"The winner of this fight is just another guy in my way."

WEC Lightweight Champion Jamie Varner hinted earlier this week that the winner of last night's 155-pound showdown between former champion "Razor" Rob McCullough and star in the making Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone could determine the next contender for his crown at a tentatively scheduled January 25 event in San Diego, California.

There has been no confirmation from the WEC, but since Cerrone emerged victorious from the fight he now seems like the most logical selection for the next challenger to Varner's division crown.

The Team Greg Jackson trainee put a beating on the former champ for three full rounds and looked to be on his way to a stoppage on more than one occasion before finally pulling out the decision. To his credit, "Razor" Rob was a game opponent and stayed competitive throughout the contest, but all eyes were on Donald Cerrone following the WEC 36 "Fight of the Night."

"Cowboy" was featured on the fourth episode of season one of the "Tapout" reality series -- a show that features up and coming fighters. The episode was titled "The Search Continues" and originally aired on August 1, 2007.

He tested positive for hydrochlorothiazide -- a dietary supplement that acts by inhibiting the kidneys' ability to retain water -- following a 54-second victory over Kenneth Alexander in his WEC debut last September. It was later overturned to a no contest by the athletic commission.

The no contest remains the only blemish on Cerrone's otherwise impressive resume. He has a record of (9-0) thus far in his career, having won all three fights under the WEC banner. The decision win over McCullough last night was the first time in his career he had been taken past the second round.

He's young at only 25-years-old and relatively inexperienced with only nine career mixed martial arts fights. But "Cowboy" -- who was also an accomplished Muay Thai specialist before transitioning to the sport -- is as worthy a number one contender as there is in the WEC right now.

Make no mistake, he's a legitimate threat to Jamie Varner if the two do indeed lock horns in January.