Stephen Thompson vs Anthony Pettis Preview

Stephen Thompson vs Anthony Pettis Preview

By Claudia Peterson 

UFC Fight Night on ESPN+6 in Nashville Tennessee will be headlined by welterweight bout featuring two of the best strikers on the UFC roster right now. Number 4th ranked welterweight Stephen Wonderboy Thompson welcomes former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis to the welterweight division, in a style match up that promises to deliver.

The fourth ranked Wonderboy has a split decision loss and a draw against former welterweight champion Tyron Woodley, but holds notable wins over Jorge Masvidal, Rory MacDonald and Johnny Hendricks, and is one of only two fighters to have a win over current middleweight champion Robert Whittaker. With an undefeated kickboxing record, Wonderboy’s style is one of precision and clean movement. He isn’t a brawler, and manages distances quite well, always staying on the outside of his strikes and kicks. He stands long, has pristine leg kicks, and has excellent takedown defense, something that will be a problem for Anthony Pettis.

‘Showtime’ Pettis is a highly decorated fighter, being a two-time world champion at lightweight (WEC and UFC), with multiple performance of the night bonuses. Unlike Wonderboy, Pettis is skilled both on the ground and in striking, and has the ability to switch between both swiftly.

With a 21-7 record, Pettis has many good wins on his resume, some of the most notable ones being to Benson Henderson (twice), Donald Cerrone, Jeremy Stephens and Michael Chiesa. This will be the first time since 2008 that Pettis fights at welterweight, and his speed and power will certainly be put to the test against someone like Wonderboy.

Will Petti’s patented “Showtime Kick” be too much for Wonderboy, or will Wonderboy precision frustrate Pettis?

Prediction: Pettis by submission