Not many people are giving Rafael dos Anjos a chance to defeat UFC lightweight champion Anthony “Showtime” Pettis on Saturday at UFC 185 in Dallas, Texas. Sherdog.com’s Mike Sloan polled 26 current and former professional fighters, and only one picked dos Anjos to come out on top.
Current bantamweight contender Urijah Faber said this:
I think Pettis is going to come away with it. Dos Anjos is looking great, but I think the dynamic style of Pettis is just going to be too much for him. In my opinion, the most creative and exciting fighter in the UFC is Pettis. He’s got a solid ground game, and he’s got those incredible kicks and pinpoint punches.
Faber’s assessment of Pettis is spot on. It’s difficult to find a weakness in the champion’s game.
He’s an explosive striker and opportunistic submission artist. He’s shown the ability to end the fight in an instance with a head kick or by submission. Because dos Anjos can’t match Pettis‘ speed, he’ll have to look for counter-punching opportunities.
These will have to come against Pettis‘ leg kicks and will be necessary for dos Anjos to have a chance to win.
Dos Anjos‘ Keys to Victory
Check and Strike
Perhaps the most effective sequence of maneuvers dos Anjos can employ against Pettis is to check and strike. Pettis usually fires leg kicks early in his fights. If dos Anjos can time them—which is much easier said than done—he might be able to check the strike and fire the right hand that dropped and finished Benson Henderson.
Even if it doesn’t land, the move could still serve as a deterrent to Pettis‘ lower-body attack.
Take It Deep
Pettis utilizes a lot of movement, which could be tiring if the fight lasts into the later rounds. Yet no one has been able to test Pettis‘ stamina. That’s something dos Anjos will want to explore. In the third, fourth and fifth rounds, there’s a chance that Pettis will slow down.
That would help to close the speed gap between the two men.
Pettis‘ Keys to Victory
Patience
According to Matt Parrino of UFC.com, Pettis hears the critics who question his mettle as a champion:
“I definitely hear and see; it’s impossible not to hear it and not to see it,” Pettis said. “People calling me injury prone and paper champion, but I just take the higher route.”
Pettis must continue to let the irrational criticism roll off his back. If he goes in looking to make a statement and abandons the game plan, he could make himself vulnerable.
Against a strong and rugged veteran like dos Anjos, Pettis must remain patient while allowing the fight to come to him.
Limit Unnecessary Risks
Part of Pettis‘ appeal is his dynamic move set. However, he can’t get caught showboating. It’s smart to mix in some unorthodox techniques to keep dos Anjos guessing, but gambles are the quickest ways to make this fight more competitive than it has to be.
If Pettis varies his attack and keeps his poise during grappling sequences, he should win by submission.
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