‘Ruthless’ Robbie Lawler Calls Out Nate Diaz for Letting Conor McGregor ‘Off the Hook’ in Grudge Match

UFC veteran Robbie Lawler talks about Conor McGregor getting submitted by Nate Diaz at UFC 196.

‘Ruthless’ Robbie Lawler Calls Out Nate Diaz for Letting Conor McGregor ‘Off the Hook’ in Grudge Match

Robbie Lawler didn't like Nate Diaz submitting Conor McGregor (via X)

UFC history is filled with killers who joined not for money but to destroy every opponent standing before them. One of them was Robbie Lawler, famously known for his ruthless approach and violent intent inside the UFC octagon. Recently, the retired veteran shared his views using the Conor McGregor versus Nate Diaz rivalry as a perfect example.

McGregor’s early UFC rise was legendary, turning himself into a global superstar within just a short amount of fighting time. At UFC 196, Diaz shocked the world by submitting McGregor, handing him his very first UFC loss. Recently, Lawler appeared on the Ariel Helwani Show and explained why he wasn’t too impressed by that outcome.

He (Diaz) did just freaking take (McGregor’s) neck and let him off the hook… He could have done whatever he wanted. To me, [submitting someone] is letting them off the hook. I wanna beat people up. That’s how I fought. It’s kind of funny cause I’m coaching guys and in the UFC I had zero submission attempts.

Robbie Lawler via The Ariel Helwani Show

Lawler explained he avoided submissions because he believed it was an easy way out and preferred brutal, punishing beatdowns instead. The ‘Ruthless’ fighter is a former UFC welterweight champion who defended his belt twice with an aggressive, knockout-heavy style. Lawler scored twenty-two knockouts professionally, with his only submission win outside UFC and five total submission losses throughout his fighting career.

In the comments, many fans praised Lawler for his mindset and the type of fighter he was during his prime. They compared his mindset against current fighters who often look forward to getting a convincing win via control time.

Interestingly, in the second fight between McGregor and Diaz, the ‘Notorious’ bounced back and won the fight via majority decision. In that fight, he outclassed the Stockton native and beat him up for three rounds, however, he was unable to knock him out. But that might be the type of fight that Lawler would appreciate more according to his latest comments.

How Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz inspired the new generation of UFC fighters

At UFC 316, Sean O’Malley faces the reigning bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili in a high-stakes title rematch showdown. Their first fight happened at UFC 306, where O’Malley was completely dominated, losing decisively to the relentless Georgian grappling machine. Despite being the underdog again, O’Malley looks to bounce back strongly and has taken inspiration from Conor McGregor’s comeback mindset.

Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz in their rematch
Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz in their rematch (via MMA Fighting)

In a viral video, ‘Suga’ watched McGregor vs Nate Diaz 2, carefully studying every move. Additionally, McGregor praised O’Malley’s intense training montage by posting a positive comment about it on his official X account. After this development, O’Malley was asked during media day and openly shared his thoughts on the legendary fighter’s support.

I’ve always taken inspiration from Conor fights. I’ve watched a lot of Conor fights. I’ll forever be a huge Conor fan. I feel grateful to be able to watch his come-up, in my generation, I watched it happen. So, I think we’ll look back, and he had one of the craziest careers. It’s cool to be able to watch it happen while I was getting into the UFC so I’m pumped that the relationship is back to good.

Sean O’Malley via UFC 316 Media Day

It surprised many fans to see both fighters speaking positively after their fallout that publicly happened just last year online. Their previous miscommunication led to an intense exchange of insults, creating distance between the two flashy stars. Regardless of everything, O’Malley has always respected McGregor’s achievements and admitted that chasing his legendary aura is simply impossible.

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