Cruz on Twitter.
Quote from Elizeu Zaleski, who's also on a long winning streak in the UFC: “I've asked for this fight before, and I’m more than ready now. It’s time. UFC, give me Robbie Lawler."
— Guilherme Cruz (@guicruzzz) May 17, 2019
“I’ve asked for this fight before, and I’m more than ready now,” he told Cruz. “It’s time. UFC, give me Robbie Lawler.”
Needless to say, the options are plentiful. Who do you want to see Robbie Lawler fight in Minneapolis?
This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 5/17/2019.