Athletes
Niko Price Feels Honored To Fight With Robbie Lawler
Niko Price Will Be The Opponent In Robbie Lawler's Retirement Fight At UFC 290: Volkanovski vs Rodriguez
Niko Price has always dreamed of this moment.
From the moment the 33-year-old welterweight started the sport at the age of 18, he has wanted a shot to take on former UFC welterweight champion Robbie Lawler. Now, in Lawler’s final fight before retirement and days after “Ruthless” was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame, Price finally gets his chance.
With his bout at UFC 290 also marking the final chapter in the storied career of his opponent, Price is grateful for the opportunity.
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“I was just hoping, every time the emails came from [Sean] Shelby,” Price said. “I was waiting to see [Lawler’s] name. And then it occurred. I just had patience.”
That patience paid off for Price, and while Saturday’s fight is something he has only ever seen in his dreams, it’s not an unfamiliar spot for him.
Price has stood in the Octagon with UFC veterans before, including bouts with Tim Means and Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone in 2019 and 2020, respectively. He is counting on that experience to help him earn a positive result on Saturday night, and he is preparing for it like any other fight, regardless of the stakes.
“There's my opponent, let's go. Smile and clench my hands, and warm up, and get ready to fight. That's all,” Price said. “I fought Donald Cerrone, so that was one legend I got to fight. I fought Tim Means; in my eyes, he's a legend. I got to fight a bunch of high-caliber fighters already. So, to me, it's just another day in the office, just with a cool name.”
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While the preparation remains the same as it would for any other fight for Price, he is also focusing on the specific strengths that make the former titleholder such a formidable challenge. Namely, he’s readying for the raw power of Lawler’s attacks.
“I worked on a lot of defense, a lot of attacks, and just tightening up my all-around game and getting stronger to be able to handle the fight,” Price said. “He's a monster. He hits hard, I've gotta be able to move my head and gotta be able to punch.”
While Lawler has been a powerful attacker throughout his entire career, Price is expecting a vintage performance from his opponent at UFC 290 – and he is up for the challenge, ready to go tit for tat with an all-time great.
“It’s gonna be awesome, it’s gonna be the Fight of the Night, it’s gonna be the finish of the night,” Price said. “I know he’s not coming in there to go light. It’s his last dance, I expect him to come in there all-out, one hundred percent, championship Robbie.”
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Lawler’s career comes to a close Saturday, but Price’s story is far from over. Going into his first fight of 2023, Price went all-out in his training, leaving his wife and kids at home in Florida for over a month to prepare for his bout with Lawler in Wisconsin.
It was not an easy move for Price, but it is one he expects to pay off with a victory at UFC 290.
“We went out to Milwaukee, over in Wisconsin. I spent five weeks away from the family,” Price said. “I made a lot of sacrifices for this one, put a lot of time in, a lot of effort. And I expect to get my dub.”
UFC 290: Volkanovski vs Rodriguez took place live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on July 8, 2023. See the Final Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!
