The 10 most popular fighters in UFC history

#5: Robbie Lawler

UFC 181 - Hendricks v Lawler

A stone-cold killer inside the cage and a laid-back dude outside of it, ‘Ruthless’ Robbie Lawler debuted in the UFC way back in the Dark Ages – at UFC 37 in 2002 – at the age of just 20, and was always destined for popularity. How could the fans not gravitate to the kid with the insanely heavy hands and the finishing instincts that lived up to his ‘Ruthless’ nickname?

For a time though, it appeared that Lawler – despite his tremendous brawls with the likes of Nick Diaz and Chris Lytle – would never quite live up to that early potential. But when he returned to the Octagon in 2013 following an elongated period fighting in smaller promotions, Lawler had changed. He still had the same stoic, killer attitude, but he was a far more refined fighter.

‘Ruthless’ began to take out everyone he faced – from Josh Koscheck to Matt Brown – and eventually captured the UFC Welterweight title in late 2014. From there he embarked on perhaps the most violent reign of all time, defending his title against Rory MacDonald and Carlos Condit in barely-believable wars, cementing his position as one of the most beloved UFC stars ever.

Lawler has since lost his title to Tyron Woodley, and at the age of 36 he appears to finally be slowing down. But you can guarantee that every time he steps into the Octagon, the fans will be on his side – it’s impossible not to love a guy who fights like every punch he throws might be his last.