Anthony Pettis vs. Rafael Dos Anjos: A Full Head-To-Toe Breakdown for UFC 185
UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis and No. 1 contender Rafael dos Anjos are scheduled to take the center of the Octagon on Saturday inside of the American Airlines Center in Dallas. The stakes are about as high as it gets in this one, with the winner walking away the undisputed champion of the 155-pound division.
Pettis—who defended his crown for the first time against Gilbert Melendez at UFC 181 in December—steps into the cage on a five-fight winning streak. His opponent—who last saw action in a one-sided beatdown of Nate Diaz at UFC on Fox 13 just a week later—enters the cage having won eight of his last nine bouts.
It may not hold the sort of popular appeal that Vitor Belfort vs. Chris Weidman or Jon Jones vs. Anthony "Rumble" Johnson may have, but UFC 185's main event is sure to entertain.
Make your way through the slides as we break down the main event from head to toe.
Striking
1 of 5
Long before he dropped Benson Henderson or chopped Nate Diaz's legs to bits, Dos Anjos was a grinder. On the certain occasion, he also had the capacity to slap a rear-naked choke on his opponents and force them to tap.
In short, he's a much better striker now than he was before.
Still, that's not quite enough to give him the nod against the man known as the most dangerous striker in the UFC's lightweight division.
Pettis, who probably spends as much time getting his hair cut as he does thinking of the next highlight-reel kick, prides himself in his ability to let his limbs go. Between his ability to fight while moving forward, backward, on top or on bottom, Pettis' potential as a striker poses problems for just about anyone at 155—including RDA.
He's a rarity in his ability to fight from anywhere, but with half of his wins coming by way of knockout, there's no way the champ doesn't get the nod here.
Edge: Pettis
Grappling
2 of 5
Here is where Dos Anjos can truly shine.
With 12 of his wins coming by way of decision, it's no secret that the Brazilian fighter is sometimes content with grinding out a decision. Fan-friendly or not, much of that ability to grind out this decision rests on the laurels afforded to him by his skills as a grappler.
It's no secret that RDA would be wise in following that route. Pettis' last loss did come at the hands of a smothering Clay Guida, who didn't so much as let the now-champion breathe for more than a few seconds before sending him crashing onto the mat again.
Melendez gave it the old college try before falling victim to his own desire for a brawl. If Dos Anjos can keep his head on straight, he might be able to keep his head on his shoulders.
Edge: Dos Anjos
Submissions
3 of 5
Even with four submissions to his name, there was a point in time when Pettis and his "Showtime" moniker solely relied on his ability to land a strike by jumping off the cage and throwing a cartwheel kick while in close range to his opponent.
But after handing a former WEC lightweight champion, Henderson, the second submission loss of his career in one fight, only to submit the former Strikeforce lightweight champion, Melendez, for the first time in the ensuing bout, Pettis has shown that his flashiness can translate onto the mat too.
But Dos Anjos is no slouch. With several international accolades to complement his black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, the challenger could very well trouble the champion in ways we've not yet seen.
Edge: Pettis
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X-Factors
4 of 5
Dos Anjos: Cardio
It's crazy to think that in 20 professional fights, Pettis has only seen the third round six times. His opponent, on the other hand, has seen the scorecards 16 times since he became a pro back in 2004.
There's no telling whether the champion will be able to handle a full workload Saturday night, especially at the pace that Dos Anjos has been choosing to operate as of late. If Dos Anjos can stay alive for the first two rounds, he might have an opportunity to really showcase his craft in the third and two championship rounds, where he's proven himself dominant on 12 different occasions.
Pettis: Flashiness
Understandably, "Showtime" can't really be "Showtime" without a bit of flashiness.
It may take the shape of an off-the-cage high kick to Henderson's face or an off-the-cage knee to Donald Cerrone's sternum, but as long as Pettis has a sturdy cage and an opponent to strike, you can bet he's got something hidden up his ninja sleeve.
It's something his opponents have to be all too aware of for fear of becoming the latest never-ending highlight. They have to know the UFC will use any flashly stoppage to help create a bona fide star out of the 155-pound Pettis.
Prediction
5 of 5
Though most of us firmly understand that he's not invincible, it's hard to visualize Pettis in a losing scenario for a couple of reasons.
The first is that nobody at 155 pounds has got the goods to stand with this guy.
And even if he manages to screw things up for himself when standing (much like he did when he tried for a cartwheel kick in his second fight vs. Henderson), he still manages to make up for it (much like he did when he submitted Henderson from his back in said fight).
He not only finds ways to win fights; he finds ways to finish them. It may not be a long night for Dos Anjos, but that isn't necessarily a good thing (just ask Melendez, Henderson, Cerrone and Joe Lauzon, all of whom couldn't last more than two rounds with the champ).
Prediction: Pettis defeats Dos Anjos via third-round TKO.
Kristian Ibarra is a Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report MMA. He also serves as the sports editor at San Diego State University's student-run newspaper, The Daily Aztec, and a programming intern at Fox Sports San Diego. Follow him on Twitter at @Kristian_Ibarra for all things MMA.
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