After a grueling slog at UFC Fight Night 81 in Boston, Eddie Alvarez ground out a split-decision win over former lightweight champion Anthony Pettis. Alvarez, who trains with the Blackzilians, used the famed Octagon control to keep Pettis immobilized against the fence most of the time, punctuated with takedowns and brief striking exchanges. Despite appearing to take more damage, two of the judges felt Alvarez's control was the determining factor in the decision. Either could have emerged as the next title contender. It seems unlikely either did.
This was Alvarez's third fight in the UFC, following a loss in his debut against Donald Cerrone at UFC 178 and a split-decision win over Gilbert Melendez at UFC 188. Alvarez was also the first fight for Pettis after losing the belt to Rafael dos Anjos in March 2015. It is his biggest win, by far.
Round 1
Alvarez fakes a kick and pulls it back. Inside leg kick from Alvarez; Pettis responds with a right. Alvarez shoots in for a double leg, and Pettis goes for a guillotine but can't close it up. Alvarez has Pettis against the cage, holding him down, but Pettis manages to get back to the feet with an overhook on Alvarez. Alvarez grinds him into the cage, and they trade a few blows. Pettis has a wide stance, trying to avoid getting taken down, but he's not accomplishing much or advancing any. Pettis throws knees to the body, to little effect. Alvarez finally gets an inside trip, but Pettis gets back to his feet fairly easily. More grinding on the cage, until Pettis can reverse and get back to the center. He backs Alvarez up and throws a body kick and a head kick. He goes for a spinning heel kick, but Alvarez is too fast, ducking under and tackling Pettis around the waist, taking him back to the cage. Pettis is backed up on the cage briefly before he pushes away and back to the center. Good combination from Pettis, including an audible body kick. They clinch up, and Pettis throws a knee to the body. Alvarez goes for a head kick, which Pettis blocks and then throws a right to end the round.
Round 2
Alvarez blocks a high kick from Pettis, then throws a body kick, which Pettis blocks and uses to punch Alvarez. Alvarez is slowly backing Pettis up before pummeling him up to the cage. They exchange there briefly before Pettis gets out from under Alvarez, and they go back to the middle of the cage. Pettis throws leg kicks and body kicks while Alvarez tries to box him. A failed takedown attempt by Alvarez leads to holding Pettis against the cage. Pettis pushes Alvarez's head away and gets in a punch to take them off the cage. A body kick from Pettis, followed by a low kick from Alvarez. They remain in the center of the cage, trading shots back and forth until the round ends.
.@EAlvarezFight gets his fourth takedown of the night! #UFCBoston. https://t.co/P543Yd4JiG
— UFC (@ufc) January 18, 2016
Round 3
They trade low kicks, followed by a striking exchange that ends with Alvarez pushing Pettis to the cage again. Pettis escapes, and they return to the center to trade some more. Pettis seems to be taking the lead, with kicks, a knee to the face and some punching. Alvarez shoots in for a takedown and ultimately gets it, but Pettis wraps up Alvarez's leg and attempts a heel hook. It doesn't work, and Pettis ends up in Alvarez's half-guard. Alvarez tries ground-and-pound, but Pettis manages to escape to his feet, only to be taken down again immediately. He ends up with Alvarez in his full guard briefly and then gets to the feet again. Alvarez holds Pettis against the cage; the crowd is booing the repetition and lack of action. The cycle of Pettis pushed against the cage, then taken down, then standing up repeats. In the last 30 seconds, they finally get away from the fence. Pettis gets some good strikes in, but not enough to finish the fight before the bell.
Eddie Alvarez has beaten high-level UFC competition in back-to-back fights and sacrificed being exciting for it.
— Mookie Alexander (@mookiealexander) January 18, 2016
I get scoring the fight for Alvarez, but my god, that was literal wall-and-stall. He produced no damaging offense against the fence.
— Patrick Wyman (@Patrick_Wyman) January 18, 2016
Those takedown attempts against the fence briefly stop Alvarez from getting kicked, but that's about all they're doing.
— Ben Fowlkes (@benfowlkesMMA) January 18, 2016
It was the kind of win that may take a rap for being boring. In his post-fight speech, Alvarez said, "I beat Gilbert Melendez, and he got two shots at the title; I beat Pettis, and he used to have the title and was the No. 1 guy; I fought Cowboy, and he got a title shot. I want it! I want the best guys the promotion has to offer. Put them in front of me and I’ll beat them. I want my shot!”
A title shot may be way off, as lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos is facing Conor McGregor next at UFC 197. Additionally, UFC brass may not feel Alvarez's performance warrants an immediate title shot; despite Pettis' rank as the No. 1 contender, it's not necessarily who a fighter has beaten that dictates the opportunity.
Alvarez went into this fight as the No. 4-ranked lightweight, which will change following this win. The fighters ahead of him, excluding Pettis, are third-ranked Donald Cerrone and second-ranked Khabib Nurmagomedov, who hasn't fought in almost two years. Cerrone fights Tim Means in February, so some of the possibilities for Alvarez that emerge are fifth-ranked Tony Ferguson or seventh-ranked Nate Diaz. Magomedov recently told Ariel Helwani on UFC Tonight that he was interested in taking the winner of this bout as a means to a title shot.
As for Pettis, this loss was a considerable blow to his perceived potential and his legacy as champion. He's easy to take down—Alvarez did so six times—and didn't seem to know how to counter Alvarez's game plan. With two underwhelming performances from top-ranked lightweights, the path to title contention is much more open than previously. Most likely to get the next title shot could be Ferguson, who's on a seven-fight win streak and a decorated collegiate wrestler. Ferguson also won The Ultimate Fighter: Team Lesnar vs. Team dos Santos and last fought Edson Barboza in December 2015, whom he submitted with a brabo choke.
Up first, of course, is current featherweight champion McGregor's challenge of dos Anjos' lightweight belt. UFC 197 is on March 5, co-headlined by bantamweight champion Holly Holm's first title defense, against No. 2-ranked Miesha Tate.
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