Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returned to pay-per-view (PPV) yesterday (Sat., July 30, 2016) in Atlanta, Georgia, as UFC 201 gave fight fans who packed into the Philips Arena plenty to talk about.
In the main event of the evening, Tyron Woodley turned the mixed martial arts (MMA) world on its head by knocking out the now former Welterweight champion Robbie Lawler inthe very first round.
In the co-main event, Karolina Kowalkiewicz narrowly outscored Rose Namajunas to earn herself a 115-pound title shot (highlights).
Winner: Tyron Woodley
Who she Should Fight Next: Stephen Thompson
It'll be a crime of "Wonderboy" doesn't get first dibs against the new champion. Though Thompson desperately wanted to test his standup skills against Lawler, he'll have more than his hands full against the new champion.
As "The Chosen One" proved last night, he has more than enough power to put anyone to sleep, as taking out "Ruthless" via knockout is something only Nick Diaz and Woodley have been able to do in the last 15 years.
Thompson, though, has proven time and again that he isn't your normal striker and can catch you with an array of strikes thanks to his ever-growing skill set.
Winner: Karolina Kowalkiewicz
Who Should She Fight Next: Joanna Jedrzejczyk
By taking out a big-named fighter like Namajunas, Karolina put herself on the map and likely earned herself a tango against Strawweight champion Jedrzejczyk.
Plus, it kept her mint record in tact, as she now moves to 9-0 with her win over "Thug Rose." Keeping it perfect will be tough moving forward, as Joanna isn't likely to give up her strap without a fight.
Jake Ellenberger:
Who He Should Fight Next: Johny Hendricks
Jake prolonged his UFC career by knocking out Matt Brown in the very first round. Now, a fight with Hendricks could be looming. It's a fight that didn't seem plausible a few years back, as "Bigg Rigg" was riding high in the division while Jake was going through some woes.
But, things have changed in a hurry, as Hendricks has now dropped two straight and despite Jake's big win, he had previously dropped five of his last six.
This fight just makes sense right now.
For complete UFC 201: "Lawler vs Woodley" results, including real-time play-by-play updates, click here.