For former lightweight champion Anthony “Showtime” Pettis, it is the moment of truth. On Saturday Pettis will make his featherweight debut against Charles “Do Bronx” Oliveira, at UFC on Fox 21, inside Rodgers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Everything is on the line.
Anthony “Showtime” Pettis
Pettis won the lightweight title by submitting Benson “Smooth” Henderson with an armbar in the first round of their main event bout at UFC 164. “Showtime” then successfully defended the belt by choking Gilbert Melendez at UFC 181. Since then, though, Pettis’ has lost three straight at lightweight. It should be noted that those losses came at the hands of former champion Rafael Dos Anjos, current champion Eddie Alvarez, and No. 4 ranked Edson Barboza. There is certainly no shame in losing to such MMA powerhouses as those. However, the top five lightweights also include Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson. Speaking with Daniel Cormier and Kenny Florian on UFC Tonight, Pettis lays out his rationale for moving down to 145. Weighing the odds of another title shot, the 155-pound title picture looks bleak, and a move to featherweight makes perfect sense.
https://t.co/R0d3kMFeKX #UFCVancouver #ufc pic.twitter.com/JYNVlbtsRf
— Anthony Pettis (@Showtimepettis) August 27, 2016
Charles “Do Bronx” Oliveira
Oliveira hasn’t fought since December 2015, when he executed an impressive first-round guillotine submission over Myles Jury. With the exception of a bizarre TKO loss to Max Halloway, in which he was forced to call it quits due to a torn esophagus, Oliveira has been on a good run, finishing four of his last five wins by submission. He is the No. 6 ranked featherweight, and a big win over a superstar like Pettis could catapult him right to the front of the line for a shot at the featherweight title.
UFC on FOX 21's Charles Oliveira ahead of bout with Anthony Pettis: 'I'm here to stay' https://t.co/zZ6b0Yu3Fr
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) August 25, 2016
There is a lot on the line for both fighters, and this bout could prove to be one of the most exciting matchups in Vancouver.
Paths to Victory UFC on Fox 21
For Pettis, the key to victory is fairly straightforward. He will need to maintain distance and use his superior kickboxing to take advantage of Oliveira’s suspect striking defense. Even though he’s moving down in weight, he likely won’t enjoy a size or strength advantage. Oliveira is a big featherweight, famous for his difficulty in cutting to 145, and takedowns and submissions will be a real concern.
For Oliveira, the plan should be just the opposite. He’s an excellent grappler with a high-level submission game. He’s certainly no slouch when it comes to striking, but standing and banging could prove to be a major mistake against Pettis. He’ll need to avoid Pettis’ vicious kicks and unorthodox striking while setting up takedowns and working for submissions.
The Bottom Line
There is clearly a lot on the line for both fighters at UFC on Fox 21. A fourth straight loss for Pettis could have dire consequences. It would likely leave him in limbo with no clear path to a title shot in either division. And while a loss to Pettis shouldn’t do much damage to Oliveira’s career, a win might just throw his name on the short list of title contenders.
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