New champion: Huge congratulations to new welterweight champion, Tyron Woodley. He dethroned the great Robbie Lawler in the weight division that has the most sentimental appeal to myself and so many fans. It has been a year of dramatic change in MMA. Robbie Lawler has been a very impressive champion indeed, but Mr Woodley showed patience and plan to wait for his title shot and when the chance came, he did what champions do – take a small opportunity and make the most of it – a spectacular KO on a man who seemed impervious to blows in championship fights. This was always going to be a clash between fight ending explosiveness in the early rounds versus incredible sustenance over five rounds. As so often happens, the quick starter inflicted damage from which no recovery was possible and he took a well deserved and spectacular victory.
