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UFC 185

Everything’s bigger in Texas and the UFC is no exception as the highly anticipated UFC 185 card takes place this weekend, March 14, at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.

UFC 185 offers not one, but two world championships on the line as UFC Lightweight Champion Anthony Pettis looks to complete the second defence of his 155lb crown against Rafael dos Anjos, while freshly crowned Women’s Strawweight Champion Carla Esparza takes on the super friendly yet highly aggressive Joanna Jędrzejczyk.

Anthony Pettis (18-2) vs. Rafael dos Anjos (23-7) – UFC Lightweight Championship

Pettis was last in action as recent as December 6 at UFC 181 when the 28-year-old dispatched of former Strikeforce champion Gilbert Melendez with a guillotine choke submission in the second round. Since losing his UFC debut to Clay Guida back in 2011, ‘Showtime’ has surfaced to become one of the promotion’s highlight performers with a five-fight win streak that has continuously stunned onlookers with each performance.

In contrast, perennial contender Rafael dos Anjos is taking his first shot at the title despite a UFC stint that spans eight years. The 30-year-old Brazilian earned his status as top contender with a three-fight win streak in 2014 that saw him finish both Jason High and former champion Benson Henderson via knockout, and former title challenger Nate Diaz who was bested via unanimous decision most recently on December 13.

Thought incredibly dynamic, Pettis’s success often comes with the freedom to move and unload his striking. In the past, the likes of Melendez and Henderson have brought some discomfort to the champion by taking away that freedom against the fence. As a durable fighter, as well as a BJJ black belt, dos Anjos possess the tools needed to shut down the movement of his opponent, but as previous opponents have experienced, it takes a high degree of focus to suppress Pettis throughout the contest.

Dos Anjos is an incredibly tough fighter having only been finished twice, and not since 2010 when a broken jaw at the hands of Clay Guida forced the Brazilian to submit. Dos Anjos is a fighter who is rarely stopped inside the distance, but this was also the case with both Melendez and Henderson. Pettis may have to be patient, but the American will take a fifth successive stoppage in the second half of the fight.

Carla Esparza (10-2) vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk (8-0) – UFC Women’s Strawweight Championship

Polish contender Joanna Jedrzejczyk may be one of the most friendly faces in the UFC, but she is anything but when it comes down to business, just a take a look at her intense weigh-in face offs.

Jedrzejczyk’s road to the UFC culminated with a vicious knockout victory over former UFC bantamweight Rosi Sexton at Cage Warriors 69 in London. Since then she has gone 2-0 in the world’s leading MMA promotion with a pair of decision victories over Juliana Lima and Cláudia Gadelha, the latter via split decision last year on December 13.

California native Esparza claimed the 115lb title via The Ultimate Fighter Season 20. Both herself and Rose Namajunas advanced to the Season Finale on December 12 where Esparza became the first UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion by securing a rear-naked-choke submission in the third round. Since her last defeat to Jessica Aguilar at Bellator 46 in 2011, Esparza has produced a five-fight win streak with victorious over the likes of fellow TUF contenders Felice Herrig, and Bec Rawlings who she beat to claim the Invicta FC championship via unanimous decision in 2013.

It’s likely that this contest will play out as striker vs. grappler. The much shorter Esparza will look to avoid going toe-to-toe with her more aggressive opponent by patiently setting up takedowns and securing as much top control as possible by utilizing her low center of gravity. Jedrzejczyk will cause frequent problems at range with takedown counter strikes and threatening combinations that keep the champion guessing for a number of rounds, and it could be enough for the challenger to sneak a split-decision victory.

Welterweight – Johny Hendricks (16-3) vs. Matt Brown (19-12)

Hard nosed welterweight Matt Brown has a tremendous opportunity to bounce back from a unanimous decision loss to current champion Robbie Lawler when he takes on the man who Lawler beat for the title, Johny Hendricks.

prior to facing Lawler, Brown went on a lengthy win streak of sevens wins featuring six knockout stoppages. Similarly, Hendricks produced a powerful run of six victorious since losing a unanimous decision to Rick Story in 2010, and after losing his first shot at the title via split decision to Georges St-Pierre in 2013, he went on to claim the vacated crown by way of unanimous decision against Lawler the following year, before losing the rematch via split decision at UFC 181 last December.

Brown is well known as a brawler, but Hendricks is just as willing to engage in a tear up ‘Fight of the Night’. Hendricks is three inches shorter and gives away six inches in reach, but the forceful wrestling expertise of Hendricks will make the difference as he grinds out what will be a knackering decision victory.

Heavyweight – Roy Nelson (20-10) vs. Alistair Overeem (38-14)

Having not lived up to expectation since joining the UFC, former Strikeforce, Dream, and K-1 champion Alistair Overeem is under the microscope with each performance. A promising first round knockout over Brock Lesnar marked his UFC debut, but the hype was killed off soon after when complacency resulted in back-to-back losses via knockout to Antonio Silva and Travis Browne. A decision win over Frank Mir was followed by a TKO loss to Ben Rothwell, and ‘The Reem’ most recently pounded out his fellow Dutchman Stefan Struve on December 13, however Struve may not be the fighter he once was since returning from heart complications.

While Roy ‘Big Country’ Nelson has experienced back and forth results with a 7-6 UFC record, the portly American is nevertheless a fan favorite with his modest yet proud physique, incredibly hard hitting fists, a expert ground game, and of course, that granite chin. The immensely durable 38-year-old is 1-3 in last last four contests, a run of back-to-back decision losses against Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier was snapped by first round knockout win over the iconic Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira, but Nelson was most recently defeated via knockout for the first time since 2008 when he faced the ‘Super Samoan’ Mark Hunt at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan last September.

At 34-years-old Overeem should still be capable of performing at his best, the Dutch striking expert has all the technique needed to out-work Nelson, but tends to make life hard for himself with a misguided approach to fights that leaves him open, and with a less than solid chin, he is at great risk of Nelson’s one-punch knockout power. However, a well focused approach will be enough for Overeem to win the rounds comfortably, if not snatch a late knockout should he bring the form he was once known for.

Flyweight – Chris Cariaso (17-6) vs. Henry Cejudo (7-0)

Wrestling master and 2008 Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo is back for his second UFC appearance following a unanimous decision victory over Dustin Kimura on December 13, marking his debut in the promotion. Much is expected of the 28-year-old and he has certainly been bumped up a level to face former flyweight title challenger Chris Cariaso.

Although it’s still early days in his UFC career, Cejudo is far from the stereotype wrestler who would secure top control and hold their opponent down for the decision win. The man dubbed ‘Kamikaze’ boasts four stoppages in events outside of the UFC, and furthermore, his speed and athleticism is immense.

Cariaso is a 23-fight veteran with five years worth of UFC competition, and knows the game well enough to show a few tricks to his less experienced foe. However, Cejudo’s wrestling prowess has the potential to be devastating with an arsenal of submissions, in addition to his evolving standup, and time will only make him more comfortable en route to a submission win.

UFC 185 full card: 

Lightweight: Anthony Pettis (c) vs. Rafael dos Anjos
Women’s Strawweight: Carla Esparza (c) vs. Joanna Jędrzejczyk
Welterweight: Johny Hendricks vs. Matt Brown
Heavyweight: Roy Nelson vs. Alistair Overeem
Flyweight: Chris Cariaso vs. Henry Cejudo

Preliminary Card (FX)
Lightweight: Ross Pearson vs. Sam Stout
Middleweight: Elias Theodorou vs. Roger Narvaez
Lightweight: Daron Cruickshank vs. Beneil Dariush
Heavyweight: Jared Rosholt vs. Josh Copeland

Preliminary Card (UFC Fight Pass)
Flyweight: Sergio Pettis vs. Ryan Benoit
Lightweight: Jake Lindsey vs. Joseph Duffy
Women’s Bantamweight: Larissa Pacheco vs. Germaine de Randamie