Opinion: Will the Underdog Curse Claim Robbie Lawler Next?

Editor’s note: The views and opinions expressed below are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Sherdog.com, its affiliates and sponsors or its parent company, Evolve Media.*** As soon as it was announced that Tyron Woodley would get the next shot at Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight titleholder Robbie Lawler, a collective groan swept over mixed martial arts fans. Very few people, outside of Woodley’s own family and friends, thought the Missouri fighter deserved a fight with Lawler. If this scene sounds familiar, that’s because it is, and it’s also the reason why picking Woodley to be the one holding the championship after UFC 201 on Saturday in Atlanta isn’t as farfetched as some may think. If you take a look at recent history in MMA, you’ll find a disturbing trend of champions losing to opponents they were expected to maul. If you go back to May 2014, you might remember a guy by the name of T.J. Dillashaw, who was given absolutely no chance — like less than zero — to upend UFC bantamweight champion Renan Barao at UFC 173. At the time, Dillashaw’s most notable victory had come against Mike Easton. Although there was a valid argument that suggested Dillashaw should have earned a decision against Raphael Assuncao, the fact remained that he didn’t look like a very deserving opponent. Then the fight happened, and Dillashaw dominated one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world en route to a fifth-round knockout. Fast forward to March 2015, and everyone thought Anthony Pettis was the most dangerous lightweight in the …

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