The UFC proved once again last Saturday why it is one of the most unpredictable sports in the world. Robbie Lawler, the former champ whose last few fights have been some of the most entertaining in recent history, seemed invincible. But then Tyron Woodley knocked him out in the first round on Saturday at UFC 201 to claim the welterweight title.
Woodley debuts at No. 10 on the pound-for-pound rankings in Wednesday's official UFC rankings release. Lawler, who held the belt for nearly two years, falls eight spots to No. 12. Lawler remains the No. 1 contender among 170-pounders, ahead of Stephen Thompson and Rory MacDonald.
If it were up to Woodley the current welterweight rankings wouldn't hold much weight in determing who the next challenger. The UFC's newest champ said he wants Georges St-Pierre or Nick Diaz next for the title. Both, of course, are absent from the UFC's rankings. St-Pierre hasn't fought since defending his title for the last time at UFC 167 in 2013 and Diaz hasn't entered the Octagon since January of 2015.
In other rankings news, Karolina Kowalkiewicz climbed three spots to No. 2 after defeating Rose Namajunas in the UFC 201 co-main event. What was pegged as a title-eliminator fight, Kowalkiewicz snapped Namajunas' three-fight win streak and remains unbeaten at 10-0 (3-0, UFC).
Claudia Gadelha is all that's between Kowalkiewicz and champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk. And with Gadelha just having lost to the champ last month, an all-Polish title fight seems likely in the 115-pounds division.
Kowalkiewicz said after UFC 201 that she wants to fight Joanna and even far enough to say the she believe Jedrzejczyk is "scared of her".
