On Saturday night, Rafael dos Anjos pulled off one of the biggest upsets in recent memory when he dominated the lightweight champion, Anthony Pettis, for five consecutive rounds. It was an unheralded performance from the Brazlian, who has improved by leaps and bounds since his loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov last year.
With dos Anjos’ title win, the UFC 185 fight card saw the unexpected crowning of two new champions, both of whom were heavy underdogs who were required to usurp the title from their dominant former owners.
Official result: Rafael dos Anjos def. Anthony Pettis via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45)
What was the high point of the fight?
Since the fight was utterly lopsided for the better part of 25 minutes, it is quite difficult to determine the high points of the encounter, as they all favoured the Brazilian. Dos Anjos peppered Pettis with strikes, wobbled him numerously and mauled him on the ground until he broke the former champ’s spirit. This took place throughout the five rounds of the fight, so there were several high points in each and every round in the fight.
Where do these two go from here?
Dos Anjos’ flawless performance will go down as arguably one of the biggest upsets in recent memory, and he will also be labeled as one of the most improved UFC fighters in the past few years. However, he is now the titleholder in the UFC’s most crowded division, as well as its most competitive one. With a slew of legitimate threats to his title, dos Anjos will likely be faced with the winner between Donald Cerrone and Khabib Nurmagomedov in his next title fight. That, however, can only take place once the champ has heals from his MCL injury.
Watch now, later, or never?
That depends on your preferences. If you are the sort of sadist who enjoys watching a champion get pummeled for five consecutive rounds, then this is the fight for you. However, if you are looking for an enjoyable, competitive fight, you have come to the wrong place.
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