UFC 154: What We Learned from Mark Bocek vs. Rafael Dos Anjos

At UFC 154, lightweight Rafael dos Anjos outclassed veteran grappler Mark Bocek to take a unanimous decision victory and a big step forward in the division.

Dos Anjos (18-6) was far quicker than Bocek (11-5) on the feet and on the ground, and the Canadian was simply unable to keep up with the Brazilian. Despite many pundits favoring Bocek, the fight was never especially close.

What we'll remember about this fight 

The way Dos Anjos thoroughly embarrassed a very solid veteran in Bocek. He stuffed the takedowns of Bocek, a noted grappler, and landed several of his own. He landed knees, elbows and punches from the clinch that opened up Bocek's face. The level of dominance here was almost alarming. 

What we learned about Mark Bocek

He's an excellent grappler, but against a thoroughbred athlete like dos Anjos, the Canadian is like maple syrup on a gray January morn.

What we learned about Rafael dos Anjos

His conditioning may be among the best in the lightweight division. As the fight wound down, Bocek was exhausted and bloody, but dos Anjos was still as fresh as a daisy.

What's next for Bocek

He's still a good fighter. But he had a really bad night. How about another well-regarded lightweight who had a bad and bloody outing recently: Evan Dunham.

What's next for Dos Anjos

He deserves a bump up. I'd vote for the winner of Thiago Tavares and Khabib Nurmagomedov, who fight each other in January. 

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