Lawler earns another shot at Hendricks with win

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Veteran Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight Robbie Lawler wanted to be the first person to knock out Matt Brown in a professional fight when the two met in the main event of the UFC on Fox 12 card Saturday at SAP Center.

He’ll have to settle for a unanimous decision and another shot at welterweight champion Johny Hendricks.

Lawler sealed his spot as the top contender in the welterweight division by getting the better of Brown over five rounds.

“I just wanted to go out there and try to stop him, but he’s very impressive and he put on a good performance tonight,” Lawler said. “He’s a hell of an opponent. He took a lot of really good shots and just kept coming. Everything they said about that guy is true. He’s tough as hell.”

UFC president Dana White said Friday on a preview show he would walk back to Las Vegas if the fight between two of the division’s most consistent finishers went the full five rounds. He joked after the fight that he would see reporters back in the valley Thursday.

Lawler outstruck Brown in a back-and-forth first round only to allow Brown to settle in and slow the fight after the round. The slower pace continued in the third and fourth rounds, though Lawler seized control.

The fireworks that were expected didn’t truly take place until the fifth round. Brown and Lawler took turns firing shots throughout the five minutes. Lawler closed the round standing over Brown looking to finish.

“That guy is one hell of a fighter,” Brown said before he was transported to a hospital. “I never could get a read on him, and he always was moving forward. It was a pleasure getting in the octagon tonight with Robbie.”

Lawler now must wait until Hendricks is healthy to fight for the belt. Hendricks won the title by defeating Lawler for the vacant belt in March. Lawler still thinks he should have won that decision, but knows what he must do in the rematch.

“I just have to keep doing what I’m doing, but more of it,” Lawler said. “More kicks, more punches, more everything.”

Also on the card, Anthony Johnson made much quicker work of veteran Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in a light heavyweight bout.

Johnson won his eighth straight fight, including two in a row since returning to the UFC, with a 44-second knockout of Nogueira.

“You face a guy like Nogueira, and you think this is going to be a battle,” Johnson said. “That name means a lot. Those guys fight with a lot of pride.”

A second straight spectacular showing for Johnson had social media buzzing about his potential in the division, but White suggested caution.

Still, he continued to be impressed with Johnson, who fought at welterweight during his first stint in the organization. Johnson missed weight twice during that time, prompting a move to middleweight. When he failed to make 185 pounds for his debut in the division, he was subsequently released.

Johnson moved to light heavyweight and has been on a tear.

“It’s crazy. It’s amazing,” White said. “I don’t think we’ve ever seen anything like a guy going from 170 to 205 and being even more powerful and explosive than he was before. I was blown away by his performance. It was quick, and he made it look easy.”

Johnson had a warning for his next opponent.

“I feel like I’m getting closer and closer to my goals of being a champion,” he said. “Whoever they throw in front of me is in a lot of trouble.”

Featherweight Dennis Bermudez won his seventh straight fight with a second-round submission of Clay Guida.

Bobby Green won a split decision over Josh Thomson in a lightweight bout. It was the second straight fight Thomson lost in that manner.

“There is no way I lost that fight,” he said. “When I heard split decision, I knew I was screwed. I always seem to lose these decisions; it’s like I’m cursed. He was moving around a lot, I guess, giving the illusion he was winning, but last I checked, you have to land your punches. I could see his jab coming from a mile away.

“Congrats to Bobby on the win.”

Jorge Masvidal highlighted the preliminary card with a unanimous decision over lightweight Daron Cruickshank. Light heavyweight Patrick Cummins dominated all three rounds to win a unanimous decision over Kyle Kingsbury, who announced his retirement after the fight.

Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow him on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj.