Rory MacDonald tale of the tape: Career record, highlights, age, height

Steven Muehlhausen

Rory MacDonald tale of the tape: Career record, highlights, age, height image

Bellator welterweight champion Rory MacDonald is one of the premier welterweights in the world.

The 29-year-old from Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada started MMA training at the age of 14 and made his professional debut at 16, defeating Terry Thiara by first-round submission at Extreme Fighting Challenge 4 in October 2005. 

From there, MacDonald hasn't looked back. He went undefeated in his first nine fights when he received a call to make his UFC debut at 20-year-old against Mike Guymon in January 2010. MacDonald won by first-round submission and didn't look back by going 8-4 inside the Octagon. He beat the likes of Nate Diaz and former UFC champions B.J. Penn and Tyron Woodley.

Join DAZN and watch Bellator 220 plus more than 100 fight nights a year

What MacDonald is remembered most for during his UFC run was back at UFC 189 in July when he challenged then-welterweight titlist, Robbie Lawler. For 21 minutes, MacDonald and Lawler slung the heavy leather in one of the most violent fights in MMA history. Lawler won by fifth-round TKO, but MacDonald cemented himself on that evening as one of the best welterweights in the world.

Wanting a change in scenery, "The Red King" signed with Bellator in the summer of 2016. After demolishing Paul Daley at Bellator 179, MacDonald battled Douglas Lima for the welterweight title at Bellator 192 in January 2018. MacDonald came out on top in a war of attrition by unanimous decision to win the first world championship of his career.

MacDonald returns to the cage for the first time in 2019, as he defends the title against Jon Fitch in the opening round of the Bellator welterweight grand prix at Bellator 220.

Rory MacDonald tale of the tape: Age, height, bio

Birth name: Rory MacDonald

Birthday: July 22, 1989

Age: 29

Birthplace: Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada

Nationality: Canadian

Division: Welterweight

Height: 5-foot-11

Reach: 76 inches

Stance: Orthodox

Total Fights: 25

Career record: 20-5

Wins by knockout: 7

World titles held (current):  Bellator welterweight champion (current)

World titles held (past): King of the Cage lightweight championship, King of the Cage Canadian lightweight championship

Last fight: Loss via first-round TKO to Gegard Mousasi at Bellator 206 in September 2018.

Next fight: Jon Fitch at Bellator 220 on April 27

MORE ABOUT DAZN

• Meet DAZN, the first dedicated live sports streaming service

• What sports are live-streamed on DAZN?

• How much does DAZN's live sports streaming service cost?

Notable career highlights

Rory MacDonald vs. Terry Thiara

When kids turn 16, and they are getting ready to try and obtain a driver's license. Not MacDonald, who took on Terry Thiara at Extreme Fighting Challenge 4 on October 15, 2005. MacDonald showed age is nothing more than a number, submitting Thiara in the first round. 

Rory MacDonald vs. Mike Guymon

MacDonald had gone 9-0 on the regional circuit in Canada before getting the call from UFC officials to face Guymon at UFC Fight Night on January 11, 2010. UFC president Dana White always says the Octagon jitters are real when it comes to making your UFC debut. MacDonald didn't get the message, as he submitted Guymon in the first round.

Rory MacDonald vs. B.J. Penn

By this point at UFC on Fox in December 2012, MacDonald was 4-1 but needed a signature win on his resume. Enter the former two-division champion and one of the all-time greats in MMA history. Could MacDonald pass his toughest test to date?

MacDonald showed he was more than ready to answer the bell. He battered Penn from one side of the cage to the other to win a comfortable unanimous decision and earn what would then be the most significant victory of his career and cement himself as someone watch out for as a potential future world champion. 

Rory MacDonald vs. Robbie Lawler

Arguably the greatest fight in UFC championship history. MacDonald and Lawler went to war for 21 minutes, with neither willing to take a step back. The savage war of attrition may be pegged by a particular moment between Rounds 4 and 5 when Lawler lowered his head to spit out blood from the brutal fight. The two then stared each other down until they were told to go back to their respective corners. In the fifth round, MacDonald's face had taken too much punishment. A lethal combination from Lawler sank MacDonald and broke his nose. It was a legendary scrap that will go down as one of the most brutal battles in the Octagon.

Rory MacDonald vs. Douglas Lima

MacDonald's mission when he signed with Bellator was to become a world champion. It was a close fight that would be decided after the fifth round. Lima spent all his energy in previous rounds, and MacDonald found an extra gear to propel him to his first-ever world title.

 

 

Steven Muehlhausen

Steven Muehlhausen Photo

Steven Muehlhausen is a contributing writer for DAZN News. He writes features and news stories, and provides analysis relating to the world of boxing. Over the past five years, he has interviewed some of the biggest names in combat sports, including Conor McGregor, Daniel Cormier, Terence Crawford, Vasiliy Lomachenko and Bill Goldberg.