UFC Fight Night 90: 5 keys to victory for Rafael dos Anjos
By Chase Ruttig
2. Avoid the judges
dos Anjos’ will be spending most of the fight against Alvarez looking for a finish, which is a good thing considering that Alvarez’ lone wins in the UFC have been by decision. Giving dos Anjos more than enough incentive to chase a finish to avoid any potential upset on the scorecards when he steps inside of the Octagon with Alvarez.
Alvarez is entering the fight on the heels of two extremely tight split decision upsets over Gilbert Melendez and Anthony Pettis. Wins that showcased Alvarez’ ability to steal a fight on the scorecards as an underdog, something that should concern dos Anjos and motivate the champion to seek out a potential finish inside of five rounds.
While dos Anjos will have the upper hand in terms of experience in a five round fight after his unanimous decision win to earn the title over Pettis, there is no reason for dos Anjos to be conservative in a fight against an opponent who now has a reputation for being able to steal fights on points. If dos Anjos wants to avoid the risk of an upset, he will utilize his superior skill to finish off Alvarez before it reaches the judges.
Next: 1. Push the pressure