Falaniko Vitale couldn't retire from the business of mixed martial arts.

Not yet. Not when he knew he still had work to complete.

That's why Vitale is back in the game, ready to fight champion Robbie Lawler of Iowa in the main event of the Icon Sport card Saturday at the Blaisdell Arena.

"It's like everything happens for a reason, and I see it as something that's meant to be for me to come back," said Vitale, a Waipahu High graduate who now resides in 'Ewa. "It's kind of weird when you think about it, how all these things happened to get me back."

Vitale is actually a replacement for Jason "Mayhem" Miller, who was suspended by Icon Sport last month because he is facing first-degree burglary charges.

"I would probably still be retired if Jason didn't get into his situation," said Vitale, 31. "But there were two (opponents) out there who could have brought me out of retirement, and that's Robbie Lawler and Jason Miller."

Vitale is 20-5, but his last two bouts resulted in losses to Lawler and Miller. He lost the Icon Sport middleweight (185 pounds) championship to Lawler last July.

He then lost a No. 1-contender bout to Miller in October, and announced that he was "leaning" toward retirement after that loss.

Icon Sport president T. Jay Thompson said Vitale was the first name on his replacement list once the decision was made to suspend Miller.

"It was such a battle between Niko and Robbie the first time, it was inevitable for them to fight again," Thompson said. "It was too epic of a battle for it not to happen."

The first bout between Vitale and Lawler was action-packed, with both fighters landing numerous punches. Lawler eventually won it when he caught Vitale with a knee to the head for a knockout late in the second round.

"I made so many mistakes in that fight," Vitale said. "That's another reason why I took it. I know I can beat Robbie Lawler."

After his loss to Lawler, Vitale trained at the American Martial Arts Center (AMC) in Kirkland, Wash., for seven weeks.

"Looking back at the first Lawler fight, there's so many things I could have done better that I didn't know back then," Vitale said. "Even when I lost to Miller, I feel like I didn't get to use everything I learned at AMC. Hopefully, I can get to use it to my advantage this time."

Even after his loss to Miller, Vitale continued to train at the 808 Fight Factory in Waipahu.

As Thompson put it: "It's not like we're pulling him off the couch for this fight. Niko is still in great shape."

The only question might be his mental shape. He is coming off back-to-back losses for the first time in his career.

"Losing is part of this game," Vitale said. "You go through some hard times when you lose even once. But I have a strong faith in God, and that's helped me out a lot. I wouldn't take the fight if I wasn't confident. The mental part won't be an issue."

Lawler is 10-3. Because Vitale was brought in as a replacement, Saturday's bout will not be for the Icon Sport championship.

"There's no question if Niko wins, he's back in the game," Thompson said. "So we'll see what happens with this one before we start talking about titles."

UNDERCARD BOUTS

145 pounds: Jim Kikuchi vs. David Yeung. 160: Michihiro Omigawa vs. Jason Chambers. 175: Chad Gusman vs. Kimo Woelfel. 170: Wayne Perrin vs. Ku Lee. 155: Bronson Delima vs. Tim Magic Moon. 155: Adam Bass vs. David Padilla. 135: Austin Hernandez vs. Ikaika Silva. 165: Mike Taniguchi vs. Ikaika Choy-Fu. 135: Ryan Lee vs. Tyson Nam. 135: Mark Oshiro vs. Gene Gregory. 155: Marshall Harvest vs. Bryce Martinez.

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.