UFC 181 results: Anthony Pettis submits Gilbert Melendez

Anthony Pettis is well-known for his flashy striking game, it's his calling card. But it's quickly becoming apparent that his submission game should be given the same props. Pettis was out of the cage for over a year and was finally defending his UFC lightweight title for the first time against former Strikeforce champ Gilbert Melendez. But while Gil started strong, Pettis only needed one opportunity to finish the fight.

Melendez immediately pressured Pettis against the cage and stayed on him for nearly the whole first round. He landed some pretty good shots and clearly took the round. The second round saw more of the same, until Pettis caught him with a shot inside. Melendez went for a takedown to try and get a breather, but he got caught in a nasty guillotine. Pettis cranked on it and rolled over into guard, forcing Melendez to tap out at the 1:53 mark of the second stanza.

Pettis has now submitted two men in a row that are known for excellent submission defense - Ben Henderson and Gilbert Melendez. His probable next challenger might be the toughest one yet - Khabib Nurmagomedov.