Headlining UFC on FOX 17 is the pairing between UFC Lightweight champion Rafael Dos Anjos and Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone.
The two have met before, although in a three round contest, having competed on FOX in August, 2013. In that fight, we saw Dos Anjos come away with the decision victory.
The loss was Cerrone’s last, and seemed to be the catalyst for him to make vast improvements in his game and indeed his attitude too. For years, Cerrone has denied taking any interest in winning the title, even telling Fox Sports earlier this year he didn’t care about the belt.
“Yeah, as soon as I win it, because it don’t mean nothing to me, I’m going to launch it inside the RV and go about my business,” Cerrone said. “So, that’s what’s going to happen with that. That belt don’t really mean much to me. Being first would be cool but the belt – I don’t care, man.”
Yet, more recently, the fan favourite seems to be realising that coming away with the strap isn’t as useless and irrelevant as he had previously thought.
“It does mean something,” Cerrone told MMAFighting’s Ariel Helwani yesterday. “It means you’re the best in the world.”
Cerrone’s coming in on an incredible eight fight win streak, including victories over Benson Henderson and Eddie Alvarez. Most recently, he broke John Makdessi’s jaw with a headkick.
Dos Anjos, however, still represents a big jump in competition for Cowboy.
The Brazilian won his belt against Anthony Pettis, and this is his first title defense. The Dos Anjos we saw in that fight was the best performance of his career, shutting down everything Pettis had to offer with ruthless pressure.
RDA has great wrestling, and most see that as the potential difference maker in this fight, but it’s a crime to forget his striking ability too. He has a great right hook, and fights from southpaw, which Cerrone has had serious problems with in his career (in fact, all of Cowboy’s losses have come against Southpaw fighters).
In their previous fight, which was a closer affair than most seem to remember, RDA won the decision after a back and forth bout, but it was in fact his mixing of the overhand right and the takedowns that got him his victory.
This time around, it’s a five round fight, and one imagines that could make a difference to both men’s performances.
Realistically, this fight is about who has improved more. Cerrone’s demand for regular fights has made him a fan favourite, and his elite level kickboxing is exciting to watch. His eight fight win streak is exceptionally impressive, but it must be said that some of those victories came against opponents he realistically was expected to have beaten.
In RDA though, he meets a much tougher opponent. RDA’s title winning fight against Pettis really showed us how good he can be, and how fantastic his cardio is.
This fight really comes down to whose improvements bests whose. Cerrone’s new found passion for the game, increased experience through ring time and more time working with MMA guru Greg Jackson is being put against Dos Anjos’s new found strength and conditioning, better striking and a gas tank that goes for days.
It’s going to be a barn-burner, and for whomever wins, a ‘notorious’ challenge awaits.
The Odds for Dos Anjos vs. Cerrone 2 are:
Dos Anjos (C) vs. Cerrone
-205 / +175
