Anthony Pettis and the lightweight division.

[sgtpepper]

Did he really do that badly in the lightweight division?

He only really lost to top contenders such as Dos Anjos and Edson Barboza, I had him beating Alvarez to be honest. I felt like Alvarez did nothing effective with his wrestling.

I had him losing against Edson Barboza, but mainly because I felt like he was struggling to pull the trigger like he use to and that his confidence had gone.

I feel like the only reason he was losing in the lightweight division was because fighters had found the blueprint to his weakness (grappling).

Why would it be any different in the featherweight division? Because he might beat Charles Oliveira who's ranked no. 7 but he's just as likely to beat a #7 lightweight too in my opinion.

 

[WhitebeltXL]

Clay Guida found that blueprint in Pettis' debut.

I think the wheels fell off because he's lost interest and that desire. Dropping weight classes won't help if he doesn't overcome that.

 

[UL]

Yes, he did do badly, he was overrated from day 55 also.

Though the Gil/Hendo wins were impressive.

He would have got smashed by Aldo though.

He'll be back up to LW after 1 fight at FW.

 

[mirko>anyone]

Pettis is pretty well rounded, but he has some glaring holes in his game. Sharp stand up and good submissions. He's a top 10 guy in either division. Never bought in to the top P4P spots some were claiming.

 

[MMAViewer]

I think he has been matched up with tough grapple guys and he didn't do as well as he needed. He is great at bjj but not so great at wrestling and thus is mma.
He will still be a top 5 or 6 in either division

 

[MMAViewer]

Yes, he did do badly, he was overrated from day 55 also.

Though the Gil/Hendo wins were impressive.

He would have got smashed by Aldo though.

He'll be back up to LW after 1 fight at FW.

How was he overrated?
He won the belt.
Why would he have been smashed by Aldo? That's a very good matchup for him actually.

 

[Mixed]

He suddenly switched to an orthodox stance since the RDA fight and he's been running with it since. Which makes little sense to me because he was having great success fighting southpaw headkicking motherfuckers.

 

[ALAN PARTRIDGE]

I think injuries fkd him

 

[MMAViewer]

Pettis is pretty well rounded, but he has some glaring holes in his game. Sharp stand up and good submissions. He's a top 10 guy in either division. Never bought in to the top P4P spots some were claiming.

I think he has a small hole in his grappling defense, and his tdd but it is fixable.

 

[Steve08]

Barboza just beat the shit out of Pettis, there's no making excuses for a loss like that.

 

[mirko>anyone]

I think he has a small hole in his grappling defense, and his tdd but it is fixable.

I don't disagree with your assessment. Maybe it's just me, but I believe he needs to get stronger too. Can't let people bully you, especially if you lack wrestling. I'm not sleeping on Pettis, but I don't think he wins another title. He's still a top 10 contender for the foreseeable future.

 

[snugglecakes]

Kid is bad and he needs to know he's bad

 

[INoHespectChael]

I doubt Conor would beat Barboza tbh.

 

[MMAViewer]

I don't disagree with your assessment. Maybe it's just me, but I believe he needs to get stronger too. Can't let people bully you, especially if you lack wrestling. I'm not sleeping on Pettis, but I don't think he wins another title. He's still a top 10 contender for the foreseeable future.

I just go back to his dominate fights with cowboy and Benson, guy can grapple just needs to shore it up a bit and he will be there again. A fight with him and Aldo interests me.
I think he will crush oliveria