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LAS VEGAS, Nev. - When Robbie Lawler got a second shot at the UFC welterweight title, he was determined to finish with a flourish.Deep in the 25th minute against Johny Hendricks, Lawler unleashed wild flurries of strikes. He kept pursuing the champion even after the bell.A few minutes later, Lawler celebrated his remarkable mid-career resurgence with a belt around his waist.Lawler won the 170-pound title at UFC 181 on Saturday night, claiming a split decision over Hendricks in their rematch.I thought I needed to get in his face, Lawler said. Thats how we fight in the UFC. Thats how we fight championship fights.Anthony Pettis also stopped Gilbert Melendez with a guillotine choke 1:53 into the second round to defend his UFC lightweight title at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.The 32-year-old Lawler (25-10) earned his decision with a dogged five-round effort against Hendricks (16-3), who won the vacant belt by unanimous decision in their first bout in March. Lawler faded late in that fight, while Hendricks finished strong.In the rematch, Lawler turned it around.My coaches just wanted me to go out there and finish strong and do what I do in the gym, and I was able to do that, Lawler said. It means a lot to me because of all the people around me. That isnt just me out there. There was a lot of time and effort from the people around me to get where I am today, and this is their victory too.While Hendricks and Lawler didnt match the theatrics and brutality of their spectacular first fight, in which Hendricks claimed Georges St. Pierres vacated belt despite a torn biceps muscle, Lawler got off to an impressive start in the rematch.He had Hendricks on the defensive for much of the first round, and he finished with a strong fifth, delivering those enormous shots in the final seconds to bring the crowd to its feet.Hendricks controlled long stretches of the middle rounds with tactics and smart strikes while Lawler waned, but the champ appeared to coast to the finish of the final two rounds, perhaps swaying the judges in Lawlers favour.I just didnt fight, Hendricks said. Look at the fourth and fifth round. I didnt come out and fight like I normally do. I didnt stay light on my feet like I should have.Two judges scored the bout for Lawler, 49-46 and 48-47, while the third favoured Hendricks, 48-47. The Associated Press scored it 48-47 for Lawler.While Hendricks injury sidelined him through the summer, Lawler stayed hard at work with impressive victories over Jake Ellenberger and Matt Brown, earning his rematch.Lawler was once best known for failing to reach the heights suggested by his talent, losing five of eight fights in the Strikeforce promotion before rejoining the UFC in early 2013. The former prodigy has realized his potential on MMAs biggest stage, becoming the first former Strikeforce fighter to win a UFC title with six wins in his last seven bouts.The fighters seem headed to a third bout, but Canadian No. 2 contender Rory MacDonald has been promised the next welterweight title shot.I thought it was a great fight, I scored it Robbie three rounds to two, said MacDonald, who is from Kelowna, B.C., and trains out of Montreal. Im very excited to fight him next, Ill be very focused and Ill be ready. Ive been hearing that the fight will be in Canada and thatd be great if it was. Id love it if it were in British Columbia, but Id be happy with anywhere up there.Lawler and Hendricks both said they would accept whatever the UFC decided.I cant wait to get back home to my family, Lawler said. Its been a long year. Ive been on the grind, camp to camp, just striving to be champion, to get back to this moment.Pettis (18-2) was impressive in his first title defence, finishing Melendez (22-4) for the first time in the veteran Strikeforce champions career.After Melendez largely controlled Pettis against the cage in the first round, Pettis surprised him with a damaging front kick early in the second. Pettis then defended Melendezs takedown attempt and locked in the choke, getting a quick submission to end his first fight in 16 months.I know how good I am, but a lot of people were questioning how good I am, Pettis said. This fight went a little bit longer, so you got to see a little more.Before the title bouts, heavyweight Todd Duffee celebrated his 29th birthday by stopping Anthony Hamilton just 33 seconds in with a crushing right hand. Heavyweight Travis Browne then stopped Brendan Schaub on punches with 10 seconds left in their opening round.Josh Samman delivered the best finish of an entertaining undercard, knocking out Eddie Gordon with a spectacular head kick in the second round. Samman, who had been dominated on the ground beforehand, dedicated the win to his girlfriend, Hailey Bevis, who died in a car accident last year.Also on the undercard, Urijah Faber choked out Francisco Rivera in the second round shortly after poking Rivera in the eye. Faber, who got booed after replays of the apparently inadvertent eye-poke, is 11-6 over the last six years, with every loss in a title fight. Cheap NBA Jerseys China . The Irish golfer, whose father Patrick died from cancer, says he underwent surgery for sun spots. The 42-year-old Harrington told Irish radio station Today FM: "Ive had a number of skin cancers removed off my face. Wholesale Authentic NBA Jerseys . The stakes were higher, the competition more fierce and the atmosphere was that of a playoff game - something the young, upstart Raptors have five weeks to better prepare themselves for or the result will be eerily similar. http://www.wholesalechinajerseysforcheap.com/.com) - Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price is set to return Tuesday against Nashville after sitting out the past two games because of a minor upper body injury. Wholesale Jerseys From China . Ashton scored a hat trick -- giving him 13 goals in 16 AHL games this season -- to power the Toronto Marlies to a 5-2 victory over the visiting Lake Erie Monsters in AHL action on Sunday. Cheap NFL Jerseys China . The agreement comes a little more than one week after the video game manufacturer agreed to a $40 million settlement in a similar but separate case, bringing the total payout planned for athletes to $60 million, said Steve Berman, an attorney for the plaintiffs, and the NCAA.Injured Tampa Bay Lightning star Steven Stamkos said hes feeling better after taking a day off from practice on Monday because his leg didnt feel right. Stamkos took to the ice at the Air Canada Centre on Tuesday morning - where the Lightning prepared to face the Toronto Maple Leafs - wearing a regular blue jersey and skated for about 20 minutes. "It felt a lot better today," Stamkos said after the skate. "Just pain in certain areas. The bone is really strong, the x-rays look good - its more soft tissue issues." Stamkos added that he still hopes to get games under his belt before the Olympic break and also discussed the possibility of playing in Sochi even if he doesnt play an NHL game first. "The objective is to play a game (in the NHL), that would be something I would really love to do," he explained to the large scrum of reporters. "But if thats not the case, theres going to be another discussion about whether or not Im still going to be on that team if I cant play a game. Weve had brief discussions about that, its more or less been Well cross that bridge when (if) we need to." Team Canada executive director Steve Yzerman just happens to be his NHL general manager in Tampa and Stamkos is prepared to have a discussion with him on all of his options. "If we have to sit down a couple of days before we have to leave for the Olympics, we can be honest with each other," Stamkos said of his eventual chat with Yzerman. "If I say that Im at the level I think I need to be at to competee at the Olympics, I think hes going to have the trust in me that I can go over there and play at that level.ddddddddddddBut at the end of the day, I have to be honest with him. If I say Im not ready, obviously Im not going to go." When asked about Stamkos comments that going to Sochi without playing an NHL game was a possibility, Yzerman confirmed its among the different options, again very much depending on where he is physically. "Were not going to rule anything out," Yzerman told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun over on the phone Tuesday. "We dont really have to jump to any conclusions yet. Its one step at a time. A week ago he had the X-Ray at the 10-week mark and the doctors advised him to increase the intensity of his workouts on and off the ice and see how he responds to that. So thats what hes done for the last week. Hes still hopeful to play at some point next week but we dont know yet if thats realistic or not. "Once he gets home from the trip hell meet again with the doctors and see what they come up with at that point. But until hes cleared for a game, whether its prior to leaving or not, theres not much really to say, but were going to keep all the options open and make the appropriate decisions when the time comes." Stamkos fractured the tibia in his right leg in a Nov. 11 game against the Boston Bruins and underwent surgery the following day. He had 14 goals and 23 points in 17 games before the injury. The Lightnings final game before the Olympic break is Saturday, Feb. 8 against the Detroit Red Wings. ' ' '