Point of interest: Scrambling for supremacy
Considering Bandejas is the better wrestler on paper, I will be curious to see if Pettis will be looking to get anything going in transition.
Demonstrating good posture to go along with a consistent hand-fighting and underhook awareness, Pettis has gotten a lot better at holding his own inside of clinching scenarios over the years.
Working with Izzy Martinez in past camps, we have seen steady improvements to Pettis’ wrestling, especially in the transitional phases of his grappling. Already possessing crafty leg dexterity and wrist controls, Pettis now shows more process and understanding to his actions, as he was able to successfully navigate out of some tight spots in his last couple of UFC outings, as well as score a submission win in his promotional debut.
Still, given Bandejas’ wrestling chops and past grappling performances, don’t expect the New Jersey native to be a pushover for anyone.
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Showing similar counter-wrestling tactics to the likes of a Max Holloway, Bandejas utilizes overhooks in order to hoist shorter opposition off of his hips, all while fighting grips with his free hand. And when he is the one doing the offensive wrestling, Bandejas does well in regards to both passing and positional awareness from topside.
Bandejas is also a solid scrambler who can be hard to control in the heat of the action, and is competent when it comes to securing chokes that become available. Even though his propensity to tripod up and inadvertently give his back cost him a crucial position against Patrick Mix, the 6-year pro seems to still be improving as his career trajectory would suggest.
For that reason, Pettis can not afford to be lackadaisical by giving away bad positions or control time should these two tangle on the floor for prolonged periods.
Next point of interest: Odds, opinion and prediction