UFC Fight Night 90: 5 keys to victory for Rafael dos Anjos

4. Utilize the cage

dos Anjos advantage in this fight will be his footwork and striking as the champion is far more skilled than the challenger in Alvarez. Making it crucial that dos Anjos maximizes the edge he holds through a game plan that exploits the stand-up aspect of the fight.

One way dos Anjos can accomplish that goal is by forcing Alvarez near the cage in order to apply pressure by trapping off his opponent. A game plan that could minimize the chances of Alvarez pulling off the upset by controlling the angles along the cage.

This strategy would allow dos Anjos to push his patented pressure on Alvarez while minimizing the odds of a successful takedown attempt as Alvarez would have far less space to work with if forced along the cage. All things that dos Anjos will want to achieve when he faces Alvarez for his title.

Forcing Alvarez along the cage would also set up the possibility of a takedown attempt for dos Anjos, something that he used successfully to earn his title against Pettis. Good things typically happen for dos Anjos when he can force his opponent along the cage and if he wants to earn another successful title defense he should look to utilize cage control to his advantage.

Next: 3. Takedown defense