Lightweight champion Anthony Pettis defends his belt against Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 185, a main event which headlines the organisation’s schedule for March.
As always, viewers in the United Kingdom will be forced to deal with some extremely late nights—or indeed, early mornings—to keep up with the live action. Here’s the full UFC programming schedule for the remainder of the week:
All UFC programming on BT Sport 1 can also be viewed online or via mobile on the BT Sport app (subscribers only). The Donald Cerrone interview will be available to watch on UFC.com, as will the weigh-in ahead of Pettis‘ clash with Dos Anjos. Fight Pass subscribers can view the early prelims right here.
Be sure to check the full UFC events schedule here. The UFC UK programming schedule will be updated as the month rolls on.
Top Fight to Watch
Anthony Pettis vs. Rafael dos Anjos
Pettis is wasting no time in putting his belt on the line once more, having beaten Gilbert Melendez via guillotine choke at UFC 181 on Dec. 6. He’s on a five-fight winning streak and has only gone beyond the first round in one of his last four.
The 28-year-old’s record currently stands at 18-2, with the tale of the tape provided by Sherdog.com:
Pettis is continuing to sharpen up his game. He is a dynamic fighter, someone who is eternally dangerous and capable of finishing in any situation. He is most effective when working in the stand-up, throwing lethal kicks to the head and body, but has showed increased maturity from his back in recent times.
Prior to choking out Melendez, Pettis submitted Benson Henderson with an armbar in their 2013 rematch. He beat Cerrone with a gut-crushing body kick and enjoyed a run of triangle choke wins while working himself up the rankings.
Even so, Dos Anjos has made major improvements of his own in recent times, and cannot be taken lightly. He certainly isn’t afraid of his next opponent, per MMAFighting.com:
Three consecutive wins over Jason High, Henderson and Nate Diaz highlight a fighter who has finally begun to deliver on his potential. His striking and movement has improved, he works combinations well and is learning to vary his standing attacks in a useful manner. If Dos Anjos receives an opportunity to continue damaging one area of the body, he will take full advantage.
The Brazilian may look to pin Pettis to the cage, utilising his wrestling skills to gain an advantage over his opponent. Dos Anjos certainly needs to find a way to halt Pettis‘ constant attack, closing the space in the middle of the cage and forcing “Showtime” to battle for every inch.
This encounter is set to be among March’s most dramatic, with both stars looking to maintain their excellent form.
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