Anthony Pettis vs Rafael Dos Anjos — Fight recap

Rafael Dos Anjos defeated Anthony Pettis by unanimous decision over five rounds on March 14, 2015, establishing himself as the lightweight division's premier wrestler-striker. Dos Anjos landed 90 significant strikes at 52% accuracy while controlling the fight through superior grappling, completing 9 of 10 takedown attempts and dominating 14:44 of control time.

Pettis managed only 54 significant strikes at 33% accuracy and failed his lone takedown attempt, spending just 51 seconds in control. The striking disparity was particularly evident in body work, where Dos Anjos connected on 27 of 37 attempts compared to Pettis's 11 of 16.

Dos Anjos's defensive wrestling and clinch control neutralized Pettis's signature striking, forcing him to operate reactively throughout. The victory solidified Dos Anjos as the legitimate lightweight champion and marked a significant shift in the division's hierarchy toward grapplers.