[plekz]

Nah, not full. It's the one area that Bendo has an advantage. After I rewatched the fight, I'd be surprised to see Bendo throw many kicks. It threw Bendo off his game when he kept getting counter kicked. Pettis may well outwrestle/scramble Bendo. Not like we haven't seen him do it before. I just thought the pick was Bendo at a pick 'em and that the fight will go the distance. Either way, we are in for a great fight.

Pettis movement has changed alot since then though, since he started moving latteraly on the balls of his feet, the way his distance game has changed and how he's evolved the way he cut's angles (probably the best fighter in the entire UFC at doing this) is reason for concern for Benson.

Pettis is alot more elusive now in his movement then he was in WEC, and Benson is a clinch type wrestler, he doesnt really shoot for TD's like Guida does. Pettis made a mistake in the Guida fight where he got comfortable fighting from his guard he knows this cost him that fight though so i'd be extremely surprised if he did anything like that again, if Pettis get taken down i think he'll work sweeps and if he can't get his hips out asap and scramble back to his feet.

He's coming out there to kill Benson for five rounds, and Benson is gonna try and point fight him, i think Pettis can KO/TKO Benson and i think he can win a decision (hometown advantage) his striking is also alot more pleasing standing for the judges eyes.

So my pick is Pettis.

Ben Askren is the wrestling coach @ rufous sports btw so i'm fairly sure Pettis wrestling will be up to par.

[The iron sheik]

Sometimes these posts make me wonder are people asking for a second opinion, or simply just trying to convince others?

[wagerjunkie]

Nah, not full. It's the one area that Bendo has an advantage. After I rewatched the fight, I'd be surprised to see Bendo throw many kicks. It threw Bendo off his game when he kept getting counter kicked. Pettis may well outwrestle/scramble Bendo. Not like we haven't seen him do it before. I just thought the pick was Bendo at a pick 'em and that the fight will go the distance. Either way, we are in for a great fight.

me too, I think Bendo is gonna keep Pettis close to him, grapple and dirty box and try, keep him on his back on the mat.

as monster as his thighs are and his leg kicks normally benefit him, he can't stand and trade kicks with Pettis all night. he's gonna lean on him all night and tire him out, then work him.

[Catchn_Picks]

Of course Big Bear, there is always that problem about how you will feel about the tattoo when Pettis weighs 260 some day.

[El Nino]

Pettis movement has changed alot since then though, since he started moving latteraly on the balls of his feet, the way his distance game has changed and how he's evolved the way he cut's angles (probably the best fighter in the entire UFC at doing this) is reason for concern for Benson.

Pettis is alot more elusive now in his movement then he was in WEC, and Benson is a clinch type wrestler, he doesnt really shoot for TD's like Guida does. Pettis made a mistake in the Guida fight where he got comfortable fighting from his guard he knows this cost him that fight though so i'd be extremely surprised if he did anything like that again, if Pettis get taken down i think he'll work sweeps and if he can't get his hips out asap and scramble back to his feet.

He's coming out there to kill Benson for five rounds, and Benson is gonna try and point fight him, i think Pettis can KO/TKO Benson and i think he can win a decision (hometown advantage) his striking is also alot more pleasing standing for the judges eyes.

So my pick is Pettis.

Ben Askren is the wrestling coach @ rufous sports btw so i'm fairly sure Pettis wrestling will be up to par.

I can respect your play and appreciate you having well thought out reasoning. Better than most of the stuff in PT when it comes to MMA. I'm not huge on this fight and I imagine it won't be hard to live bet it if necessary.

I also mentioned the Guida/Pettis fight because it was a big fight for Pettis. Big fights and big moments reveal big time fighters. As you said, he fought dumb against Guida and thought he could win from his back. It wasn't quite a #1 contender fight, but if Pettis won, he was next in line for the title shot. Also, it was his first fight in the UFC, big pressure moment. He choked against a gate keeper of the division.The pressure in this fight is all on Pettis, even though Bendo has the belt. Fighting at home can inspire and pump a fighter up, but it's also taxing with the extra media, the expectations of Pettis to not only win, but win spectacularly. As far as the home town cooking for a judges' decision, it's been obvious lately that the judging is incompetent and hasn't favored any particular fighter no matter the venue. Davis' UD in Brazil against Machida shows that. I've seen so many split decisions lately where one judge goes 30-27 Fighter "A" and another judge goes 30-27 Fighter "B" in fights that were barely competitive. That should almost never happen.

Just some thinking points for those that are undecided bettors. Good luck with your wagers!

[imadegen]

how can benson henderson lose? he will do the superman jesus 3:16 punch and send petis flying to the depths of hell.

[Noleafclover]

it's also taxing with the extra media, the expectations of Pettis to not only win, but win spectacularly.

As far as the home town cooking for a judges' decision, it's been obvious lately that the judging is incompetent and hasn't favored any particular fighter no matter the venue. Davis' UD in Brazil against Machida shows that. I've seen so many split decisions lately where one judge goes 30-27 Fighter "A" and another judge goes 30-27 Fighter "B" in fights that were barely competitive. That should almost never happen.

Pettis looked excited, not pressured at the weighins, but take that with a grain of salt.

Think the Machida-Davis fight actually had American judges (a Sal, a Chris, and mebe a Mark? see the event thread for this card, it came up). So ya, I wouldn't be banking on hometown judging, could even be that there are specific rules against hometown judges? Wish I knew a little more about judging and the UFC.

[plekz]

Pettis looked excited, not pressured at the weighins, but take that with a grain of salt.

Think the Machida-Davis fight actually had American judges (a Sal, a Chris, and mebe a Mark? see the event thread for this card, it came up). So ya, I wouldn't be banking on hometown judging, could even be that there are specific rules against hometown judges? Wish I knew a little more about judging and the UFC.

I mean in terms of public sway from the audience being massively in Pettis favour for the matchup, and this is something that definetly influences judges.