Tom Lawlor

in March 2020, Lawlor signed with Professional Fighters League and is expected to participate in the PFL season 3 light heavyweight bracket.

On February 2, 2019, Lawlor won the MLW World Heavyweight Championship from Low Ki at MLW's live SuperFight event. He would hold the title 154 days, before losing it to Jacob Fatu at Kings of Colosseum in July 2019. He would also fail to defeat Fatu in a rematch for the title. On November 14, 2019, it was announced Lawlor left the promotion. However, on November 22nd, 2019 it was announced he had signed a new multi-year exclusive agreement with the company. Lawlor turned heel on the thanksgiving episode of Fusion by attacking Ross Von Erich with a chair during his world title bout against Jacob Fatu.

On August 13, 2018, Tom Lawlor was released from UFC, less than two months before his suspension was lifted. At the time of his release, he held a record of 6-5 within the promotion.

On November 24, 2018, Lawlor faced Deron Winn at Golden Boy Promotions's inaugural MMA event. He lost the fight by unanimous decision.

Lawlor currently competes in Major League Wrestling (MLW), and appears on their weekly MLW Fusion television series. Lawlor won the first Battle Riot in MLW in 2018. He won after eliminating Jake Hager, who he went on to feud with. He followed that up by beating Sami Callihan, Shane Strickland and his former partner Simon Gotch in singles matches.

On May 17, 2014, Lawlor made his Ring of Honor debut accompanying reDRagon as their manager against The Young Bucks in their match for the ROH World Tag Team Championship at the ROH and New Japan Pro Wrestling co-promoted pay-per-view War of the Worlds. Lawlor returned to professional wrestling in February 2017, due to his suspension from UFC. On April 15, 2017, Lawlor debuted for Prestige Championship Wrestling competing against Davey Richards in the shows co-main event. Lawlor would lose the match but would go on to become a regular at Prestige shows. On May 5, 2017, Lawlor was advertised for Canadian promotion All Star Wrestling for their 7 July 2017 show. On May 26 and 27, Lawlor participated in the AIW JT Lightening Invitational Tournament. Day 1, he was set to face Jimmy Rave but Rave dropped out of the show due to travel issues. Instead, UFC Legend and former NWA World Champion Dan Severn answered Lawlor's challenge. Lawlor pinned Severn to advance. Day 2, Lawlor was in a Fatal Four-Way with Tracy Williams, Mike Tolar and Dominic Garrini. Williams would win the match and the tournament.

Lawlor wrestled for University of Central Florida at 235 lb weight class. He won three national championships in the NCWA 2003, 2004, 2005 and as a freshman placed third. Lawlor currently resides in Las Vegas, NV,. He was married to an undisclosed "French-Polish" woman after she proposed to him at Monday Night Raw on February 13, 2017.

Lawlor faced Corey Anderson on March 5, 2016, at UFC 196. He lost the fight by unanimous decision.

On November 4, 2016, Lawlor was provisionally suspended from the UFC stemming from an out-of-competition drug test conducted by USADA on October 10, 2016. Lawlor revealed that he failed for Ostarine, although he denied knowing the cause of the failure. In February 2017, Lawlor was handed a two-year suspension. He became eligible to return to competition in October 2018.

After over two years away from active competition, Lawlor returned to face Gian Villante on July 25, 2015, at UFC on Fox 16. He won the fight via knockout in the second round and also earned a Performance of the Night bonus.

Lawlor was expected to face Fábio Maldonado on November 7, 2015, at UFC Fight Night 77. However, Lawlor was forced out of the bout with injury and replaced by Corey Anderson.

In May 2015, Figure Four Online launched the Filthy Tom Lawlor Show (later renamed Filthy Four Daily), a weekly podcast featuring Lawlor discussing MMA and professional wrestling with host Bryan Alvarez. In September 2016, it was announced he would be making monthly appearances on The Bryan and Vinny Show to discuss SmackDown Live pay per views. He has also made appearances on Wrestling Observer Radio.

Lawlor was expected to face Ilir Latifi in a light heavyweight bout on July 19, 2014, at UFC Fight Night 46. However, Lawlor was forced out of the bout due to injury, and was replaced by promotional newcomer Chris Dempsey.

Lawlor previously lived in Providence, RI. He, along with TUF alumni and MMA veteran Seth Petruzelli and Brazilian jiu-jitsu Black Belt Mike Lee, was previously a part-owner and coach at The Jungle MMA – Orlando BJJ, MMA, Muay Thai The Jungle MMA and Fitness. He currently trains at Lauzon MMA and works with Team Aggression in Bridgewater, Massachusetts.

Lawlor faced Michael Kuiper on April 6, 2013, at UFC on Fuel TV 9. After losing the first round, he rebounded and won via submission, a guillotine choke, early in the second round. During his post victory speech, Lawlor had dedicated his fight to his late sister; Katie.

Lawlor faced Jason Macdonald on May 15, 2012, his birthday, at UFC on Fuel TV: Korean Zombie vs. Poirier. He won the fight via KO in the first round and earned Knockout of the Night for his efforts.

Lawlor fought Francis Carmont on November 17, 2012, at UFC 154. At the weigh in, Lawlor wore a mask resembling that of the professional wrestler the Shockmaster and deliberately tripped going through the curtain in an homage to the Shockmaster incident. Despite controlling the majority of the fight and threatening with several submissions, he lost the fight via a controversial split decision

Lawlor was expected to face Maiquel Falcão on August 27, 2011, at UFC 134 but Falcao was suddenly released from the promotion on May 11. Lawlor was expected to remain on the Brazilian card, but instead took a bout against Kyle Noke on August 14, 2011, at UFC on Versus 5. However, Lawlor pulled out of the fight in early July 2011.

Lawlor lost to Chris Weidman on November 19, 2011, at UFC 139 due to a D'Arce choke in 2:07 of the first round.

Lawlor has made himself known by imitating other fighters (Art Jimmerson, Dan Severn, Harold Howard, Genki Sudo, and Conor McGregor) during the weigh-ins and octagon entrances. These impersonations, along with his tongue-in-cheek ring entrance routines (paying homage to Hulk Hogan and Apollo Creed amongst others) have made Lawlor something of a cult figure among fans. In 2010, Lawlor announced his intention to tone down his pre-fight antics.

Lawlor fought Aaron Simpson on January 11, 2010, at UFC Fight Night 20. Lawlor showed off his improved striking skills in the first round by dominating Simpson, but lost a controversial split decision after gassing in the third round. However, the decision of the fight was met with widespread criticism toward the current scoring system in Mixed Martial Arts.

Lawlor was scheduled to face Tim Credeur on May 8, 2010, at UFC 113, but Credeur was forced off the card with an injury. Lawlor instead faced Joe Doerksen, losing via submission in the second round.

Lawlor earned a much needed victory over Patrick Cote on October 23, 2010, at UFC 121 in a performance that once again displayed Lawlor's superb wrestling and jiu jitsu skills by successfully executing five takedowns, threatening with submissions (nearly finishing Cote in the first round with an arm-triangle choke before Cote blatantly grabbed the fence to escape) in every round and showing his improved cardio as he easily cruised to a 30-27 unanimous decision victory.

Before turning professional in 2007, Lawlor made his MMA debut as an amateur in 2003, facing Rich Mitchell at Xtreme Fighting 5 on July 26, 2003. He won via KO just under a minute into the fight, and would subsequently take time off from MMA.

Lawlor was born in Fall River, Massachusetts before moving to Swansea, Massachusetts, and then finally to Fort Myers, Florida. He attended Estero High School in Florida and was on the wrestling team, then continued his wrestling career at the University of Central Florida. Lawlor first began Brazilian jiu-jitsu in his home town of Fall River. Lawlor had a sister who died in a car accident in 2001. He dedicated his UFC on Fuel TV 9 win to his late sister.

Thomas Joseph "Tom" Lawlor (born May 15, 1983) is an American professional mixed martial artist, professional wrestler and podcast host. As a professional wrestler, Lawlor is known for his time with Major League Wrestling (MLW), where he is a former one-time MLW World Heavyweight Champion. Lawlor competed in the Light Heavyweight division of the UFC. A professional since 2007, he was also a cast member of SpikeTV's The Ultimate Fighter: Team Nogueira vs. Team Mir. He currently competes in Professional Fighters League