Who wins the Rafael dos Anjos vs. Donald Cerrone title bout in UFC on Fox 17’s main event, and how?
MICHAEL BANE, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR
FRANK HYDEN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR
I think dos Anjos takes Cerrone down again and again until he finally puts him away in the fourth round, or perhaps early fifth. I don’t think dos Anjos is going to stand with Cerrone and take a chance of getting his head knocked off, so I expect him to fight conservatively. I just hope that when he takes him down, that dos Anjos is actively working for a finish and not just laying on Cerrone. I’m excited for this fight, but I’d be more excited if I thought that Cerrone could stop dos Anjos from taking him down. I hope he can, but we’ll have to wait and see. I’m hopeful for a great fight to finish this amazing stretch of events the UFC is on, but realistically I don’t expect it.
BRAD WALKER, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR
I know RDA is a beast. I know he schooled Cerrone in their last fight. But dang it all my champions are down and out without belts so I’m going with the wildcard and picking my boy Cowboy Cerrone to devastate Dos Anjos inside of three rounds. He’ll grab that belt and then go on to face McGregor in an all time epic.
DAYNE FOX, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR
I’m very torn on this fight. Dos Anjos won their first meeting clearly, but Cerrone seemed to be in a mental funk at this time in his career. Since the loss he has been on a tear, with only his short notice decision over Benson Henderson being truly competitive, as Cerrone has dominated every other opponent. The problem is that dos Anjos has improved himself since that time. He took the loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov only to raise up his level since that time, disposing of the aforementioned Henderson as well as Nate Diaz and Anthony Pettis, two fighters who own definitive wins over Cerrone. My heart says to go with Cerrone as I love his willingness to throw down with anyone, but my head says to go with the champ. I’ll go with dos Anjos to win in a back and forth five-round affair that ends up amongst the FOTY candidates; expect Cerrone to provide most of the highlights, but dos Anjos’ wrestling and grappling to provide the substance for the win.
[Photo (c) Joe Camporeale via USA Today Sports]
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