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Lawler beats Brown to set up title rematch

By WTOP Staff

MICHAEL WAGAMAN
Associated Press

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Robbie Lawler withstood a flurry of stinging punches by Matt Brown in the fifth round and held on for a unanimous decision Saturday night, setting up a rematch with UFC welterweight champion Johny Hendricks.

Lawler (24-10) led comfortably throughout the fight and was never hit very hard until Brown landed four straight punches with just over two minutes remaining. Lawler, the top-ranked contender, smiled then landed a kick to Brown’s stomach. Lawler later absorbed a hard right from the bloodied Brown (21-12) before holding on for his fifth win in the last six fights.

Two judges scored it 49-46 and the third had it 48-47.

That puts Lawler in line for another shot at the welterweight championship. The 32-year-old lost a unanimous decision to Hendricks on May 15 when the two fought for the vacant title.

Hendricks injured an arm and only recently returned, which means the fight will likely happen next year. UFC President Dana White said he already has an idea when the fight will be but declined to disclose the date.

That will give Lawler sufficient time to rest after a grueling past 12 months. His win over Brown came on the heels of wins over Jake Ellenberger, Rory MacDonald and Bobby Voelker, along with the close loss to Hendricks.

“I’m very excited,” Lawler said. “(Hendricks) is nursing some injuries, but I’m going to be the one that’s waiting for him.”

Lawler definitely earned the right after holding off the relentless Brown, who suffered a possible hand injury and had to be taken to a hospital for examination.

That the fight went the distance shocked White.

“I said yesterday that if this fight went five rounds, I’d walk back to Las Vegas,” White said. “I’ll see everyone in Vegas on Thursday.”

Lawler set the tone early, landing a quick combination to Brown’s head in the opening seconds. The two fighters later exchanged hard right hooks, Brown suffering a small cut near his left eye.

Brown, who had won seven consecutive bouts going into the night, recovered in the second to land a stinging combination of his own but continued to fight mostly from the outside while trying to stay away from Lawler’s inside attack.

Lawler stayed patient and methodical, stalking Brown and repeatedly scoring with his left hand.

Blood poured down Brown’s nose in the fifth, and he was also bleeding from his left ear over the final two rounds but didn’t go down. White said afterward that the fifth-ranked Brown will move up in the rankings despite the loss.

“He came toe-to-toe with me,” Lawler said. “Not many people will do that. He just kept coming.”

In the night’s quickest bout, Anthony Johnson won by TKO over Rogerio Nogueira 44 seconds into the first round. Johnson (18-4) got Nogueira (21-6) backed up against the cage then floored the 38-year-old with a series of hard uppercuts that opened a deep cut and led to the stoppage.

Also on the undercard, featherweight Dennis Bermudez (15-3) got veteran Clay Guida to tap out midway through the second round. Bermudez pressed the action and repeatedly scored with punches to Guida’s right eye before catching Guida (31-12) in a rear neck choke for his seventh straight win.

Bobby Green (23-5) won his eighth consecutive fight, earning a split decision over third-ranked Josh Thompson (20-7) in a lightweight fight.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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