(Video via UFC Youtube)
In case you were somehow sleeping on UFC 164: Henderson vs. Pettis II, which takes place August 31st in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, don’t. The card is relatively stacked and the new extended UFC 164 video preview gives you a sneak peak at the night’s two biggest bouts — a lightweight title rematch between champion Benson Henderson (who is rocking a Jon Jones-esque terrorist beard these days) and Anthony Pettis and a heavyweight submission artist clash between former champions Frank Mir and Josh Barnett.
If you’ve watched the UFC for more than 10 years and enjoy living in that past (I know, too on point, is it not?), you’ve got to be pretty geeked about Mir vs. Barnett. Both men are behemoths that somehow possess slick ground skills. Both men are also charismatic and skilled shit-stirrers that became champions at an early age and have managed to remain competitive at the highest levels for over a decade. Will this match up be a test of who has the better Jitz (Mir, after all, does threaten to “drown” Barnett with his submission game in the above video, whatever that means) or will their grappling skills cancel each other out and turn Mir vs. Barnett into a slugfest? I HAVE NO IDEA BUT WATCH THIS ANYWAY.
UFC 164′s main event between Henderson and Pettis is a rematch of their late 2010 WEC title bout that featured a kick none of you have probably ever seen or heard about. And honestly, the setting is pretty much same, with Henderson playing the role of the reigning champion and Pettis trying to once again steal his crown in dramatic fashion.
Since losing a close decision to Pettis, Henderson has looked impressive in winning several (seven, to be exact) close decisions against some of the world’s best. Pettis, on the other hand, has won seven out of his last eight fights including his last three — two of those by way of KO.
Milwaukee is Pettis’ hometown and we will soon find out if fighting there for the belt will lift him up or if the pressure will become a burden. Do you think Pettis has what it takes to take out Henderson again, nation, or do you think Henderson has improved enough to even the score with the challenger?