UFC 181- Lawler vs. Hendricks 2- What did you think?

[Riotbeard]

Did anybody else order this payperview? I thought Hendricks got robbed, although it was close, and I had a few too many. I know I am not alone. I will admit it was a close one and close enough to where the judges could mess it up.

 

[brokenshoelace]

I didn't think he got robbed. It was pretty close and I thought he won, but "robbed" generally implies a travesty of a decision, which this wasn't.

I'm a huge Anthony Pettis fan and think he's the most offensively gifted fighter in the sport at the moment, especially with Anderson Silva's regression and old age. It was good to see him back after 16 months on the sidelines, and he looked as sharp as ever. I worry about how injury prone he is, but if he can be healthy, there's no reason why he can't hold the title for a while. As deep as the lightweight division is, he really is head and shoulders above the rest.

 

[Riotbeard]

Robbed is probably a bit of an overstatement. Although, I think Hendricks really controlled the match but Lawler came closer to ever finishing it.

I am a Henderson fan so I don't love Pettis, but I agree that he's a great fighter. He and Jon Jones are probably the two most dynamic strikers in MMA, although Pettis is flashier whereas Jones just picks people apart, brutally. Pettis also has great submissions, hence his catching Henderson, a BJJ black belt.

I don't necessarily agree that Pettis is the single best offensive fighter. I think he is probably the most gifted offensive striker, but Chris Weidman and Rhonda Rousey are both incredible offensive fighters, but their offensive grapplers. In general I would agree he is in the top tier of offensive mma fighters with Weidman and Rousey.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Robbed is probably a bit of an overstatement. Although, I think Hendricks really controlled the match but Lawler came closer to ever finishing it.

I am a Henderson fan so I don't love Pettis, but I agree that he's a great fighter. He and Jon Jones are probably the two most dynamic strikers in MMA, although Pettis is flashier whereas Jones just picks people apart, brutally. Pettis also has great submissions, hence his catching Henderson, a BJJ black belt.

I don't necessarily agree that Pettis is the single best offensive fighter. I think he is probably the most gifted offensive striker, but Chris Weidman and Rhonda Rousey are both incredible offensive fighters, but their offensive grapplers. In general I would agree he is in the top tier of offensive mma fighters with Weidman and Rousey.

I think Weidman is a stud but I'd take Pettis over him as far as pure offensive skills go due to versatility. Weidman is a great wrestler and punches like a truck. He's also a very smart submission grappler with a dynamic top game. But if I had to bet on one of the two to ruin somebody's night in an instant, in a variety of ways, it's Pettis hands down. His killer instinct is insane, and he's got so many ways to dust off opponents without really setting up the finish or telegraphing anything. He doesn't need to take you down and pass guard to lock up a guillotine or an armbar, and he doesn't need to wait for you to over-commit on your feet to counter. He can create his own openings better than any fighter I've ever seen other than Anderson. His guard game off his back is also much better than Chris Weidman, and his kicks are vastly superior too, so you have more to worry about. Weidman might actually be the superior overall fighter though, don't get me wrong.

As far as Rousey goes, she is extremely talented and her grappling chops are insane. But the fact of the matter is she is fighting against underwhelming competition. That's not her fault, but that's the state of women's MMA at the moment. It's still young and not nearly as developed, and as a result there are obvious deficiencies in even the most elite fighters (Rousey included, whose striking is technically quite poor). I think she's at the right place at the right time and as a result, able to get away with murder. If she ever fights Christiane Cyborg (doubtful), I think Chris will take her to the cleaners.