The Lowdown On The UFC Lightweight Division

The UFC lightweight division is the main focus this weekend (Saturday March 14th, 2015) as the reigning champion Anthony Pettis returns to face surging contender Rafael Dos Anjos in the UFC 185 main event. The division is once again clearly ruled, after there was doubt about “Showtime’s” ability to return from numerous injuries.

During his multiple absences from active competition, Pettis’ old foe Donald Cerrone built up a serious head of steam, as did Khabib Nurmagomedov. “””Cowboy” has finished Evan Dunham, Adriano Martins, Edson Barboza and Jim Miller, as well as winning decisions over Eddie Alvarez, Myles Jury and Benson Henderson.

Cerrone’s achievements have seen him booked in against the undefeated “Eagle” at UFC 187, who has been putting in some serious work of his own. The Russian Sambo master has defeated RDA, Abel Trujillo, Pat Healy, Gleison Tibau and Kamal Shalarous while under the Zuffa banner. His record stands at a fantastic 22-0 with 15 finishes.

Then we come to the challenger at UFC 185, one of the UFC lightweight division’s dark horses; Dos Anjos. The Brazilian grappler started his tenure in the UFC with a knockout loss to Jeremy Stephens, followed by a FOTN decision loss against Tyson Griffin. He won the following UFC 103 bout against Rob Emerson, but soon went on to drop bouts against Clay Guida and Glieson Tibau heading in to 2012.

A one-sided loss against Nurmagomedov at UFC on FOX 11 in 2014 has been his only hiccup since. The, quite literally, titanium jawed Brazilian Jiu Jitsu ace has evolved in to a striker, using his new found abilities to outbox Donald Cerrone, Nate Diaz, and even knock out TKD black belt Ben Henderson.

The real story at 155 pounds is the champion though, as he continues to impress with his diverse striking, vastly improved and dangerous submission game and raw ability. We’ve seen with the “Showtime Kick”, knockout wins over Joe Lauzon, Donald Cerrone, Danny Castillo how Pettis can put a man down with seemingly no effort at all. Now he is submitting high level grapplers like Gilbert Melendez and Ben Henderson.

“Showtime” looks like the next level of elite athletes in the sport, someone who’s strengths lie across the board, rather than just in one specific art. A true martial artist personified, but every man is beatable, the question is whether or not Dos Anjos is the man to do it.

Honorable mention at 155 goes to Ben Henderson, who has gone up to welterweight to ake a splash, Michael Johnson who is getting better by the day, and Tony Ferguson who looks to be rising through the ranks with his popular style.