#ufc #robbielawler #rorymacdonald #mma #combatsports #martialarts #kickboxing #tko #battle #brawl #wrestling #takedown #grappling #fights #greatness UFC 189: Mendes vs. McGregor was a mixed martial arts event held on July 11, 2015, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event took place during the UFC's annual International Fight Week. The co-main event featured a UFC Welterweight Championship bout between then-champion Robbie Lawler and top contender Rory MacDonald. Their first fight at UFC 167 ended in a split-decision victory for Lawler. As a rematch of the pair’s original showdown back in 2013 – a fight that Lawler won by split decision – there truly was the sense that the highly-regarded Tristar Gym prospect MacDonald would be able to step up to the plate and usher in a new era for the 170lb division with a victory over its battle-worn champion. And in one of the very best fights, you'll ever see, Lawler finished MacDonald with a blistering right to the nose in the fifth and final round en route to victory. Both Lawler and MacDonald put forth incredible effort and toughness in what can be considered a true barn burner. From Lawler's sprawling and tumultuous power punches to MacDonald's timely flurries and head kicks, the co-main event may very well have earned Fight of the Year honors. But in the end, it was relentless striking and pressure that kept a king on his throne. The back-and-forth action earned both participants Fight of the Night honors. The fight was considered an instant classic by fans and media alike with UFC President Dana White hailing it as one of the best welterweight fights in the promotion's history. The fight was chosen as the Sherdog Fight of the Year for 2015. The fight has since been acclaimed as one of the greatest in the history of mixed martial arts, voted the best fight in the history of the UFC in an ESPN poll in 2017.