A little over two years ago, Rory MacDonald faced off against then-UFC welterweight champion Robbie Lawler in a war for the ages at UFC 189. MacDonald ultimately fell just inches short, losing via fifth-round TKO after being up on the scorecards in a fight that many have called one of the greatest fights in MMA history.
MacDonald has since credited the contest for reshaping his career, and it’s visceral back-and-forth violence has earned Lawler vs. MacDonald 2 a place in rarified air within the sport. But the stark truth of the matter is that UFC 189 also took place at the very inception of the UFC’s USADA era, and on Thursday, MacDonald said in a Reddit ‘Ask Me Anything’ that he believes Lawler was using banned substances.