Dos Anjos (Dave Mandel/Sherdog)UFC Fight Night 49 Results: Rafael dos Anjos Proves to be a True Title Threat RJ Gardner August 25, 2014 Spotlight Who really saw that coming? Rafael dos Anjos dropped former UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson in the first round and finished him with a flurry of punches. Heading into the bout, Henderson looked like no one but the champ could beat him but dos Anjos quickly took the center of the Octagon and brought the fight to the former champ. Dos Anjos showed off his devastating power when he caught Henderson with a flush shot against the cage putting him on his back. Dos Anjos smelled the blood in the water and quickly went for the finish. Now that he has decisively beaten one of the best fighters in the world, dos Anjos looks like a real threat to Anthony Pettis’ title. The primary thing holding him back is the fact he was manhandled by Khabib Nurmagomedov just five short months ago. Because of that, dos Anjos still finds himself on the outside of the title picture looking in. With Gilbert Melendez set to face Pettis for the title next and Eddie Alvarez’s addition to the UFC roster, dos Anjos still needs another marquee win to separate himself from the pack. Next on the table for dos Anjos should be the surging Bobby Green. Green is currently riding an eight fight win streak and is coming off of an impressive performance against long time veteran and former Strikeforce lightweight champion Josh Thomson. An impressive win over a fighter like Green would solidify dos Anjos’ UFC lightweight title claim. Had dos Anjos not lost to Nurmagomedov he would be next in line, but that loss was too one sided and too decisive to give him a shot at this point. One more win and it will be hard to keep him out of the conversation.
