Sherdog Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

When he decided to embark on an MMA career, many expected that one day Brock Lesnar would be a top-10 heavyweight. Maybe, just maybe, even a serious champion.

Now, in just 17 months and four fights, he is both.

However, despite Lesnar's rapid ascent up the heavyweight ranks, his second-round stoppage of Randy Couture was not shocking in the way several other rankings-bearing events were.

Mike Thomas Brown was expected to be tough, but not too tough, for Urijah Faber. Instead, Brown completely steamrolled the face of the featherweight division in startling fashion.

Equally jaw-dropping was Paulo Filho stepping onto the scales seven pounds overweight for his WEC middleweight title defense against Chael Sonnen. More unusual was the agonizing and awkward bout that followed, as Sonnen handed the Brazilian his first loss in unforgettably awkward fashion.

Kenny Florian was a prefight favorite but still opened eyes with a complete dismantling of Joe Stevenson en route to a sensational first-round submission. Florian's finish pales in comparison to the real lightweight shocker, though, as anonymous Russian Sergei Golyaev did enough in the eyes of at least two people -- both of whom happened to wield scorecards -- to take a split decision over perennial star lightweight Takanori Gomi and create real havoc in the division.