In 2015, Anthony Pettis was riding high and had been for years.
Pettis came to the UFC as the final WEC champion on the heels of his famed “Showtime Kick” against Benson Henderson. He was outworked and outsmarted by Clay Guida in his UFC debut in mid-2011, but just four fights later beat Henderson again to win the UFC’s lightweight title.
Another title defense submission followed, as did a coveted spot on a Wheaties box – a first for an MMA fighter.
But at UFC 185 on March 14, 2015, Brazil’s Rafael dos Anjos brought the “Showtime Era” as lightweight champ to a fast halt. He dominated the champ to win a decision in an upset in Dallas.
Pettis was 18-2 going into the fight. He’s gone 7-12 since the loss, including a 1-4 record in the PFL after he left the UFC. Pettis signed with Global Fight League this past December for an MMA return after going 1-1 in boxing matches since his most recent MMA fight in 2022.
Dos Anjos has had rough sledding, too. He’s 8-10 since he beat Pettis to win the title. He defended the belt once in 2015, but lost it to Eddie Alvarez 16 months into his reign.
Still, to beat “Showtime,” dos Anjos turned in an all-time performance. Check out some of the highlights from that bout 10 years ago.
