Few expected Anthony Pettis to defeat Shane Roller, and even fewer to defeat Ben Henderson to capture the WEC lightweight title. However, Pettis did both in spectacular fashion to earn himself a UFC title shot. Unfortunately for Pettis, a draw between Edgar and Maynard would force him to take another fight in the mean time, and the result would be akin to a child finding out there was no Santa Claus, as Pettis was outpointed by Clay Guida’s superior wrestling. In his followup fight, Pettis used his wrestling to defeat Jeremy Stephens, and with a win here, he’ll be on a short list of title contenders.
Current Anthony Pettis vs Joe Lauzon Odds
Pettis- (-260) – Bovada.Lv [<- Up To $100 Free Bet]
Lauzon – (+180) – Bovada.Lv [<- Up To $100 Free Bet]
Joe Lauzon has been with the UFC for a while, and has been known for his explosive first round finishes, along with losing a lot of fights he probably should have won. After a quick victory over Curt Warburton, Lauzon was given the honour of fighting then rising Melvin Guillard at UFC 136, and Lauzon pulled off the massive upset, as he quickly finished Guillard after rocking him with a couple of jabs. A win here probably won’t get Lauzon a title shot, but it will certainly bump him up the ladder.
Stylistically, I’m really not sure how Lauzon wins this outside of an early flurry. Lauzon has never been known as much of a technical striker, and this is unquestionably Pettis’ speciality. Further, Pettis’ striking style isn’t wild, so it’s hard to imagine him being caught.
In terms of wrestling, both guys are solidly midlevel, and I don’t see either dominating the other. However, I think Pettis has generally shown himself to have a strong guard, so even if Lauzon manages to get him down, Pettis should be able to pop back up. Lauzon’s guard on the other hand is arguably not as up to par.
However ultimately, the big variable here is cardio. Lauzon has a horrible history of gassing out against opponents not nearly on Pettis’ level, and Pettis maintained an incredible pace with Ben Henderson for three rounds. That is why I believe that the only way Lauzon wins this is with a lucky early punch, however Pettis has so many routes to winning this fight.
The Anthony Pettis vs Joe Lauzon prediction is that Pettis controls this fight with his striking, and finishes a gassed Lauzon late. Make no mistake, this is a winnable fight for Lauzon, and could very well be his coming out party. However, the stylistic matchup, combined with the fact that Pettis did a great job of fighting for points against Stephens, leads me to believe that Pettis should take this no problem. At -260 (the current pettis vs lauzon odds in the US format) though, I’m really not happy with the line, and can only recommend a tiny play.
Anthony Pettis vs Joe Lauzon Betting Conclusion: Stylistically this is Pettis’, and the cardio advantage just seals the deal. However, at the current available -260 line, I would only play it tiny (1 Unit) given how dangerous Lauzon is. Although if the line moves significantly a slightly larger bet may be warranted.
Latest Anthony Pettis vs Joe Lauzon Betting Odds
Pettis- (-260) – Bovada.Lv [<- Up To $100 Free Bet]
Lauzon – (+180) – Bovada.Lv [<- Up To $100 Free Bet]
