How Elite is Pettis?

[fightdonttweet]

His suggestion was silly because Rory is arguably the best ww in addition to being huge for the class, but so was your response to it was pretty askew as well.

Pettis almost challenged Aldo because he thought he had to wait too long for Benson and was eager for a title. Aldo was a sexy name and it's not like Pettis could have moved up and fought for the ww title anyway.

And Pettis HAD only been a small lightweight in the cage due to weight cutting strategy. He cut gradually, instead of rapid water weight. Now he does the latter. That's why he's an average or bigger sized lw in the cage now. There was no significant size advantage for Bendo the 2nd time, and he might have been bigger than Melendez. Pettis' walkaround is actually a little higher than Bendo's. It's like 180. Bendo's is 175-180. If Pettis fought at ww he'd just cut water from his walkaround and step into the cage at 180. He'd probably be a little bigger than Bendo was last night, actually. He's got a bigger frame than Bendo. Entertaining fighting at fw was always pretty ridiculous. He's already gaunt at weigh-ins at lw.

So he could fight at ww fine. It's just I can't think of a worse fight for him than Rory. That's WAY tougher than what Bendo had to overcome last night. Pettis doesn't somehow have to do that to eclipse Bendo. In fact he doesn't have to do anything. He already eclipsed him, twice.

What are you talking about? Pettis still looks pretty small. Do you have any sources for any of this?

 

[DanaBlackUFC]

He ducked Aldo and lost to Guida.

 

[Steve08]

still dont get how guida beat him

I personally think he was somewhat overconfident in his ability to submit Guida from guard. He didn't really fight those takedowns at all, which is weird, because other than that, he's showed fine TDD in the WEC against Benson and Shane Roller, and again in the UFC against Benson and Melendez. To me it seemed like he willingly gave up bottom position too much. Claiming Pettis didn't get up because Guida wouldn't let him is overrating Guida's top game to a significant extent, he's done that against better grapplers before and since.

 

[Steve08]

Clay Guida says otherwise

That should qualify as fighter bashing.

Like Clay Guida would beat him again...

+1

 

[ArtemV]

I think he is elite.

 

[JonSnitchPhones]

What are you talking about? Pettis still looks pretty small. Do you have any sources for any of this?

What are you talking about? I'm a huge fan of Pettis. You don't think I'd know facts about him?

Some is hard to document because I've picked them up a lot the way in audio and more obscure written interviews or Tweets.

There was an interview before the Cerrone fight where he honest to God stated he got up to 194 lbs. His weight fluctuates. I've heard him saying anything from 175 to 194 depending on the recent interview. 180 is about the median, and visually he gets a lot thicker, while still staying in good enough shape, between fights.

Cage weight only tells so much of the story because guys have different cutting strategies. Even Pettis has. Ironically he was small, claiming he only cut a pound or two of water weight b4 the Cerrone fight. These days he's claiming 10 lbs of water weight. Duke claimed Pettis was bigger than Bendo for their 2nd match. Might have been an exaggeration, but he certainly didn't look discernibly smaller, same against Melendez. A lanky, dense muscular, 5'10" guy is not going to easily bottom out at 145 lbs. That's closer to GSP's frame, than Aldo's, who supposedly cuts too much weight himself. Pettis just wanted a title shot and Aldo, though.

This looks small to you?

 

[Local Plata]

He's as elite as they come. Too bad he can't stay healthy though.

 

[JonSnitchPhones]

He fought 2 months ago. He fights again in a month. His 15-month layoff was extended a few months by TUF. Prior to one major injury, he was always healthy enough to fight during his Zuffa career. Only withdrew from one of his 14 scheduled fights due to injury (forced out of another by Zuffa). Being less active than average for a few years had more directly or indirectly to do with Zuffa putting him in regular title shot limbo than anything. His 2nd defense as champ came quickly after his 1st. I expect that to be more the norm the next few years if he indeed remains as champ.

 

[Kelman]

Look at how easily he disposed of Bendo (elite grappler) and Cowboy Cerrone (elite striker):

Skill-wise, he is the greatest fighter in the UFC right now.

Nobody else is dispatching guys of the calibre of Melendez, Henderson, and Cerrone with the ease that Pettis is.

He just needs time to prove it over the next couple of years, and his name will be up there with the GSP's of the MMA world.

I anticipate a highlight-reel to rival Anderson Silva's before his time as champion is over. Sensational fighter, without question.