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I don't think it's fair to add Pettis to that group. After having a career that was pretty low in damage taken (losses were decisions, and not slugfests at all, but usually a wrestler and his own inactivity), he took an entire career's worth against RDA.
IIRC, his face was broken in the first round, pretty much killing his vision on one side and he maintained verticality for another 20 minutes. In that time he took more damage than in all his other fights combined - it's not shocking that he came out damaged goods from that fight.
Another factor is his style that relies chiefly on speed and reflexes - usually the first qualities to diminish. Not to mention his rather porous boxing defense that was never really exploited until after the RDA loss (he was dropped by a punch once in his WEC days, but that's about it).
It's not like he's evolved that style to utilize his underrated submission skills or anything.
IIRC, his face was broken in the first round, pretty much killing his vision on one side and he maintained verticality for another 20 minutes. In that time he took more damage than in all his other fights combined - it's not shocking that he came out damaged goods from that fight.
Another factor is his style that relies chiefly on speed and reflexes - usually the first qualities to diminish. Not to mention his rather porous boxing defense that was never really exploited until after the RDA loss (he was dropped by a punch once in his WEC days, but that's about it).
It's not like he's evolved that style to utilize his underrated submission skills or anything.