When Anthony “Showtime” Pettis captured the UFC Lightweight Championship from Benson Henderson at UFC 164 in 2013, fans and fighters alike were wondering if he would be the champion to carry the lightweights to the next level. His flashy style offense was exactly what casual fans could latch on to, and it worked so well that diehard fans could no longer discount it.
However, with just one defense under his belt Pettis lost the title to Rafael dos Anjos. He would then go on to lose to Eddie Alvarez and Edson Barboza before making his transition to featherweight where he failed to capture the gold as well. Now, Pettis is looking to make a comeback to the company’s lightweight division! He told ESPN’s “Five Rounds Podcast” [via. MMA Mania]:
“I’m going to take my time at 155 pounds. I was in a rush to get back into title contention. Everybody I fought besides Oliveira was a the No. 1 contender or a former champion. I’m going to go back to the 155-pound division, work my way back to the top and see how far I can take it again. I was the king of lightweight in both the WEC and UFC.”
“I have to go back there and keep doing that, with no pressure on myself. There’s no lack of motivation, no superstition. It’s just me, out there grinding hard and winning fights. I was looking to get Jim Miller. He was the only guy not booked, besides [Michael] Johnson. I let my management take care of who I’m fighting, but there’s Miller, Johnson, Nate Diaz. There’s a bunch of guys out there I’d like to fight.”
