UFC 181 results: Anthony Pettis submits Gilbert Melendez to retain lightweight championship

It took a while but Anthony Pettis finally stepped inside the Octagon to defend his lightweight title against Gilbert Melendez in the co-main event of UFC 181: "Hendricks vs. Lawler 2" at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. This over a year after "Showtime" won the title from Ben Henderson.

"El Nino" used the opening round to implement his game plan, controlling the cage the pressuring Pettis against the fence. He worked his game there and avoided most of the champion's flashy offense.

In the second, Melendez was working the same strategy, pushing ahead while trading punches. Unfortunately for him, Pettis caught him with a hard left hand that forced him to shoot under for a takedown attempt. In the process of doing so, he left his neck open.

Pettis wasted no time slapping on a tight guillotine. Melendez battled against it but there was no escape.

The tap came not long after they turned over and Pettis remains the UFC lightweight champion.

Who's next?

For complete coverage of UFC 181 click here.