CM Punk: ‘Alvarez fought a perfect fight’ against Pettis

Anthony Pettis’ teammate CM Punk talks about Eddie Alvarez’s win over Pettis at UFC Fight Night 81.

Former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis suffered a major setback for his renewed title hopes after losing a split decision to Eddie Alvarez at UFC Fight Night 81 last weekend. Alvarez used a wrestling-heavy game to stifle Pettis’ vaunted striking, and while it wasn’t all that pretty, it got to the job done. Pettis seemed frustrated by the bout, asking on Twitter for a “real fight” ASAP (which he appears to have deleted now).

Obviously the loss was damaging, but Roufusport teammate CM Punk (aka Phil Brooks) gave Alvarez accolades for his performance in an interview with USA Today (via MMA Junkie):

“I think Eddie Alvarez just fought a perfect fight against a guy like Anthony Pettis. I know any time I’ve ever sparred with him, I don’t want to stand in front of him. I don’t want to give him that open space and that chance. It was just the smart thing to do to keep him pinned up against the cage and nullify what Anthony does best, and that’s strike from a distance.”

He also believed Pettis did a lot of things right in there, but it just didn’t go his way:

“The obvious thing to say is ‘work more on his wrestling,’ but it’s the fight game and everything ebbs and flows and things change. I think Anthony is actually a fantastic wrestler. One could even say that if that fight with Alvarez was five rounds, Anthony would’ve beat him. He was stuffing a lot of takedowns in the first two rounds. He was maneuvering off the cage. He was doing more damage than Alvarez was.

“Unfortunately, it just went the way it did. I think he needs to just keep doing what he’s doing. This was the first time he’s traveled outside of Milwaukee to train. He’s training (wrestling) with Izzy Martinez, and I think that’s the right direction to go – you just build off that.”

Pettis doesn’t have a return bout scheduled as of yet. Punk will likely make his UFC debut in the middle of this year, possibly at UFC 199.

Anthony Pettis’ teammate CM Punk talks about Eddie Alvarez’s win over Pettis at UFC Fight Night 81.

Former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis suffered a major setback for his renewed title hopes after losing a split decision to Eddie Alvarez at UFC Fight Night 81 last weekend. Alvarez used a wrestling-heavy game to stifle Pettis’ vaunted striking, and while it wasn’t all that pretty, it got to the job done. Pettis seemed frustrated by the bout, asking on Twitter for a “real fight” ASAP (which he appears to have deleted now).

Obviously the loss was damaging, but Roufusport teammate CM Punk (aka Phil Brooks) gave Alvarez accolades for his performance in an interview with USA Today (via MMA Junkie):

“I think Eddie Alvarez just fought a perfect fight against a guy like Anthony Pettis. I know any time I’ve ever sparred with him, I don’t want to stand in front of him. I don’t want to give him that open space and that chance. It was just the smart thing to do to keep him pinned up against the cage and nullify what Anthony does best, and that’s strike from a distance.”

He also believed Pettis did a lot of things right in there, but it just didn’t go his way:

“The obvious thing to say is ‘work more on his wrestling,’ but it’s the fight game and everything ebbs and flows and things change. I think Anthony is actually a fantastic wrestler. One could even say that if that fight with Alvarez was five rounds, Anthony would’ve beat him. He was stuffing a lot of takedowns in the first two rounds. He was maneuvering off the cage. He was doing more damage than Alvarez was.

“Unfortunately, it just went the way it did. I think he needs to just keep doing what he’s doing. This was the first time he’s traveled outside of Milwaukee to train. He’s training (wrestling) with Izzy Martinez, and I think that’s the right direction to go – you just build off that.”

Pettis doesn’t have a return bout scheduled as of yet. Punk will likely make his UFC debut in the middle of this year, possibly at UFC 199.