Beating the Odds: UFC 201

They say recent results are the clearest indicators of future performance. Not in the case of Jake Ellenberger.

Ellenberger was one of three underdogs to author upsets at UFC 201 “Lawler vs. Woodley” on Saturday, as he made Matt Brown look mortal and cut down the Elevation Fight Team rep with a first-round liver kick and follow-up punches at Philips Arena in Atlanta. A loser in five of his previous six bouts, “The Juggernaut” entered the cage at +254, according to BetDSI.com. The notoriously durable Brown, who had never before been stopped by strikes, walked into the Octagon as a -309 favorite.

Having thrown out his anchor at Kings MMA, Ellenberger floored the Xenia, Ohio, native with an overhand right during their initial exchange. He then fought through fatigue after his subsequent attacks failed to net the finish, steadied himself in the face of Brown’s increasing pressure and delivered the fight-ending kick.

There were others who threw the oddsmakers curveballs, most notably Tyron Woodley. The two-time NCAA All-American wrestler laid waste to American Top Team stablemate Robbie Lawler (-130) in the main event, capturing the Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight crown with a stirring first-round knockout. Woodley (+105) became just the second man -- Nick Diaz was the other -- to knock out Lawler, who had enjoyed a 602-day reign atop the 170-pound weight class.

Finally, the unbeaten Karolina Kowalkiewicz (+163) cemented her place as the No. 1 contender for the UFC women’s strawweight championship with a three-round split decision over Rose Namajunas (-195) in the co-main event. Kowalkiewicz battered “The Ultimate Fighter 20” finalist with knees and elbows in the clinch, exercising her superiority in the second and third rounds. Kowalkiewicz, now 10-0, has set her sights on fellow Pole and 115-pound titleholder Joanna Jedrzejczyk.