10 Emotional UFC Moments That Made The Fans Cry
8. Woodley Ends Lawler's Cinderella Story
Most fighters would kill for Robbie Lawler's heart. The former UFC Welterweight Champion's grit and determination are legendary, and it was these qualities which spurred his incredible Cinderella story a few years ago.
'Ruthless' returned to the UFC via the Strikeforce merger in 2013. It was the first time he'd been with the company in nine years, and he brought a modest record with him, having gone 3-5 in his last eight fights. Thus, few expected anything more than gutsiness from Lawler, but he bounced back with a savage knockout of the reviled Josh Koscheck, then surged through the division, a fighter reborn.
His biggest moment came at UFC 181, when he defeated Johny Hendricks in a rematch of their epic UFC 171 encounter, taking his Welterweight Title in the process. It was a huge shot of catharsis for anyone who'd followed his emotional journey, but it came crashing down two fights later.
Tyron Woodley was Lawler's second opponent as champion, and sadly, 'The Chosen One' was able to put the seemingly indestructible Lawler away in the first round. It was Robbie's first knockout loss since 2004. The moment hit like a mortar blast, and the story was over.