I don't start threads that often but when I see a line that is exposed I like to point it out and let people tail. Last time I did this Chris Weidman won me a few large in a fight where it was a pick em line and he won an easy lopsided fight.
The Pettis and Cerrone fight will be an example of the biggest change in the MMA landscape over the past few years. Years ago when guys like Matt Hughes and Rich Franklin were running divisions they did it because they were well rounded and utilized superior technique. MMA has changed a lot over the past few years and because the talent pool is so much deeper technique isn't good enough anymore. Guys like Jon Jones, Bendo, Jose Aldo, and GSP are great technicians but also are explosive and athletic.
This brings me to Donald Cerrone who has great grappling skills and great technical striking but he is not a world class athlete. Anthony Pettis on the other hand is a great technical striker and has the explosiveness and athleticism that I talked about earlier. Also don't be fooled by the Guida fight he also is a great grappler as seen in his fight with Bendo. Donald Cerrone also has defensive lapses as seen in his fights with Melvin and Diaz. He has always left himself open to be hit even going back to the Razor Rob fight. He throws with reckless abandon and sticks his head straight up while Pettis is rarely if ever caught with clean punches. Unlike Diaz and Melvin when Pettis lands he has the thunder behind him to put away Cerrone.
There is a blue print to beat Pettis. Guida essentially grapple ****** him and held him down and I think a guy like Gray Maynard could still do that but he has improved his TDD so even that might be questionable. Either way the fact remains Cerrone is not the type of fighter to utilize that game plan. This is a bad stlye matchup for Cerrone because both guys will end up going toe to toe on their feet and Pettis will have Cowboy outgunned. Cowboy will be too proud to shoot for a takedown but even if he does Pettis will be able to stuff his attempts. Pettis wins by TKO or a lopsided decision.
The Pettis and Cerrone fight will be an example of the biggest change in the MMA landscape over the past few years. Years ago when guys like Matt Hughes and Rich Franklin were running divisions they did it because they were well rounded and utilized superior technique. MMA has changed a lot over the past few years and because the talent pool is so much deeper technique isn't good enough anymore. Guys like Jon Jones, Bendo, Jose Aldo, and GSP are great technicians but also are explosive and athletic.
This brings me to Donald Cerrone who has great grappling skills and great technical striking but he is not a world class athlete. Anthony Pettis on the other hand is a great technical striker and has the explosiveness and athleticism that I talked about earlier. Also don't be fooled by the Guida fight he also is a great grappler as seen in his fight with Bendo. Donald Cerrone also has defensive lapses as seen in his fights with Melvin and Diaz. He has always left himself open to be hit even going back to the Razor Rob fight. He throws with reckless abandon and sticks his head straight up while Pettis is rarely if ever caught with clean punches. Unlike Diaz and Melvin when Pettis lands he has the thunder behind him to put away Cerrone.
There is a blue print to beat Pettis. Guida essentially grapple ****** him and held him down and I think a guy like Gray Maynard could still do that but he has improved his TDD so even that might be questionable. Either way the fact remains Cerrone is not the type of fighter to utilize that game plan. This is a bad stlye matchup for Cerrone because both guys will end up going toe to toe on their feet and Pettis will have Cowboy outgunned. Cowboy will be too proud to shoot for a takedown but even if he does Pettis will be able to stuff his attempts. Pettis wins by TKO or a lopsided decision.
