UFC 173: Robbie Lawler vs. Jake Ellenberger Fight Breakdown

Robbie Lawler and Jake Ellenberger will collide on the UFC 173 main card this Saturday, and at stake is each man’s standing in the ever deep welterweight division. ‘The Juggernaut’ got decisioned by Rory MacDonald at UFC on Fox 8 last year, and will look to put his name back in to the title mix against an also rebounding ‘Ruthless’.

Lawler lost a decision in the main event at UFC 171; dropping an exciting five rounder to Johny Hendricks for the vacant strap at 170 pounds. Will the travelled veteran come back stronger? Time will tell, for the moment we’ll take a look at how these two stack up:

Striking

It’s fair to say that both guys have very heavy hands, and some great technique to go with it. One thing we’ve seen from Lawler during his most recent UFC stint is a lot more control. It seems that Lawler’s power comes very naturally, and he uses it in measured spurts now, as opposed to his old wild boy style. ‘Ruthless’ comes to the cage with 18 knockout wins from 22.

Similarly, Ellenberger holds 18 knockouts, although his ratio is slightly less as he holds 29 wins. Interesting fact of the day-‘The Juggernaut’ was 9-0 in his first nine months as a pro, fighting on average once a month (!). Ellenberger certainly has the more MMA style striking, whereas Lawler has a background in boxing and other forms of stand up. I’d say that Ellenberger has the speed advantage from what I’ve seen, but ‘Ruthless’ has that raw power, with some excellent technique. Close, but Lawler has it 60-40, with the KO factor in play.

Wrestling

Not many people know that Lawler was actually an All-State wrestler by the age of 16. His style is mainly stand up, given his background in boxing and karate, but he is tough to take down now. Ellenberger, an NCAA division II wrestler, is very strong in his takedowns. I don’t imagine he’ll be looking for a lay-and-pray after his last performance, but the option is there.

When it comes down to it, I think ‘The Juggernaut’ is the stronger wrestler. Whether it comes down to that is another subject, but Ellenberger may look to use his strength and skills to mash Lawler against the fence. Not a big gap, but 60-40 Ellenberger.

Submissions

My personal opinion is that neither guy will be looking for the submission finish in particular, but there are some significant points to ponder. Firstly, half of Lawler’s pro losses are by submission, and he holds no formal ranking in BJJ. Ellenberger has been submitted once in seven losses, has choked or cranked his way to five sub wins overall, and holds a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu.

It’s fair to say that Ellenberger holds a fair advantage should he look for submissions all night, but I expect a stand up war when these two throw down. Nonetheless, it’s a 70-30 advantage for ‘The Juggernaut’ in the Jits department. Stay tuned to Lowkickmma.com for more UFC 173 pre-fight coverage!