MMA-URLS

When it comes to talented and crowded divisions in the mixed martial arts (MMA) landscape today, there is none more better that fits that description than the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight division. Ben Henderson was recently crowned the new champion three months ago with his unanimous decision victory at UFC 144 over former champion and current number one contender, Frankie Edgar. Nate Diaz recently earned the right to fight for the title next with a dominating second round submission victory over Jim Miller at UFC on Fox 3 and will take on the winner of the bout between "Smooth" and "The Answer" at UFC 150 on Aug., 11, 2012. After that, there is a log-jam of fighters ready to get their opportunity to vie for the 155-pound crown, who have more than enough skills to wear the title around their waist at any given time. Let's not forget the UFC may soon add yet another talented competitor to its ranks if Eddie Alvarez decides to make the jump over from Bellator. With names such as Anthony Pettis, Donald Cerrone, Gray Maynard and Clay Guida lingering around, it may be easy to overlook another person who is more "in the mix" than people may give him credit for and seems to get lost in the shuffle amongst other "big name" fighters. That person is none other than "Fight Night" bonus magnet, Edson Barboza, who has won four straight fights in the UFC and boasts a perfect overall record after winning his first 10 contests. Barboza is coming off one of the most spectacular knockouts in recent memory, stiffening Terry Etim at UFC 142 with a spinning heel kick back on Jan.,14, 2012 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. To sweeten the pot, Edson picked up "Knockout of the Night" and "Fight of the Night" honors with his spectacular finish, which were his third and fourth straight bonus checks with the promotion. Now, the Brazilian will look to keep riding his momentum as he takes on former World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) lightweight champion Jamie Varner, who got the call back to the big leagues after an injury forced Evan Dunham to bow out at UFC 146 on Memorial Day Weekend (May 26, 2012) in Las Vegas, Nevada. Speaking to Low Kick, "Junior" discusses his upcoming bout with Varner as well as the possibility of taking on another exciting lightweight in Anthony Pettis down the road, as well as his knack for picking up post-fight bonuses. Check it out: "Haha Man, I didn't think about this (picking up Fight Night bonus). I've been training a lot jiu-jitsu, wrestling and nogi with the best grapplers in the world as Pablo Popovitch and others. I had some trainings with Mario Sperring too. So, I want to do a good fight. I've never thought about to fight to get bonuses. I always think about to fight for doing a good job and doing what I love to do." Should Barboza get past the veteran Varner at UFC 146, he will inch himself closer to a potential title shot, but as he states, that isn't really his mindset at the moment, he just wants to perform: "I don't know, but I hope so. Actually, I am not worried about this for now. I want to be fighting against the best fighters in the world. I want to win my space step by step. I am not in a hurry. I know I am in a really hard division, and it keeps me motivated to train harder and harder. Today I am focused on my next fight. I want to do my best inside the octagon. What will happen after that, it is in God's hands." With Anthony Pettis losing out once again on a title shot for the foreseeable future to Nate Diaz, it is likely that "Showtime" will take another fight in the interim instead of waiting around. Perhaps a number one contender's bout between he and Barboza is destined to happened down the line, assuming of course he gets past Varner: "I don't know, maybe so. But as I said I am focused on my next fight. So, I neither think about who will be my next opponent, nor about what the people are saying. Pettis is a great fighter. He already won the current champion of this division. This could be a great fight, truly a war. As I said I love being able to fight, I love my job. I want to be fighting against the best ones. Whoever it is, I want to fight. Varner is a great fighter. He was WEC champion. If he is back to UFC it means that he is tough. I don't see his weakness or the strongest point of him. My focus is on my game and on what I must do." The bout between Edson and Pettis would be highly entertaining as both have proven that their stand-up game is no joke and seem to make it a habit to entertain fans with their preference to stay on the feet. First things first, however, as "Junior" will have his work cut out for him as Varner has proven in the past that he is a very formidable opponent and will be looking to make a splash of his own in his return to the the world's leading MMA promotion. What's your take Maniacs, does a future showdown between Barboza and Pettis makes sense for a potential 155-pound number one contender bout should he get past Varner? Or will "C-4" ruin any and all chances of that happening with a breakout performance of his own in "Sin City?" Opinions, please.

Posted in: ufc, fight, petti, barboza, varner

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Anthony Pettis’ manager, Mike Roberts, informed MMA Weekly that his fighter would not be able to make a rumored August 11 bout with Donald Cerrone at UFC 150. While nothing was ever set in stone in regards to the bout, “Cowboy” is pushing hard for the event because he was born in Colorado, Springs, Colorado. [...]

Posted in: anthony pettis, petti, colorado, cerrone, donald cerrone

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If Donald Cerrone wants to fight at UFC 150 in Denver on Aug. 11, it won't be against Anthony Pettis. According to Mike Roberts, Pettis' manager, "Showtime" won't be ready to return from shoulder surgery in early August. He will, however, be ready to fight at UFC 151 on Sept. 1 in Las Vegas. That may not work for Cerrone, a native of Colorado Springs, Co., who expressed a strong desire following his win over Jeremy Stephens Tuesday night to fight on the Denver card. And to be fair to Cerrone, his demand was more about fighting close to home than it was about fighting his former WEC running mate, Pettis. "Whoever they want," Cerrone said on the FUEL TV post-fight show in response to his next opponent. "Denver is what I want, though." As for Pettis, his manager said he would be open to a fight against Cerrone, but he is still holding out hope that Nate Diaz changes his mind about waiting for a title shot and decides to fight him on the Labor Day card in Las Vegas. "Diaz is his first choice," Roberts said. The 25-year-old Pettis underwent minor shoulder surgery in March following his knockout of Joe Lauzon at UFC 144 in February.

Posted in: ufc, fight, anthony pettis, petti, cerrone

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After beating Jeremy Stephens on Tuesday at UFC on Fuel TV 3, Donald Cerrone eyed Anthony Pettis as his next challenge, a step up in competition. He was hoping for the fight to take place in his home state of Colorado at UFC 150 on August 11th. However, Pettis's manager announced today tat this would not be happening and that his client Pettis would be next fighting in September, possibly at UFC 151. “Showtime” is recovering from shoulder surgery, and will not be able to make UFC 150 at

Posted in: ufc, jeremy stephens, anthony pettis, petti, client pettis

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Anthony Pettis is anxious to get back in the cage but it won't be before September and that nixes any hope of a showdown with Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone, at least in Denver at UFC 150. Retweet this Share on Facebook • Email • StumbleUpon • Reddit • Digg • Technorati • Instapaper • Tumblr • Google Reader • LinkedIn

Posted in: september, anthony pettis, petti, anthony, bull

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I made the trip up to Milwaukee, Wisconsin late last week and it wasn't for the Bellator event, the UFC on Fox 3 show or even MFC. It was for a local show called the North American Fighting Championship which has become a hotbed for up-and-coming talent out of the Roufusport Gym. The night was headlined by a welterweight bout featuring Duke Roufus product Rick Glenn against journeyman Charon Spain. Glenn looked in control, scoring multiple trip takedowns and barring a big flurry from Spain at the end of the first round, was never in any trouble. In the second stanza, Glenn started quickly, hurting Spain on the feet and then pummeling him on the canvas to score a quick technical knockout (TKO) victory to improve his record to 10-2-1. Glenn is now unbeaten in his last eight fights and could be getting a promotion in the near future. I've got plenty of other highlights of the action including a HUGE upset as well as comments on the Sergio Pettis fight after the jump. Not every Roufusport fighter was victorious on the evening. Dustin Ortiz, a worldwide top 10 ranked flyweight took on Toledo area fighter Josh Robinson at a 130 pound catchweight and things didn't go as planned whatsoever. Despite having a huge wrestling edge, Ortiz seemed intent on showcasing his striking skills and he allowed "Shortstack" Robinson to dictate the action. Robinson showed no fear despite the apparent mismatch and was clearly outlanding and outperforming Ortiz on the feet. Ortiz was getting reamed by his corner for not utilizing his wrestling, only taking Robinson down briefly in the second round and he clearly lost both the first and third to the upset-minded Robinson, who was dressed to impress with matching pink water bottles, ankle wraps, shorts and mouthguard. In the end, Robinson was awarded a much-deserved split decision victory, something that stunned hardcore fans of the flyweight division as Ortiz had only previously lost to current UFC fighter Ian McCall. The other heavily-promoted bout for the evening was a flyweight battle between Sergio Pettis (Anthony Pettis' 18-year old brother) and 3-3 fighter Chris Haney. It was by far Pettis' stiffest test to date and he was given all he could handle in a very tough first round which could have gone either way. Pettis had stopped all three of his prior opponents, but in this fight, it was his conditioning that made the difference. He got stronger as the fight wore on while Haney slowed down drastically. While he still looked raw, that's to be expected in just your fourth professional fight especially at such a young age. Pettis' very untechnical escape from a heel hook (ripping his leg out instead of twisting free) was a notable example of this. In the end, however, his offensive wrestling and superior kickboxing allowed him to win a unanimous decision, the first such outcome of his young career. Other highlights of the evening were a pair of major bloodbaths in which Matt Gauthier remained undefeated by defeating Roufusport fighter Isreal Lozano via decision and Robert Coulliard's come-from-behind submission against Aaron Carter. My favorite fight of the evening was an amateur bout featuring two undefeated fighters in Roufusport's Elias Garcia and 5-0 Iowan Dillon Woods. Woods started very strong showcasing his superior striking and some awesome sweep and submission skills on the ground but Garcia was relentless. Garcia also was a great listener, adapting his style while listening to everything that his cornerman Ben Askren shouted from the side of the cage and was able to come back and win the fight via TKO in the third round. Some personal observations: - Ben Askren is an amazing cornerman. Rich Hansen from MMA Torch pointed it out as he was seated right next to him during the action but I could hear every word Askren said from the opposite side of the cage and he was handing out terrific advice. It seemed that as long as his fighters were listening, they were winning. Askren could make a ton of money as a cornerman/trainer once his fighting career is over but that's still a long ways away. - Erik Koch was interviewed in the cage center during a break in the action and he called out UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo. Everything hadn't been made official yet so he couldn't talk specifics, but he seemed confident about his chances. He can definitely test Aldo in the striking department if the bout stays standing at UFC 149. - Casino + fights is a bad idea for me. I lost $75 before the event started so I wasn't in the best mood at the beginning of the event. My own fault though. Should have put it all on red instead. - Duke Roufus really tests his fighters. He's not bringing in complete cans for his fighters to crush during these events. He brought in guys that are expected to push his team and make them better. It was nice to see that he's not just padding records. By making his students earn their wins, they'll be more prepared once the UFC comes calling.

Posted in: ufc, fight, fighter, petti, robinson

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With UFC's newly minted 125 pound division in his cross-hairs prospect Sergio Pettis (4-0) did not flinch when he was booked versus the unknown Chris Haney (3-4). The 18 year old younger brother of UFC star Anthony Pettis, Sergio's flyweight bout with Haney was the top undercard draw for North American Fighting Championship's Colosseum event in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. After moonlighting as a bantamweight the fight versus Haney was Pettis' first at 125 pounds as a pro. Pettis surprised in round one by taking down Haney and beating up with elbows on the ground. In round two Pettis nailed Haney with a head kick that dazed the Illinois fighter against the cage. Pettis would spend the remainder of the round clipping Haney with strikes on the feet. Pettis saved his best round for the final frame when he mixed his precision striking with takedowns. Trained in Wisconsin, Pettis lit Haney up with elbows on the feet before he closed the round with an emphatic takedown. After 15 minutes all three judges scored the fight in favor of Pettis. Pettis went 3-0 as amateur and with the decision over Haney moves to 4-0 since turning pro in September 2011. Out of the famed Roufus Sport camp in Wisconsin, Pettis began to earn buzz as a prospect during his amateur MMA and kickboxing days in 2009. Now only eight months into his pro career Pettis continues to validate his label as a four star prospect with each passing bout. The 5'6 Pettis has the ability to compete at 135 or 125 pounds in the UFC. In the latest ULTMMA.com prospect rankings Pettis checks in as the number 14th rated bantamweight. If, Pettis keeps his MMA record on the plus side he should be signed up by the UFC in 2013 or sooner him he chooses to. NAFC Colosseum results Milwaukee, WI *Rick Glenn def. Charon Span by TKO (Punches) 0:29 R2Josh Robinson def. *Dustin Ortiz by Split Decision *Sergio Pettis def. Chris Haney by Unanimous Decision Matt Gauthier def. Israel Lozano by Split DecisionRobert Coulliard def. Aaron Carter by Submission Triangle Choke 4:33 R2Agostino Denatale def. Cody Osborne by TKO (Retirement) 0:25 R2Mike Rhodes def. Zak Ottow by Unanimous DecisionJames Barber def. Jamie Bowar by Submission Arm Triangle Choke 1:12 R1Elias Garcia def. Dillon Woods by TKO (Punches) 1:57 R3Nate Jennerman def. Doug Deback by Submission Rear Naked Choke 1:20 R2*Prospect to watch

Posted in: round, petti, prospect, haney, wisconsin pettis

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Former WEC Lightweight champion, Anthony "Showtime" Pettis, will once again have to wait for his opportunity to challenge the UFC gold. Pettis was rumored to fight Nate Diaz for the #1 contender spot in the UFC Lightweight division, but now it looks like Diaz, who defeated Jim Miller at last Saturday's UFC on FOX 3, has decided to wait for the outcome of Henderson vs. Edgar rematch. Pettis is currently on a two-fight winning streak, holding a professional MMA record of 15-2. Further Reading: Submit

Posted in: ufc, diaz, petti, nate diaz, saturdays ufc

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Nate Diaz will wait for the winner of Benson Henderson and Frankie Edgar, but here's why Anthony Pettis should be next in line to face the Stockton bad boy instead. Retweet this Share on Facebook • Email • StumbleUpon • Reddit • Digg • Technorati • Instapaper • Tumblr • Google Reader • LinkedIn

Posted in: anthony pettis, petti, frankie edgar, benson henderson, bull

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A little more than a year ago UFC lightweight Anthony Pettis was in position to challenge for the divisional strap. However, then-champion Frankie Edgar was booked in a rematch with Gray Maynard after the two fought to a Draw, forcing Pettis to choose between a period of inactivity or risking his go at the gold. “Showtime” bravely went with the latter, though his gamble ultimately backfired after he lost a decision to Clay Guida and saw his title-shot go up in smoke. Last night Nate Diaz found himself under similar circumstances in the aftermath of beating Jim Miller at UFC on FOX 3. Shortly after his triumph the 27-year old was presented with two options– face Pettis in September or sit on the sidelines for nine months, twiddling his thumbs while Edgar and current champ Benson Henderson settle their score this fall before getting a crack at the winner. Apparently it didn’t take long for the Californian to make his decision. “I literally just talked to Nate Diaz. (He) is going to wait to take the title-shot,” said UFC President Dana White in an interview with Fuel TV after last night’s FOX event. Diaz’s performance against Miller marked his third straight win since returning to lightweight after a run at 170 pounds, adding to other instances of success against Takanori Gomi and Donald Cerrone. He holds an overall record of 16-7 with fourteen finishes. “We’ll figure it out,” White added when asked about how the organization would handle the 15-2 Pettis’ future. Pettis has come out victorious in back-to-back fights since the Guida loss, most recently knocking Joe Lauzon out in February at UFC 144. Watch the full interview with White below where he discusses Diaz’s evolution as a fighter as well as the other main card clashes at UFC on FOX 3: PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: ufc, diaz, anthony pettis, petti, nate diaz

Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain

Anthony Pettis has been called the No. 1 contender to the UFC lightweight title twice now. However, after Saturday night, it appears Pettis has been overtaken once again. Nate Diaz became the first fighter to submit Jim Miller in the main event of UFC on FOX 3, and UFC president Dana White said Diaz would [...]

Posted in: ufc, saturday night, petti, nate diaz, jim miller

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Three years ago, original Ultimate Fighter winner Diego Sanchez made a run at the lightweight title with wins over Joe Stevenson and Clay Guida before hitting a brick wall known as the best B.J. Penn the world had ever seen. While Sanchez looked sharp at 155 pounds, by his own account he was far from living up to his potential due to a number of personal issues in his life. Fresh off an entertaining albeit losing performance against Jake Ellenberger in early March, Sanchez recently underwent surgery for an injured shoulder and will be out until fall. The situation has not only given him an opportunity to take care of a nagging affliction but to give serious consideration to another dip in the lightweight pool. “I’m probably going to be going down to 155 for the next fight,” said Sanchez in an interview with MMAJunkie Radio. “The last time I was at 155, I was just a wreck. Mentally, I was still young and partying a lot, and I was still smoking weed. I was just a wild child. Now that I’m grounded and have my life together and am married, I’m just focused. So maybe 155 might be a better weight for me.” While plenty of exciting match-ups await Sanchez at lightweight, the one opponent he seems most drawn to is Anthony Pettis. In addition to being an exciting, well-rounded competitor, the 15-2 “Showtime” happens to be healing up from similar surgery and is expected to be ready for action around the same time as Sanchez. “I told Dana I really liked that fight,” relayed Sanchez of a potential pairing with Pettis. “I want to fight a guy who’s a fan favorite and who has a lot of fans and is a big draw. It’d make us both better, the sport better. Plus, the guy has a win over the champ, so that’d bump me up right to the top.” Pettis beat current title-holder Benson Henderson in late 2010 by way of decision. He is 2-1 since joining the UFC with a loss to Guida. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: fight, anthony pettis, petti, sanchez, fight ”

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UFC lightweight contender Anthony Pettis has decided to deal with some nagging injuries now that he won't be getting a top-flight matchup anytime soon. It appears that shoulder surgery will put him on the sidelines for a little while. His manager spoke to MMA Weekly about it: Pettis will undergo minor surgery according to his manager Mike Roberts from MMA Inc., who confirmed an earlier report from UFC Tonight on Fuel TV when speaking to MMAWeekly.com on Tuesday. Pettis also talked about it on twitter: @ShowtimepettisAnthony Pettis Minor surgery on my shoulder be back stronger than ever!!! Love all my followers and fans!!! #fb. Mar 21 via Twitter for iPhone Favorite Retweet Reply The article states that Pettis will be out eight weeks and should be back in the cage by "mid-to-late summer". After Anthony's spectacular head kick KO win over Joe Lauzon at UFC 144, Dana White speculated that Pettis could get a UFC lightweight title shot. Instead, the UFC chose to go with a title rematch between Frankie Edgar and Ben Henderson. Combine that with Clay Guida and Gray Maynard being matched up at UFC on FX 4, and it sort of left Pettis out in the cold. So, the timing of this makes sense. Once the division sorts itself out a bit through the spring, Pettis should be able to get a solid matchup. Who would you like to see him face when he comes back?

Posted in: ufc, petti, surgery, shoulder surgery, shoulder

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After the rematch between UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson and Frankie Edgar was announced for this summer, top contender Anthony Pettis has decided to go under the knife as opposed to enter the cage for his next move. Pettis is expected to undergo an undisclosed surgery which will sideline the former WEC champion for two to three months. Pettis (15-2) defeated Joe Lauzon via first round knockout at UFC 144 in February. He was hoping that was enough to earn a title shot against whomever came out the victor in the main event between Henderson and Edgar. Unfortunately for Pettis, due to the close matchup, a rematch between Henderson and Edgar was made. Pettis already owns a win over the current UFC champion, defeating Henderson in the final WEC event at WEC 53 in December 2010. He was promised a title shot against the winner of Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard at UFC 125. But, again, due to the close match (which was scored a draw), an immediate rematch was made. He then went on to lose his UFC debut against Clay Guida at The Ultimate Fighter Season 13 Finale in June. While rumors of a possible drop to featherweight and a title shot against champion Jose Also were discussed, Pettis will remain at lightweight and likely will return some time later this summer.

Posted in: ufc, title shot, petti, henderson, champion

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There had been talk of Anthony Pettis becoming the next challenger to UFC featherweight champ Jose Aldo’s reign atop the division. While Pettis shied away from that talk, saying his focus would be on 155 pounds, it looks like the 25-year old won’t be fighting anyone in any division for awhile. On this week’s episode of UFC Tonight it was reported that “Showtime” will have to have surgery to correct some undisclosed issues and will remain in the lightweight division upon his return later this spring or summer. Pettis appeared to be at the front of the line in determining the next contender to the lightweight title before Frankie Edgar was given an immediate rematch against Benson Henderson, leaving Pettis on the outside looking in. When he returns there’s no doubt Pettis will be back on the hunt for a title-shot as a former WEC champion having defeated Henderson for the company’s belt during their run in the promotion. Instead of waiting for a match with the then-busy Edgar upon his arrival in the UFC, he took a bout with Clay Guida, losing via decision but rebounding to defeat Jeremy Stephens and Joe Lauzon in subsequent showings. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: ufc, anthony pettis, petti, benson henderson, summer pettis

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Former WEC champion Anthony Pettis will not be making any trips down the UFC’s featherweight division. However, Pettis also won’t be stepping back inside the Octagon in the immediate future. Chael Sonnen, a guest analyst on UFC Tonight, reported that Pettis will undergo surgery and is expected to be out for at least eight weeks. To bring you up to speed, Mr. Pettis is going to go in for some surgery – he’s going to be out for about eight weeks. He’s going to make a comeback and it will be at 155. There were rumors of Pettis dropping down to featherweight to face champion Jose Aldo, but it looks like he’ll stay in the lightweight division for now. “Showtime” was looking at a title shot before Benson Henderson claimed the belt from Frankie Edgar in a close decision. Now, with his current situation more of an unknown – it was not made public what kind of surgery Pettis will be having – who he does face in his return remains a mystery. The lightweight division is stacked, so there are plenty of worthy challengers for Pettis to test his skills against. Photo credit: Dave Mandel/Sherdog

Posted in: petti, division, frankie edgar, surgery, surgery pettis

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Anthony Pettis has decided to have surgery to correct a lingering injury instead of fighting in the next few months.Chael Sonnen, who is represented by the same management team, MMA Inc., as Pettis, broke the news on Tuesday's episode of UFC Tonight on FUEL TV. MMAFighting.com subsequently confirmed the news with Pettis' manager, Mike Roberts. Roberts would not disclose which part of Pettis' body he was having surgery on or how long the injury had been bothering "Showtime" for. According to Roberts, Pettis decided to go under the knife after finding out that the UFC decided to give Frankie Edgar the next title show against new 155-pound champion Benson Henderson. Roberts said that if Pettis would have been chosen as the next title contender, he would have delayed the surgery for a later date. Pettis' injury is not considered serious, and Roberts said he expects him to be back in the cage by mid to late-summer. Pettis (15-2) most recently knocked out Joe Lauzon at UFC 144 last month in Japan.

Posted in: petti, robert, frankie edgar, surgery, roberts pettis

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Just when you are having the best day ever, life will find a way to knock you down off that big shiny unicorn of happiness you've been riding in your mind all day. This morning I woke up smiley and prepared for a beautiful first day of Spring. I was humming the lyrics to 'It was a good day' by Ice Cube. All the lyrics that is, except the 'Momma cooked a breakfast with no hog' part because I simply can't support the notion that breakfast without bacon equals a good day. That's utterly impossible. Everything was going fantastically, until I clicked on an MMAWeekly article informing me that Anthony Pettis has to have surgery and will be out for at least 8 more weeks. At least eight more weeks until I get my fix of Showtime kicks in the octagon is just plain the opposite of bueno. According to MMAWeekly.com Pettis' manager has stated that the surgery is minor and is 'required is to clean out some existing problems.' Although Pettis' camp did not choose to reveal the full nature of the surgery, in the fighting world you quickly learn the words 'clean out' usually indicate something associated with joints like the knees or elbows. As much as I want to go out and punch a random crabby old guy over this news, it's really not as bad as it seems. I was already gypped out of my Showtime kick fix due to Frankie Edgar getting granted an immediate rematch with Bendo instead of the title shot Pettis was originally supposed to get. With no fights lined up for Anthony at the moment, now is the best time to go in for surgery and be ready to fight sometime later this summer. Until then I guess you can all get your Pettis fix by watching highlight reel footage.  I'll find my Anthony Pettis induced happiness by reminding myself that his phone number is in my cell phone contact list. He probably doesn't know that though, so let's keep that a secret just between us. [source] Props to James Law of HeavyMMA for the beautiful header photo.

Posted in: day, anthony pettis, petti, anthony, surgery

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight Anthony Pettis has been the focal point of many conversations in the mixed martial arts (MMA) community lately. After his devastating first round knockout win over Joe Lauzon at UFC 144 on Feb. 25, 2012, in Saitama, Japan, many thought he may be headed for a rematch with the man who now holds the 155-pound crown, Ben Henderson. However, that was proven not to be when UFC President Dana White announced "Smooth" would be getting a different rematch, squaring off with the man he stole the belt from, Frankie Edgar. The rumor mill continued to swirl, as MMA pundits pined for a possible move down by "Showtime" to face the Featherweight Champion, Jose Aldo. Tonight, on FUEL TV's "UFC Tonight," guest analyst Chael Sonnen reported on Pettis' plans for the very near future: "To bring you up to speed, Mr. Pettis is going to go in for some surgery -- he's going to be out for about eight weeks. He's going to make a comeback and it will be at 155 [pounds]." The reason for the surgery, as well as the exact procedure, are both currently undisclosed. MMAmania.com will, of course, keep you updated on those specific developments as they become available. The question for Pettis becomes: Who will he fight next? Apparently, he isn't fighting Henderson. Not any time soon, anyway. He's not fighting Aldo, as long as "Scarface" is fighting at 145 pounds, either. The lightweight picture, in general, is very interesting. Nate Diaz is set to fight Jim Miller at UFC on Fox 3 in East Rutherford, N.J., on May 5, 2012. The winner is said to be next in line for a title shot, but is that ever really set in stone? The truth is that there aren't a ton of fights outside another showdown with Henderson that make much sense at the moment. The UFC may end up just waiting and seeing what happens between Diaz and Miller and going from there. In the meantime, Pettis will have no other option than to get healthy, wait and see who Joe Silva has in mind for him, and possibly work with Duke Roufus on some kicks that will make ESPN's "Top 10" list.

Posted in: ufc, fight, anthony pettis, petti, he

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Now that Anthony Pettis knows that his lightweight title shot will have to wait, he's decided to clean up some nagging injuries instead.

Posted in: title shot, anthony pettis, petti, anthony, surgery return

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Earlier this week a report surfaced citing Anthony Pettis’ manager as mentioning his client was weighing a drop down to 145 pounds with the possibility of facing Jose Aldo in the near future. However, the UFC lightweight has since spoken out on the matter, making it clear he has no plans to fight outside of his regular division even though he’s physically able to. “I’m not dropping to 145 to fight Aldo. 155 is my home and I’ll get that belt,” wrote the 15-2 Pettis yesterday to fans on his Facebook page. Pettis’ representative, Mike Roberts, also clarified his position, adding on Twitter, “He could make 145 lbs but lightweight still has some unfinished business.” The 25-year old has won six of his last seven fights including back-to-back bouts inside the Octagon. He also holds a victory over current lightweight champion Benson Henderson from their WEC days and was thought to be in line for a title-shot after knocking Joe Lauzon out at UFC 144. Now that former divisional king Frankie Edgar has received a rematch with Henderson and the winner of an upcoming fight between Jim Miller-Nate Diaz is confirmed as being the next contender, Pettis will go back to the drawing board in hopes of taking out another top contender to solidify his spot at the top of the contendership ladder. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: ufc, fight, petti, jose aldo, twitter “

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The idea of Anthony Pettis dropping to featherweight to fight for Jose Aldo's 145 pound title picked up a lot of steam when his manager made the statement that Pettis would do it "for the right terms." While the idea of the fight seemed amazing as Pettis and Aldo almost certainly couldn't put on a bad fight, there were immediate rebuttals to the idea that Pettis would actually drop in weight. Anthony took to his Twitter late last night to make it clear he was not dropping any time soon: @ShowtimepettisAnthony Pettis I'm not dropping to 145 to fight aldo! 155 is my home and I'll get that belt soon!!! #fb Mar 14 via Twitter for iPhone Favorite Retweet Reply Thoughts after the jump... You can't really blame Pettis as he is probably only one win away from a lightweight title shot. I've said it before but it bears repeating; MMA fans are becoming way to quick to call for fighters to jump around in weight. Maybe it's my having watched boxing for far too long, but asking guys to drop over 6% of their total body weight is no small request and can have a significant impact on performance. I'd love to see Pettis and Aldo mix it up at some point in the future, but I'd rather wait until it makes sense for either guy.

Posted in: fight, anthony pettis, petti, aldo, right terms

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With a lightweight title shot within his grasp, Anthony Pettis isn't moving to featherweight. The former WEC champ, who was expected to fight current UFC champ Benson Henderson until Frankie Edgar instead recently got the rematch, curbed the speculation on Wednesday. Pettis' name had been attached to rumors of a possible move to Strikeforce to fight champ Gilbert Melendez or a move down to 145 pounds to fight UFC titleholder Jose Aldo.

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Just days after his manager was telling reporters he was considering a drop down to 145-pounds to fight UFC Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo, Anthony Pettis has made his immediate plans clear. "I'm not dropping to 145-pounds to fight Aldo," he tweeted. "155-pounds is my home and I'll get that belt soon." Lofty aspirations, no doubt, but his optimism isn't exactly misplaced. The man currently holding the lightweight championship, Ben Henderson, is the very same man "Showtime" posterized with his "off-the-wall" kick at WEC 53 back in Dec. 2010. Pettis took "Bendo's" lightweight title then; why couldn't he do so now? Well, for starters, a pesky scrapper from New Jersey is getting in the way of Pettis realizing his dream. And it isn't the first time Frankie Edgar has muddied up the 155-pound waters. When Pettis defeated Henderson at the previously mentioned WEC 53, he earned a title shot against the winner of the Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard title fight set for UFC 125 the very next month as a nice, simple way to unify the titles after the two brands merged. Alas it was not to be, as Edgar and Maynard fought to an unsatisfying draw in one of the best fights of the year. Naturally, that meant an immediate rematch, which left Pettis with a tough decision -- risk his status as number one contender to stay active or wait for his guaranteed shot. He chose the former ... and it cost him. The Duke Roufus product dropped a unanimous decision to Clay Guida and fell back down the ladder. All the while Henderson was steady climbing his way up it. "Smooth" eventually earned a title shot against Edgar, who had knocked Maynard out to retain his belt months prior, at UFC 144, a card that also featured Pettis taking on veteran submission ace Joe Lauzon. Henderson would go on to outpoint Edgar after five extremely close -- dare I say, controversial -- rounds while Pettis destroyed Lauzon via head kick knockout in just over a minute. After the event, UFC President Dana White set the wheels in motion for Pettis to rematch Henderson. But Edgar wouldn't go away so easy. While White was busy trying to convince him to move down to featherweight, a more natural weight class for him, even promising him an immediate title shot, "The Answer" was demanding an immediate rematch. He gave one to both B.J. Penn and Maynard, after all; he should get the same respect. When White was unsuccessful in his bid to convince him otherwise, he set up the rematch and now Pettis is once again on the outside looking in. Perhaps that's why rumors started to fly regarding his potentially dropping down to fight Aldo but he has every reason to stay at lightweight. Especially if Henderson defeats Edgar for a second time. "Showtime" beat him once, he knows he can beat him again. In the meantime, though, he may very well have to risk his number one contender status. But against who? For that will have to stay tuned. No matter what, though, we now know his next fight will be at 155-pounds. Like it or not.

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Anthony Pettis may not be getting the next crack at the UFC lightweight title, but he's not going anywhere but on a hunt for the next best challenge at 155lbs.

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It appears a top lightweight may be considering a move to 145 pounds and it’s NOT Frankie Edgar. On this week’s episode of UFC Tonight, correspondent Ariel Helwani confirmed Anthony Pettis is thinking about dropping down a weight class to face Jose Aldo for the featherweight title. UFC President Dana White nearly named Pettis the #1 contender to Benson Henderson following the 28-year old’s victory over Edgar for the lightweight belt last month before changing gears and giving “The Answer” an immediate rematch. Now, it looks like “Showtime” might take the same spot White offered to Edgar as enticement to fight as a 145-pounder. “I spoke to Anthony’s manager just a few hours ago and he told me that he was really disappointed, but he respects the decision,” said Helwani of Edgar receiving a rematch before adding, “He would consider going down to 145 to fight Aldo.” Pettis was the last man to defeat Henderson, claiming the WEC lightweight title from him in the process, but started out his UFC run on a sour note after falling to Clay Guida via decision in his promotional debut. He has since picked up a pair of wins, outpointing Jeremy Stephens and knocking out Joe Lauzon last month. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

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Despite not getting his shot at Ben Henderson's UFC Lightweight title, it seems like the former WEC 155 champion Anthony Pettis will still fight for the belt this year. According to FuelTV's Ariel Helwani, Anthony Pettis is currently considering a move down to Featherweight, for an opportunity to challenge Jose Aldo for his title. Helwani quoted Pettis' manager, who also spoke about Showtime's disappointment with the fact the decision to grant Frankie Edgar an immediate rematch (via MMAMania.com): "I spoke

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The last man to hold the World Extreme Championship (WEC) lightweight title, Anthony Pettis, wanted to prove that beating Ben Henderson to earn that distinction was not a fluke. In order to do that, he required a "Smooth" rematch against "Bendo," who took over the 155-pound throne under the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) banner by outpointing Frankie Edgar last month in Japan. "Showtime" held up his end of the bargain by cleaning the clock of Boston grappler Joe Lauzon, also at UFC 144, and put himself in prime position to make it two in a row against Henderson. Unfortunately nobody cleared it with Edgar. His "Answer" to UFC President Dana White, who urged the Jersey Shore native to drop a few pounds and challenge Jose Aldo for the featherweight crown in the promotion's desolate 145-pound division, was an emphatic "No." Edgar instead wanted a Henderson rematch based on the (mildly) controversial finish from their championship tilt at the Saitama Super Arena. Wish granted. That means Pettis will have to fend off another round of lightweight hopefuls to keep his spot in line. Or he can do what Edgar wouldn't, and shed some skin to give "Junior" the fits in a featherweight title fight. A move his manager tells Ariel Helwani (via UFC Tonight) is currently under consideration. "I spoke to Anthony's manager just a few hours ago and he told me that he was really disappointed, but he respects the decision. He would consider going down to 145 to fight Aldo. This is definitely something to monitor." Pettis (15-2) is currently 2-1 as a ZUFFA employee and already coughed up one lightweight title shot after getting mugged by Clay Guida in June 2011. Does he stick around and risk another possible loss to a decorated wrestler like Gray Maynard, or see what kind of impact he can make against Aldo? Thoughts?

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Cesar Gracie knows a lot about MMA, apparently including when Strikeforce lightweight champ Gilbert Melendez will fight next. One of Melendez’s core coaches, Gracie revealed the date of the 29-year old’s next fight. “Gil is fighting May 19,” the BJJ wizard wrote on Twitter, adding two names he’s crossing his fingers for though neither actually happens to be signed to the organization’s roster. “I hope (B.J.) Penn or (Anthony) Pettis.” The date lines up with the final of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix between Josh Barnett and Daniel Cormier, rumored for San Jose, with Nate Marquardt also expected to debut at the summer event. UFC President Dana White has been stated repeatedly the 20-2 Melendez was not likely to join the UFC anytime soon.  As such, Melendez may be hoping for a big name like Penn or even Pettis to help raise his stock in the division. Penn, a former double-divisional champion, has stuck to his retirement since losing to Nick Diaz last October while Pettis has become the odd man out at 155 in the UFC with champion Benson Henderon taking on Frankie Edgar in a rematch and Nate Diaz-Jim Miller fighting for top contendership in May. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

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Gilbert Melendez is fighting May 19. That much he does know. Who his opponent will be however is still the big mystery. Melendez’s trainer/manager Cesar Gracie confirmed on Twitter today that Melendez is fighting on the May 19 Strikeforce card which will feature the finals of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix. More interesting though is what he tweeted after. @ufc Gil is fighting May 19th. I hope Penn or Pettis Both BJ Penn and Anthony Pettis would make great match-ups for Melendez. Better than any match-up Strikeforce could make for him. But the question is are they actually on the table as potential opponents or is Gracie just giving his wishlist? That remains to be seen, however Melendez did tell MiddleEasy in a recent video interview that he didn’t think it would be Josh Thomson who seemed to emerge as the frontrunner to fight for the Strikeforce lightweight title next when he beat KJ Noons earlier this month at Strikeforce “Tate vs. Rousey.” Anyone want to see Melendez vs. Penn or Melendez vs. Pettis?

Posted in: strikeforce, anthony pettis, petti, penn, melendez

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Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez will fight at the organization's recently announced May 19 event. Against whom? That's a good question. Josh Thomson and Pat Healy have emerged as top contenders. However, one of Melendez's coaches, Cesar Gracie, has two suggestions: current UFC fighters B.J. Penn or Anthony Pettis.

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Some would say Anthony Pettis has been robbed twice. He was "promised" a UFC lightweight title shot when he defeated Ben Henderson for the WEC lightweight title in the last fight World Extreme Cagefighting ever promoted. Unfortunately for him, he watched as Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard went to a draw at UFC 125, and a third bout between the two was necessary. Since then he has rebounded from a loss to Clay Guida by beating Jeremy Stephens, and he followed that up with a spectacular head-kick knockout of Joe Lauzon at UFC 144. When Dana White was asked after UFC 144 if Pettis would get his title shot, his answer was short, but typically vague: "Probably. But we'll see what happens." "We'll see what happens" turned out to be a Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson rematch. I won't argue the merits of that decision here, though I do believe that the majority of fans aren't interested in seeing that again. This post is about what the UFC should do with Showtime now that he has been shut out of the title picture once again. To me, there's only one option - Gray Maynard. And here's why. 1. Pettis needs a signature win in the UFC. Wins over Jeremy Stephens and Joe Lauzon are good, but not good enough to give him the cred he needs to fight for a title. Sure, he holds a win over the champion, and did it in style. But like it or not, it was in another organization that only a fraction of UFC fans watched. Henderson earned his shot with three UFC wins, two over top-ten fighters. If Pettis beats Maynard, there's no denying him the shot. 2. Maynard deserves a top opponent for his comeback fight. Other than Clay Guida, there is no one else worthy of a fight with Gray. Maynard is still one of the best lightweights in the world, and has taken his training to another level since the Edgar loss. He has worked with Jose Aldo in Brazil, spent time at American Kickboxing Academy, and has taken a page out of B.J. Penn's book by working with Marv and Gary Marinovich on his conditioning. Maynard is still right there, and could easily earn another title shot if Henderson retains against Edgar and he can beat Pettis. 3. Showtime's reputation will be greatly enhanced with a win over a wrestler. Yes, he beat Ben Henderson in the WEC. But he was completely grounded by Clay Guida in his UFC debut, and UFC fans have short memories. A win over an excellent wrestler like Maynard would go a long way towards erasing the belief that Pettis can't hang with wrestlers in the big leagues. 4. It's the most logical fight to make.The only thing that comes close is Guida/Maynard, and that leaves Pettis out of the top-tier once again. Guida can fight Joe Lauzon or Gleison Tibau next. Maybe even Melvin Guillard, now that he's left Jackson's. 5. The booking should generate some trash talk. Maynard is known as a guy who is brutally honest when he does interviews, and he took Pettis to town in an interview last year. Pettis undoubtedly feels slighted by the fact that Edgar got a rematch, and has been viewed by some as a tad cocky. I think they'll have a few things to say about each other, which will help sell the bout. The winner of Nate Diaz vs. Jim Miller at UFC on Fox 3 will likely meet the winner of Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson 2. That's fine. But there's nothing wrong with booking this fight as well. It wouldn't happen until the summer, and the bout can be promoted as a number one contender's bout if things play out the right way. It's the best way to go. Joe Silva - let's do this.

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For new UFC lightweight champ Benson Henderson it has been nothing short of a crazy few weeks since winning the title at UFC 144. Instead of returning to the U.S. and basking in his glory, Henderson took a visit to Korea after defeating Frankie Edgar for the belt in Japan while hearing constant questioning about what his next move would be. “Smooth” seems ready to get back in the routine of practice and training, and, as he revealed yesterday, is even willing to give Edgar the rematch he seeks. “Frankie had a very tough situation. He had a rough road with two rematches right away after his title defenses,” said Henderson while serving as a guest on Monday’s episode of The MMA Hour. “I’m more than willing to give Frankie a rematch. Let’s do it. Set it up for tomorrow.” “Bendo” also elaborated saying he as a MMA fan understood Edgar’s case and didn’t want to be a guy they felt was afraid of giving the 30-year old another shot to make things right. Additionally, Henderson talked about facing Anthony Pettis who UFC President Dana White said was near the front of the line in terms of a title-shot. “Showtime” was the last man to defeat Henderson, taking a WEC title from him, and picked up a Knockout of the Night win at UFC 144 over Joe Lauzon. “Do I want to face Pettis again? Absolutely,” Henderson said after questioning Pettis’ recent accomplishments. “We will see each other again. Before I retire, before I die, I’m going to see Anthony Pettis again.” For now, Henderson will wait and see what the UFC decides is next for him, but he will do so as the champion and with an open mind in terms of who he faces. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

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Less than one week after capturing the UFC lightweight championship, Ben Henderson is taking fire from all sides. Such is life at the top. On Wednesday's edition of The MMA Hour, the man he defeated at UFC 144, Frankie Edgar, practically demanded an immediate rematch. Shortly after that, the manager of rising contender Anthony Pettis called in to make "Showtime's" case as the man who should have the first crack at Henderson's belt.Apparently, Pettis was among the show's live listeners, and though he was feeling under the weather, asked his manager Mike Roberts to call in on his behalf. Roberts said that while Pettis respects Edgar's resume and stance on a return bout, that he believes he made his own solid case with a spectacular knockout of Joe Lauzon.Beyond that, sprinkle some added rivalry into the equation, as Pettis felt slighted by Henderson's recent comments about Pettis' place in the pecking order and seeming disinterest in a rematch. "He's heard some stuff that Ben Henderson has said in the last couple days that really got under his skin," he said. "Ben has said some things basically implying that Anthony is beneath him and he has to do all this stuff to work his way back to a title shot. He keeps referring to him like, 'I see you. You're doing big things. One day…' And Anthony's like, 'Wait a minute. I just beat you over a year ago. I put your face on ESPN for a year and you're talking like you're so much ahead of me.' It got under Anthony's skin a little bit."Pettis did in fact defeat Henderson in December 2010 in the last match in WEC, aided by an innovative fifth-round "Showtime Kick" off the cage that floored Henderson and sealed the win. Given that history between them and the fact that Pettis is one up, Roberts said Pettis is actually surprised that Henderson isn't jumping at the chance to face him again and avenge that defeat."Anthony was thinking, 'Ben should want this rematch more than anything,'" he said. "He said if he would've lost like that, he would've wanted it. He's perturbed because he just keeps implying that Anthony is so much beneath him. He respects the fact that he won the belt and Anthony was glad that he won the fight, but he's a little perturbed that Ben keeps talking like Anthony is so far beneath him."Mbr /> Pettis' displeasure likely stems at least partially from some of Henderson's comments in a post-fight interview with MMA Fighting in Saitama. When asked by Ariel Helwani if he expected to next face Pettis, Henderson had some good things to say about him but indicated that matchup wasn't likely his next one."He's spectacular," he said. "He does a lot of big moves, but I think there's a line. I don't think he's first in line. I'm going to handle my business. I'm going to defend my belt a couple times. He's going to handle his business. I'm sure he'll get 2-3 more wins, maybe highlight-reel wins, maybe sturdy wins against solid wrestlers. He can show he worked on his takedown defense or whatever. He's going to do his thing, I'm going to do my thing and I'm sure we will match up one day. I'm sure it will be for my UFC belt. I don't know if it will be next but I'm sure it'll happen."For now, Roberts said he hasn't heard anything from UFC officials about whether Pettis would draw Henderson, or whether Edgar's campaign would push him back to the front of the line. If it's the latter, so be it. Roberts acknowledged Edgar made several good points about his own rematch, but this situation has everything to do with Pettis and Henderson, and what they believe to be a champion's distorted viewpoint. "I don't think he's dodging him, but Anthony feels like he's disrespecting him by the things he's saying," Roberts said. "Anthony's like, 'I just beat him a little over a year ago, or a little over a year ago, fair and square, and he's talking like he's so far ahead of me, like, 'Hey kid, I got you in my sights,' and that's rubbing Anthony the wrong way."

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There was never any real doubt as to whether or not Anthony Pettis possessed the skills to beat Joe Lauzon at UFC 144. However, the speed in which he dismantled his apt adversary surprised many including Pettis himself. “Showtime” discussed his Knockout of the Night performance in an interview with Fuel TV shortly after picking up the victory, stating he expected a much tougher fight but was happy to use to momentum from it to propel him into a title-shot regardless. When asked about his expectations and whether they included an 81-second head-kick knockout an animated Pettis replied, “Not really. I knew this fight would be a tough fight. Joe’s one of those guys who can go anywhere. I expected more to be on the ground. I thought he would throw big punches and get a takedown but I started feeling comfortable in my Southpaw stance and I caught him slipping.” While he may not have been ready for such a quick finish Pettis still knew victory was in his grasp as soon as his memorable strike connected. “Oh I knew it was over,” said Pettis on the subject. “I felt where it was at on my shin, how hard it hit him, I saw his eyes roll back….I knew he was done.” Now that he’s won two fights in a row since losing a hard-fought decision to Clay Guida in his UFC debut the 15-2 Pettis feels he’s finally hitting his stride inside the Octagon and expects more big things in the coming months. “Definitely,” explained Pettis when asked if he felt fans had seen the “real” him this time around. “Last year wasn’t my year and I’m coming strong this year and I’m excited for 2012.” As far as who should be considered top contender to Benson Henderson’s title, Pettis laid things out is as simple a manner as could be asked for. “You’re looking at him,” the 25-year old responded. “Showtime” Feels He Has Unfinished Business with “Bendo” Pettis holds a previous win over Henderson in a bout featuring his infamous kick off the side of the cage. Check out the complete interview below: PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

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If Anthony Pettis were Benson Henderson, he wouldn't want to fight Anthony Pettis either. At least, not if he plans to hold on to the title. That's according to "Showtime," who UFC President Dana White named as the "probable" number-one contender for Henderson's newly aqccuired throne following UFC 144. Meanwhile, on the same night, Henderson went on record stating that, in his opinion, Pettis wasn't ready to challenge for the title, and should spend some time working on his takedown defense.

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When the UFC brought an event to Japan for the first time in over a decade, it was supposed to make us wistful for PRIDE, the Japanese promotion that had a short but eventful 10-year life span before being snuffed out by a yakuza scandal. It may or may not have accomplished that, but what also came along with it, unexpectedly, was nostalgic feelings for the WEC.That promotion has only been defunct for a little over one year, but UFC 144's two biggest stars were distinguished alumni. On Sunday morning in Saitama, Ben Henderson captured the lightweight championship, and Anthony Pettis may have staked his claim as No. 1 contender with a crushing first-round knockout of Joe Lauzon.That two of the WEC's former 155-pound champs beat UFC stars didn't come as a huge surprise, but it might have served to once and for all, kill past beliefs that the promotion's lightweight division was a second-tier unit. Ironically, Henderson and Pettis pulled down the curtain on the WEC's history with a bout that many considered the best fight of 2010, one that may have led to an immediate rematch had the organization continued on. We didn't get it then, but 14 months later, what's old is new again, and Henderson vs. Pettis II may well be the direction of the new UFC's champs career arc.Ben HendersonHenderson stands at the top of the lightweight division after a unanimous decision win over Edgar. The tide seemed to turn in the second round with the upkick that probably broke Edgar's nose and led to swelling around his left eye. Henderson won the final four rounds on two of the judges' scorecards, and three on the other. Afterward, UFC president Dana White suggested he'd draw Pettis next, though it didn't seem to be a sure thing. After he looks over the division, he'll see that other top contenders like Nate Diaz and Jim Miller are locked into a May fight, and waiting for them would leave Henderson on the sidelines too long. That leaves Pettis as the best option.Prediction: Bendo vs. Showtime IIFrankie EdgarAnother courageous effort from Edgar, but this one fell short. If you read my column on Sunday, you'd know that Dana White's talk of a fight with featherweight champ Jose Aldo were a not-so-subtle offer. I don't think Edgar will get an immediate rematch, so instead of trying to rebuild himself as a lightweight contender, he'll realize that it's best to take the golden opportunity when it's presented.Predicton: He faces Jose AldoQuinton "Rampage" JacksonRampage campaigned to fight in Japan but his performance didn't meet expectations, as he couldn't keep Ryan Bader from out-pointing him on the feet and smothering him on the ground. He said afterward that he'd suffered a knee injury in training, but offering that up as an excuse won't placate many of his critics, who fear he's not as interested in fighting as he once was. Jackson, though, said he would fight on, hoping to snap the first two-fight losing streak of his career. If he won, I think he would have been lined up to fight Dan Henderson. Though it's still a rematch that may interest Hendo, I'm not sure it still happens.Prediction: He faces Mauricio "Shogun" RuaRyan BaderBy beating Jackson, Bader should probably get the Henderson fight, but I'm not sure if they'll offer it to him. Jackson did say he was injured, and he should probably take a bit of time to heal. If Bader came out unscathed, he's much more likely to be ready to fight first. So he's the one who should get the offer to fight Henderson. Whether or not Henderson will accept the fight or wait for the Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans winner is another story.Prediction: Bader faces Lyoto MachidaMark HuntDon't look now, but Hunt is knocking on the door of the UFC's top 10 heavyweights after three straight wins, a surprising development given the fact that a couple years ago, the UFC wanted to pay him to walk away from his deal. The talent pool will lead to more challenging matchups now for Hunt, who in his career has excelled against strikers but struggled with grapplers. For his next fight, he gets the latter.Prediction: He faces Mike RussowJake ShieldsShields' win over Yoshihiro Akiyama wasn't a masterpiece but after rough 2011 in which he had a two-fight losing streak and lost his father getting back to the winners' circle had to feel great for him. When Nick Diaz lost to Carlos Condit at UFC 143, I predicted he'd fight Jon Fitch, but with Diaz preparing to appeal his suspension, he won't be fighting anytime soon, so his Team Cesar Gracie would be a nice replacement in a fight that may turn into a grappler's delight.Prediction: He faces Jon FitchTim BoetschAs unlikely as Hunt's rise through the ranks is that of Tim Boetsch, who was dominated in the first two rounds of his fight with Yushin Okami before mounting a ferocious comeback. That makes Boetsch 3-0 as a middleweight and sets him up for another quality opponent. Someone like Mark Munoz would make sense but with Munoz still recovering from elbow surgery, we'll have to look elsewhere. Prediction: He faces Michael BispingHatsu HiokiPrior to the event, I wrote a column about Hioki's title hopes, and how a win over Bart Palaszewski could help him reach Jose Aldo. Well, Hioki won impressively, but afterward said he would like to fight once more before facing Aldo. Anyway, UFC president Dana White didn't seem sold on Hioki as a No. 1 contender, declining to even pronounce him to be "in the mix," a usual catch-all for anyone within yelling distance of a title shot.Prediction: He faces the winner of April's Diego Nunes vs. Dennis Siver boutAnthony PettisIt looks like Pettis and Henderson are meant to be linked together, two of the most energetic and likable young 155-pounders moving up to the UFC and proving they were always among the best.Prediction: As stated above, he faces Henderson

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Seconds after Ben Henderson defeated Frankie Edgar at UFC 144 this past weekend (Feb 25, 2012) in Japan, to earn his first-ever taste of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) gold, "Smooth" already had someone knocking at his door, ready to challenge him for his newly-won title. That man, is none other than Anthony Pettis, the last man to defeat him back in 2010 in the now extinct World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) organization. The two lightweights scrapped for Benson's 155-pound title for a full five rounds in what was the final main event for the organization at WEC 53. "Showtime" defeated "Smooth" in a back-and-forth brawl the saw Pettis deliver the kick heard around the world to seal the deal in the closing seconds of the bout. Now, aside from taking his WEC belt, Pettis wants to be the man to snatch away his UFC lightweight title as well, but apparently, as he told MMA Fighting, Henderson does not feel that Anthony deserves a shot at his title just yet: "I see you, you're doing big things and the way he does things, man he is spectacular, he does a lot of big things and moves. I think there's a line. I don't think he is first in line. I'm going to handle my business, you know, defend the belt a couple times. He's going to handle his business. I'm sure he'll get two or three more wins, maybe highlight reel wins, maybe sturdy wins against solid wrestlers where he can show and work on his take down defense or whatever. But he's going to do his thing and I'm going to do my thing. I'm sure well match up one day and I'm sure it will be for my UFC belt. I don't know if he'll be next, but I'm sure it will happen." "Showtime," on the other hand, doesn't really see any other option for Henderson at the moment, but also stated that if he was in Benson's shoes, he'd probably avoid a rematch too. After the jump, an exclusive first look at what Pettis told Pro MMA Radio about why Henderson doesn't want to fight him: "If I was him, I would say the same thing too. I mean, he just won the belt and he doesn't want to give it up that quick and if he fights against me, he's not going to hold on to that belt for awhile, I mean, I match up bad for him, and for (him to say) for me to work on my takedown defense, last year he couldn't take me down and we went five rounds and I won that decision. So, if I was him, I wouldn't want to fight me either. Of course, he doesn't want to fight me, for that reason. There is no clear number one contender in the UFC (lightweight) division except myself. I mean Diaz is fighting Jim Miller, and that fight's a long time away. Let's set this up, let's see who's really number one in the lightweight division. I'm the last guy to beat him and I just had one of the best performances of my life, so let's make this happen. He definitely got a lot better, but I got a lot better too, everybody gets better in a year. I don't really see too big a changes, I don't think it's going to be one of those fights that where he's just going to come in and dominate." The bout hasn't been made official and the tension, it seems, is already getting thicker by the minute. The Duke Roufus-trained fighter blitzed his way up the top of the list of lightweight title contenders the same night Benson dominated Edgar for five rounds, as Pettis displayed yet again, his laser-like striking by knocking out Joe Lauzon in 81 seconds with a head kick that sent "J-Lau" tumbling down to the canvas. He even followed it up with a few pinpoint punches for good measure. With Nate Diaz and Jim Miller, the other top two 155-pound candidates for title consideration, set to tangle in a little over three months at UFC on Fox 3, it may behoove the new UFC lightweight champion to take the fight at hand against Pettis, rather than sit out for a possible seven to eight months. Anyone feel Henderson is trying to avoid suffering the same fate to Pettis that he incurred at WEC 53? Or has Pettis yet to stake his rightful place as the legitimate number one contender to have first crack at attempting to dethrone the new champ? Hear the entire interview with Pettis on this Thursday's edition of Pro MMA Radio.

Posted in: ufc, fight, title, petti, im

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Newly crowned UFC lightweight champion Ben Henderson may be willing to take on whoever the UFC puts in front of him, but that doesn’t mean he thinks the apparent frontrunner Anthony Pettis should be first in line. In his post-fight interview with MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani, Henderson said that Pettis should get a few more wins before challenging him for the title. Transcription via MMA Mania: “The way he does things, man, he’s spectacular. He does a lot of big moves. But I think there’s a line. I don’t think he’s first in line. I’m going to handle my business, defend the belt a couple times. He’s going to handle his business, I’m sure he’ll get two or three more wins, maybe highlight reel wins, maybe sturdy wins against solid wrestlers who he can show that he’s been working on his takedown defense or whatever. But he’s going to do his thing, I’m going to do my thing. I’m sure we will match up one day and I’m sure it will be for my UFC belt. I don’t know if it will be next but I’m sure it will happen.” Looking at records alone, I guess you could argue that Pettis needs another win or two before he “deserves” a shot at the title, but let’s be honest, that’s usually not how it works. Following his loss to Clay Guida, Pettis scored a win over Jeremy Stephens and follow it up with a sensational knockout over Joe Lauzon on the same card Henderson won the title. If he had just eeked out a decision over Lauzon, things may be different, but given his history with Henderson which produced the craziest kick the sport has ever seen, I think the UFC has all the justification it needs to give Pettis the shot now. The fight makes sense and timing is perfect. Let’s see it. On another note, check out Henderson’s TUF 9 audition tape that MiddleEasy somehow dug up. My favorite part is how Bendo proclaims at the end that he’s going to win the TUF 9 crown and move on to become the UFC lightweight champ. He never made it on the show, but be damn sure got the more important of the two right. Pretty cool.

Posted in: ufc, title, petti, henderson, line

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In the opening bout of the UFC 144 pay per view broadcast, Anthony Pettis scored a highlight reel head kick knockout over Joe Lauzon to the astonishment of the crowd. The stoppage came at 1:21 in the first round. Pettis opened the fight up with various kicks that kept Lauzon at bay before landing the fight ending kick to the head. The bout was the sixth of the evening. Anthony Pettis landed a head kick followed by a kick to the body to open the round. Joe Lauzon responded by coming forward with punches but nothing landed with any sort of power. Pettis landed a side kick to the body and then faked a kick low before sending high. The skull crushing kick dropped Joe Lauzon and Pettis followed him to the ground with punches before the referee could stop the fight. What was the high point of this fight? The Anthony Pettis high kick. Joe Lauzon was not expecting Pettis to go high and was dropped with a beautiful switch kick to the head. Where do these guys go from here? Judging from the post-fight discussion, it is very possible that Anthony Pettis will receive the first shot at Benson Henderson's lightweight belt. The two have a history as Pettis defeated Henderson at WEC 53 to become the final WEC lightweight champion. With that victory Pettis earned a title shot which never came as he lost his UFC debut against Clay Guida. A rematch will provide Pettis a chance to shut up the naysayers who believed that his win over Benson was a fluke. The current state of the lightweight division means that Joe Lauzon may not lose as much of a standing outside the top contenders as one would expect. The win over Melvin Guillard definitely allows him some wiggle room to reestablish himself for another shot at contendership. Watch it now, later, or never? Now. Like most of the fights at UFC 144, the bout between Pettis and Lauzon ended in highlight reel fashion. If you missed it, you should probably watch it as soon as possible. SBN coverage of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson More Bloody Elbow coverage of UFC 144 in the full entry. UFC 144 Results: Winners, Losers, And Other Thoughts - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Frankie Edgar Doesn't 'Need' To Drop To Featherweight - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144 Results: Rampage Jackson Goes Out Like A Lamb In Loss To Ryan Bader - Nate Wilcox UFC 144 Results: Ben Henderson And Anthony Pettis Ready For Rematch - Nate Wilcox UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Results And Post-Fight Analysis - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144 Results: Dana White Says Anthony Pettis Will 'Likely' Get Next UFC Lightweight Title Shot - Bloody Elbow UFC 144 Post-Fight Press Conference Video UFC Japan Video: Georges St. Pierre Gets Attacked By A Mob Of Kids With Samurai Foam Swords - Bloody Elbow Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 139: UFC 144 Results Review UFC 144 Results: Ryan Bader Dominates Rampage Jackson To Decision - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Mark Hunt Knocks Out Cheick Kongo In The First Round - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Jake Shields Wins Hard Fought Decision Over Yoshihiro Akiyama - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Tim Boetsch Upsets Yushin Okami In The Third Round - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Post-Fight Press Conference Video UFC 144 Results: Hatsu Hioki Defeats Bart Palaszewski By Unanimous Decision - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Anthony Pettis Knocks Out Joe Lauzon In The First Round - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Takanori Gomi Stops Eiji Mitsuoka In The Second - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Vaughan Lee Submits Kid Yamamoto With An Armbar - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Riki Fukuda Dominates Steve Cantwell To Decision - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Chris Cariaso Defeats Takeya Mizugaki By Unanimous Decision - Matthew Roth UFC 144 Results: Issei Tamura Knocks Out Tiequan Zhang - Matthew Roth

Posted in: ufc, result, petti, matthew, roth

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Even before stepping inside the Octagon to face Frankie Edgar, streaking contender (now champion) Benson Henderson talked about his dream of wanting to go down as one of the greatest of all-time. Now, after claiming the lightweight title from Edgar in a thrilling five-round affair at UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson, “Smooth” is on his way to making that claim come true. Henderson won the fight on all three scorecards with effective striking and a stiff upkick from the ground that bloodied and likely broke the nose of Edgar. A likely bout with Anthony Pettis is on the horizon now, as “Showtime” is the last fighter to score a victory over “Bendo”. “I want to defend it however many times Anderson Silva defends his (title)…plus one,” laughed Henderson during the post-event press conference. “Whoever it happens to be, whether it’s Frankie again, I’m down for that. Anthony Pettis, I see you doing big things, making waves, great fighter, very spectacular. It if happens to be Anthony, then so be it.” The UFC’s lightweight division is one of the deepest in the company with Henderson, Edgar, Pettis, Gray Maynard, Clay Guida, Jim Miller, Nate Diaz, and more all call it home. Diaz and Miller are on track to compete against each other later this year, while Maynard is a former contender to the crown still waiting for his next match-up. Guida defeated Pettis in the former WEC champ’s UFC debut but was stopped by Henderson in a title eliminator last year. Edgar has expressed his desire to be put in an immediate rematch with Henderson based on how close their contest last night was. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: ufc, petti, henderson, edgar, title eliminator

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"The way he does things, man, he's spectacular. He does a lot of big moves. But I think there's a line. I don't think he's first in line. I'm going to handle my business, defend the belt a couple times. He's going to handle his business, I'm sure he'll get two or three more wins, maybe highlight reel wins, maybe sturdy wins against solid wrestlers who he can show that he's been working on his takedown defense or whatever. But he's going to do his thing, I'm going to do my thing. I'm sure we will match up one day and I'm sure it will be for my UFC belt. I don't know if it will be next but I'm sure it will happen." -- After defeating Frankie Edgar in a back-and-forth war of attrition at UFC 144 last night (Sat., Feb. 25, 2012) in Japan, Ben Henderson is the new lightweight champion. That's quite a feat for the former WEC king, who took the Octagon by storm and won the title by running through his first three opponents before taking down "The Answer." It's fascinating because "Bendo" entered the UFC having lost his WEC title in the final -- and perhaps best -- fight in that promotion's history, a decision loss to Anthony Pettis. Poetically enough, they have both quickly risen through the ranks of the UFC, though "Showtime" suffered a loss in the process. Now that Henderson is champ, the Duke Roufus trained Pettis may very well be the next challenger for him in a rematch that has "Fight of the Year" written all over it. It's a tempting play for the powers that be, too, considering the mileage they could get out of just playing Pettis' "Showtime Off-the-Wall" kick from the first fight on a loop during promos. It's a rematch that will sell itself and when marketed properly, could turn two of the sport's brightest young men into bonafide superstars. But "Smooth" doesn't believe Pettis is next in line for a title shot, instead thinking he needs to win a few more fights first. Anyone agree with that assessment? Or would you like to see these two tango again right now?

Posted in: ufc, petti, he, im, thing im

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Rundown of UFC 144 post-fight news and notes… — Anthony Pettis picked up a $65,000 Knockout of the Night bonus check for starching Joe Lauzon with a nasty head kick. Vaughn Lee earned Submission of the Night honors for finishing Kid Yamamoto with an armbar. And Frankie Edgar and Ben Henderson were awarded Fight of the Night honors for their thrilling five-round main event. — Now that Ben Henderson is the proud owner of the UFC lightweight championship, everyone wants to know who he’ll fight next. There’s two clear options: a rematch with Frankie Edgar or a rematch with Anthony Pettis. Henderson says it doesn’t matter who they put in front of them because he plans to beat them all and one up Anderson Silva’s unprecedented title reign. “[Fighting Pettis or Edgar], it doesn’t really matter to me. I want to defend [my title] as many times as Anderson Silva defends his, plus one,” said Henderson. “Whoever it is, I’m OK with it. There is a long list of guys: Nate [Diaz], Jim [Miller], Frankie, Anthony. Let’s do every single one of them.” While you could argue that Edgar deserves an immediate rematch considering he had to give BJ Penn and Gray Maynard immediate rematches, it’s looking like it’s going to be Anthony Pettis. At the post-fight press conference, Dana White said that he “thinks” it will be Pettis, but later backtracked and said he doesn’t like to make those type of decisions immediately after an event. “I think he’s going to get it,” White said when asked if Pettis had earn a shot at the belt. “We’ll see what happens,” White told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). “I hate to do this the night of the fights, and you guys know that, but you always ask me. “We’ll see what happens. I guess I’ll leave you guys in suspense.” As you can imagine, Edgar was less than thrilled when he showed up to the press conference and learned of the plans to give Pettis the next shot. He didn’t complain, but it was pretty clear that it irritated him. “I’m not trying to shoot anybody out of anything they deserve, but I had to do two immediate rematches, so what’s fair?” Edgar asked. Pettis, of course, was much more thrilled with the news than Edgar was. “I’m the last guy to beat him so it makes sense for us to have a rematch,” Pettis said. “I’m the last guy to beat him in the WEC, took his belt there, and it looks like I’m bound to do it again.” I don’t know how Henderson-Pettis 2 could possibly top the first one, but if even if it’s only half as good it’s still going to be a hell of a fight. — It seems like everybody thinks Frankie Edgar should move down to featherweight. Well, everyone except Frankie Edgar. He was asked about it a hundred times last night in various forms if that was something he would consider and each time his answer was the same. “It’s not something I’m thinking about now, to be honest with you,” he said in his typically understated style. Perhaps he’ll consider it after the dust settles, but last night he was understandably focused on the championship fight he just lost. That didn’t stop Dana White from offering his thoughts on the situation though. “I’ve been asking him to go to 145 for a long time,” White said. “I would love to see him move to 145. I think he’d a force to be reckoned with there, and I think he’ll be a great challenge for Jose Aldo.” Dana may want him to, but he later clarified that the decision will ultimately be up to Edgar. “At the end of the day, it’s his decision,” White said. “If you’ll look at what he’s accomplished, for me to come in – like before when I was telling him, he was a world champion and had beat B.J. Penn twice and everybody else in that division. His only loss ever was to Gray Maynard, which he avenged big time. “It’s going to be up to him, but I’d love to see him do it. A fight between him and Jose Aldo would be fun.” Edgar doesn’t seem too interested in it, but it would make sense. He said he literally only cuts like one pound to make 155. He’s obviously found ways to overcome the size deficit at lightweight, but he’s always going to be fighting with a handicap so to speak at 155. It would only make sense to cut down where he wouldn’t be smaller than his opponents. — The only thing epic about Rampage Jackson’s return to Japan was his walkout to the PRIDE music. Everything else was mostly forgettable. He badly missed weight, appeared out of shape and turned in one of the worst performance of his career (sans that epic slam in the second round). It made everyone, including Dana White, question if he really wants to do this anymore, however Rampage assured everyone at the post-fight press conference that he does and a knee injury was to blame for the terrible showing. “If I’m going to be critically honest, I’m not surprised that I lost the fight,” Jackson told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). “I almost didn’t make it to the fight, but I didn’t want to pull out for the Japanese fans,” Jackson said. “I injured my knee pretty bad, and my doctor told me not to fight. But it wasn’t real serious. I didn’t need surgery or nothing, but he told me it wasn’t a good idea to fight. I decided to fight anyway.” “I know I’m getting to the end of my career because I said I didn’t want to fight past 35,” Jackson said. “But honestly, before I hurt me knee, you guys should have seen the way that I was training. I’ve got really good sparring partners, and I’ve got this really good wrestler names Tyson Jeffries that kicks my butt, and in this camp, I was kicking his butt. I was taking him down and wrestling got real competitive. That’s how I hurt me knee because he’s one of the best wrestlers I know. “I was sparring really good, and I was looking like a superstar, then I hurt me knee. That made me think, ‘Oh, man, I’ve got a lot more time to fight.’ When I got hurt, it was just unfortunate, but now, I know what I can do if I come in 100 percent.” Was it just a fluke? Time will tell. — On the flip side, Ryan Bader scored what was easily the biggest win of his career. Bader called it his “favorite win” after the fight. “This is my favorite win of all time. Coming in winning the Ultimate Fighter, it’s really not in the UFC, you start over right when you get into the UFC. That is what I learned real quick. You know I had a couple of losses last year and I’m starting this year off right. Getting a win over Rampage, he’s up there, he just fought for the title, he’s top five in the division so I couldn’t ask for more. He got that good slam, you know , I knew he was waiting for something because he was a little to relaxed right there with his hands and he was just waiting for me to knee the head and he caught me, he’s a strong dude, so he picked me up and slammed me right on my head and I was out of it honestly for a little bit. But, I just recovered and that’s what it’s about, just staying in there and battling and that’s what happened.” Bader said his arm was fine after he awkwardly landed on it when Rampage slammed him on his head. The only thing that hurt was his head. He conceded that the fall rocked him quite a bit. — How about Tim Boetsch’s epic third round comeback against Yushin Okami? Dana White wishes more fighters would do that when they’re down two rounds to none in the third. “Everybody knows how much respect I have for Yushin Okami,” White said. “But I say it all the time. What I tweeted tonight, and what I told Tim backstage, was when a fighter is down two rounds to nothing, that’s exactly what you’re supposed to do in the third round. “I wish more guys would do that. When you’re down like that, what do you have to lose? You have nothing to lose and everything to gain to go out there and go balls to the wall and go after it and try and win, try to finish. That’s exactly what he did, and that’s what everybody should do when their down two rounds in a three-round fight. It was awesome.” It was pretty awesome. — Yoshihiro Akiyama has now lost four in a row in the UFC which makes him a prime candidate for release. Dana White said he would be talking to Lorenzo Fertitta and Joe Silva to make a decision on Akiyama’s future with the organization, but said he really likes Akiyama and how he fights, so don’t be too surprised if they keep him. — Dana White said he has a ton of respect for Mark Hunt for coming in at 37 years old and winning three straight in the UFC. Dana said they offered to pay Hunt to just go away when they inherited his contract from the PRIDE acquisition, but Hunt wanted to fight and earn his money, and for that Dana has nothing but respect for him. What’s crazy is Hunt is actually beginning to emerge as a possible contender. Dana says he’s “in the mix.” — A lot of people thought Takeya Mizugaki got robbed against Chris Cariaso. Fortunately for Mizugaki, one of those people was the person who signs his checks. Dana White confirmed that he awarded him his win bonus even though he technically lost. Image via Esther Lin for MMA Fighting

Posted in: fight, time, petti, dana, edgar

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After Anthony Pettis lost his UFC debut to Clay Guida and only eked out a Split Decision over Jeremy Stephens in his follow-up appearance, fans began questioning whether “Showtime” would ever live up to the hype he entered the promotion with thanks in large part to a spectacular WEC win against Benson Henderson featuring a memorable off-the-cage- kick. Pettis answered any critics last night at UFC 144 by flattening opponent Joe Lauzon with a head-kick less than 90 seconds into their main card clash. Pettis’ performance was rewarded with Knockout of the Night honors in addition to a $65,000 check for the award. A Full Rundown of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson Results If Pettis started the PPV out on a pitch-perfect note, headlining lightweights Henderson and Frankie Edgar closed it out with equal excellence after the two talented 155ers went at it for 25 minutes in a highly entertaining affair. Though Henderson will head back to the United States with the divisional belt, each man will also have an extra $65,000 to contend with after their collective work was named Fight of the Night. Last but not least, British finisher Vaughan Lee fended off an early surge from opponent Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto to procure a fight-ending Armbar. Not only was it the biggest win of the relative newcomer’s career but also earned him the largest payday he’s seen in MMA assisted in large part by the $65,000 his Submission of the Night showing brought in. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

Posted in: ufc, night, anthony pettis, petti, henderson

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The Lightweight belt was barely warm around Ben Henderson’s waist after he defeated Frankie Edgar at UFC 144 last night (Feb. 25, 2012) in Saitama, Japan, before the question presented itself: "Who’s got next?" Timing is everything in deciding who gets the next title shot, and in the case of Anthony Pettis, his couldn’t have been better. And despite recent history, Edgar won’t be getting it, even though he granted B.J. Penn an immediate rematch after winning the belt. With a rousing knockout win over Joe Lauzon on the card, Pettis set the stage perfectly for a rematch of his epic decision over Henderson in Dec. 2010. That bout, the last in the World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) before the organization was folded into the Zuffa umbrella, was a five-round battle worthy of all the superlatives assigned it. Even without Pettis' dervish-like bounce-off-the-cage-and-kick-Henderson-in-the-face closing maneuver, it was one hell of a fight. With it, Pettis-Henderson became the stuff of legend, the perfect send-off for them and the WEC into their current home. Pettis displayed that kind of magnetism in dispatching Lauzon, with a bone-jarring kick to the head, which was prefaced by his quick hands on display prior to the finish. Ironically, if there’s anyone who deserves to cut in line to deny Edgar an immediate rematch, it’s Pettis. That’s because the former WEC champ was slotted to fight the winner of Edgar’s second fight with Gray Maynard in Jan. 2011, but since the pair fought to a draw, Pettis, unwilling to sit on the shelf for months, opted to debut in the UFC against the ever-tough Clay Guida. Held down and largely nullified en route to a decision loss, Pettis’ start in the organization wasn’t the title shot he’d been promised. Stuff happens that you can’t plan for, and he deserved a lot of credit for willingly stepping in against Guida, a fight with very little reward and a lot of risk. There was also the reasonable line of thought that if Pettis wasn’t good enough to best Guida, then he didn’t deserve a title shot to begin with, which is a standard that should applied to any fighter complaining about a shot that fell through because of injury or unforeseen circumstances (hereby known as "The Guida Rule"). But in mixed martial arts (MMA), you’re often only as good or bad as your last fight. And being in the right place at the right time means being positioned to take advantage of an opportunity. After Henderson’s outstanding showing in a terrific battle against Edgar, a rematch with Pettis is a natural. Edgar and his many fans may find it unsettling that Pettis -- a mere 2-1 in the UFC -- scoots ahead of the former champ, but there’s no reason he can’t keep busy against a solid contender himself. The Guida Rule applies there, too. Jason Probst can be reached at Jason@jasonprobst.com or twitter.com/jasonprobst.

Posted in: petti, rematch, shot, edgar, guida

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Going into UFC 144, it seemed you couldn't avoid PRIDE Fighting Championships' (PRIDE) name being brought up. And for good reason. Ultimate FIghting Championship (UFC) made its return to the "Land of the Rising Sun" by setting up shop in the Saitama Super Arena, a favorite haunt of the much loved and missed Japan-based promotion. While the Yokohama Arena or the Budokan in Tokyo seemed more appropriate a size for the 20,000 seat arrangement Dana White and company were planning, it was the enormous venue that hosted Final Conflict 2005, the 2004 grand prix and a bevy of New Year's Eve events selected and modified instead. The UFC 144 fight card was also packed with fighters whose names had nearly become synonymous with PRIDE like Quinton Jackson and Takanori Gomi. Others -- like Mark Hunt -- were better known for other accomplishments but still had deep ties with the Japanese promotion. Rather than come into the building last night (Feb. 25, 2012) and attempt some awkward PRIDE recreation, the UFC opted to put on its own show, while also managing to pay tribute to mixed martial arts' (MMA) past. The shrewd balancing act came full circle when "Rampage" walked out to the bombastic PRIDE theme and the Saitama audience roared in approval. But, at the end of the night, the long gone promotion on everyone's lips wasn't from Japan. It was an American company. Before the event, everyone was talking about PRIDE. After UFC 144, no one could stop talking about World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC). The main pay-per-view (PPV) card opened up with the last WEC lightweight champion, Anthony Pettis, taking on division stalwart Joe Lauzon. Pettis had won the title on the company's last card in the promotion's last fight. He did so after amazingly jumping of the fence and nailing Ben Henderson across the face with what is know famously known as the "Showtime Kick." He was set to challenge for the UFC 155-pound title after UFC 125 against either Frankie Edgar or Gray Maynard. When those two went to a draw after nearly half an hour of fighting, an immediate rematch was set up and "Showtime" was left with the choice of either waiting for the dust to settle to cash in his title shot or stay busy and take another fight inside the Octagon. He opted for the latter and met Clay Guida in his UFC debut. "The Carpenter" spoiled the WEC champion's evening by nullifying Pettis' striking with unrelenting takedowns. The title shot that was once so secure for Pettis had evaporated. He stepped inside the Octagon for a second time at UFC 136 to take on Jeremy Stephens and while he picked up his first UFC win, it was far from inspired. A fight that all but promised to be a shootout ended up being a grinding, wrestling-heavy affair. On the other side of the performance spectrum that evening in Houston, Lauzon made short work of Melvin Guillard and walked away with his biggest victory since knocking out Jens Pulver. Pettis and "J-Lau" both seemed open to fighting each other and the bout was set for UFC 144. Less than 90 seconds into it, "Showtime's" shin cracked Lauzon across the jaw and ended The Ultimate Fighter 5 alumni's night early. The title shot Pettis lost last summer suddenly reappeared. While the last WEC lightweight champion was opening the event, the man he won the title from closing it out. Henderson may have come up short at WEC 53 but three impressive victories inside the Octagon gave Dana White more than enough cause to give "Smooth" a shot at Edgar. In an instant classic, Henderson wrangled the lightweight title away from "The Answer," something neither B.J. Penn nor Maynard could do. In doing so, he became the only man to hold the 155-pound titles from both UFC and WEC. After the excitement of Henderson's win began to give way to speculation of his future, one name continuously came up: Pettis. "Showtime" was the last -- and only in nearly five years -- man to defeat Henderson. While Edgar has more than enough reason to feel an immediate rematch should be in order and Jim Miller and Nate Diaz have a date in May with title shot implications, it looks like the UFC is leaning towards Henderson/Pettis II as their next 155-pound title showdown. The UFC put together one hell of a card for the Japanese fans at the Saitama Super Arena. But, it was PRIDE and WEC that really made it a night worth remembering.

Posted in: ufc, title, petti, pride, wec

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Posted in: ufc, fight, petti, mistrymachine, anthony

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) was coming out guns blazing last night (Feb. 25, 2011) as top lightweights Anthony Pettis and Joe Lauzon opened up the UFC 144 main card in Saitama, Japan. Fans were expecting something incredible to happen, and just like the previous six times Joe Lauzon stepped into the Octagon, there would be a fight night bonus awarded to a participant of his fight. Unfortunately for "J-Lau," this time it would be Anthony Pettis and Pettis alone who would be taking home that coveted bonus cash. So what did Pettis do to right the ship after two disappointing decisions in 2011? And where do both talented 155-pounders go from here? Follow me after the jump for our Anthony Pettis vs. Joe Lauzon UFC 144 post-fight review and analysis: Lauzon might be one of the most dangerous first round fighters in the UFC today, so Anthony Pettis came out cautiously, making sure to keep his defenses up and seemingly prepared for everything. He shrugged off a Lauzon takedown attempt and kept the Bostonian at bay with some heavy punches whenever he got in range. As both Lauzon and Pettis began to loosen up, Pettis decided to once again prove why he earned his "Showtime" nickname. With Lauzon at the perfect distance and totally anticipating a kick to the body, Pettis unleashed a beautiful left head kick which caught The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) season five veteran square in the face and sent him reeling to the canvas. After what seemed like an eternity and some follow-up hammer fists, the referee stepped in and put a halt to the action which gave Pettis a knockout victory just 81 seconds into the fight. For Joe Lauzon, this has to be frustrating after finally working himself up into contention only to be brought back down to Earth again. He simply gave Pettis too much space and "Showtime" made him pay with a swift kick to the head. We didn't really get an opportunity to see that vintage "J-Lau" who blitzes his opponents and overwhelms them early on in a fight. Hopefully he's not too discouraged by the result and comes back stronger than ever next time around. Melvin Guillard had been campaigning for a rematch and after such a violent end to this fight, a rematch with "The Young Assassin" might actually be in order. Other possibilities for Lauzon should he accept them are Rafael Dos Anjos or Terry Etim. For Anthony Pettis, this was the old school Pettis we'd come to know and love during his time in the WEC. We thought we had lost him after two ho-hum fights in 2011, but that was the finishing instinct we all knew he was capable of. The Roufusport fighter looked tremendous last night and looked to be the clearly superior fighter. Perhaps it's time to give him the shot he was expecting to get in 2011. With the only other top contender's fight taking place in May, why not give Pettis a title shot next? His last fight with Benson Henderson was one for the ages so let's go and do it again. There is honestly no other fight that makes sense for him next other than a shot at the belt. Perhaps Gray Maynard, but that's a serious win-lose position for the UFC. Just go ahead and give him the shot. His "Knockout of the Night" award coupled with being the last man to defeat the current champion should be more than enough. So what did you think, Maniacs? Were you surprised with the result last night? Do you feel Pettis should get the next shot at the UFC title? Sound off! For complete UFC 144 results, including blow-by-blow, fight-by-fight coverage of the entire event as well as immediate post-fight reaction click here, here and here.

Posted in: ufc, fight, petti, lauzon, anthony

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Newly crowned UFC lightweight champion Ben Henderson showed in his fourth UFC bout that he has something that long-time champ B.J. Penn and top UFC contender Gray Maynard never had: the ability to clearly dominate and defeat Frankie Edgar. Henderson dominated Edgar for five full rounds last night at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. But one other UFC lightweight also performed very impressively last night: Henderson's old rival from the WEC, Anthony Pettis. Pettis KO'd Joe Lauzon with a dramatic head kick in less than 2 minutes. Pettis beat Henderson with a dramatic fifth round running, leaping off the fence kick to the head back at WEC 53 in December 2010. The then-WEC champ Pettis was promised an immediate title shot but he lost his chance when then-champ Edgar and Gray Maynard fought to a draw on New Year's Day 2011 at UFC 125. Pettis went on to lose a tough decision to Clay Guida in his eventual UFC debut at The Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale in June of last year. He hasn't lost since, but a single loss in the UFC's lightweight division has the effect of sending a fighter to the back of the line. Henderson, by contrast, has reeled off four straight wins since moving up to the UFC. He's beaten Mark Bocek, Jim Miller, Clay Guida and now Frankie Edgar. Jim Miller will be facing Nate Diaz in the headliner of UFC on Fox 3 on May 5th. That bout had been expected to be a #1 contender's bout, but it looks like the winner of Miller-Diaz will have to get in line behind Anthony "Showtime" Pettis. SBN coverage of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson

Posted in: ufc, bout, petti, henderson, edgar

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When Anthony Pettis unveiled his famous "Showtime Kick" to seal a victory over Ben Henderson for the World Extreme Cagefighting lightweight title in 2010, we knew we had witnessed a great fight. As it turns out, the fight was even greater than we realized. At the time, we knew Pettis vs. Henderson was wildly entertaining, but we didn't know just how good those two guys were. The WEC's lightweight division was widely regarded as second-rate, and few MMA fans thought the lightweights in the WEC could compete at the upper levels of the UFC. Now we know better, as Henderson just beat Frankie Edgar for the UFC lightweight belt at UFC 144, and Pettis got the pay-per-view show started with a sensational knockout of Joe Lauzon. Now it's time to book a Henderson-Pettis rematch for the UFC lightweight title. Some will say Pettis doesn't deserve a UFC lightweight title shot because he was already declared the No. 1 contender once before, and lost that status when he lost to Clay Guida. But Pettis got a bad break when he didn't get the title shot that was promised to him upon his entry to the UFC, and there's no better time than now to rectify that. UFC President Dana White said after Saturday night's fights that he plans to give Pettis the first crack at Henderson's belt, and I believe that's the right call. The first Pettis-Henderson bout was sensational, and if we get 25 more minutes of that kind of action, no fan will complain. The rapidly changing face of the UFC lightweight division could be perilous for the promotion, as neither Henderson nor Pettis has proven to be a pay-per-view draw. I'd love to see the UFC put the Henderson-Pettis title fight on FOX in August, as a way to give major exposure to its two young lightweights who have the potential to develop into stars, but Henderson-Pettis 2 is a fight that's certainly worthy of pay-per-view. This fight is going to be great. UFC 144 Notes -- Memo to every fighter who ever falls behind two rounds to none: What Tim Boetsch did at the start of the third round against Yushin Okami is exactly what you're supposed to do. You're supposed to go for broke and come out swinging. Too many fighters who know they're down 2-0 at the start of the third round don't go for a finish. Boetsch knew he had to finish the fight, and that's exactly what he did. -- Rampage Jackson looked as bad as he's ever looked against Ryan Bader, and he hasn't really looked good in a fight since he knocked out Wanderlei Silva in 2008. His wins since then were decisions against Keith Jardine, Lyoto Machida and Matt Hamill, none of which was particularly impressive. Rampage says a knee injury was to blame for his lackluster performance, but even if he returns to 100 percent health, I don't think we're ever going to see Rampage as a light heavyweight title contender again. -- The UFC's one-minute introduction to its pay-per-view broadcast, a tribute to martial arts in Japan, was great. Much, much better than the longtime gladiator opening. I also like the way the UFC is incorporating more statistics into its broadcast, but it's important for Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg to remind viewers that simply landing more strikes isn't the way to win a fight. Effective striking is more important than high-volume striking. -- A lot of people disagreed with the judges who gave Chris Cariaso a unanimous decision victory over Takeya Mizugaki, but one thing that must be said for Cariaso is that he's a prime candidate to move down from bantamweight to flyweight, now that the UFC has started up a 125-pound class. Cariaso was giving up four inches of height to Mizugaki, and at flyweight he won't be at such a disadvantage. If he does move down to 125, he's a fighter worth keeping an eye on. UFC 144 Quotes -- "It's a dream come true. Being in the UFC is a dream come true. Fighting in Japan, fighting one of my favorite fighters of all time, Kid Yamamoto, a legend, I'm just the happiest person in the world right now."--Vaughan Lee after beating Kid Yamamoto. -- "All I can say is I am disappointed. I really, really wanted to win in Japan."--Kid Yamamoto after losing to Vaughan Lee. -- "I knew less than a knockout or finish would win that fight for me. Yushin was beating me up for two rounds. But my heart was in it, I knew I could take him out if I just stuck with what I train to do. You see what happens if you do what you train to do."--Tim Boetsch after his great comeback win. --"You've got to win this last round for sure. I think you won that round."--Gilbert Melendez, telling Jake Shields in his corner that the fight was tied heading into the third round. In reality, Shields had won the first two rounds and would also win the third, but Melendez did the right thing. It's better for a cornerman to tell a fighter he needs to win the round than to tell him to coast. Good Call Although it looked a little awkward, referee Marc Goddard handled it exactly right when Yoshihiro Akiyama's mouthpiece came out against Jake Shields. Goddard stepped between the fighters quickly and handed Akiyama his mouthpiece back, but didn't take the time to rinse the mouthpiece off, which could have given Akiyama an unfair advantage by giving him extra time. Akiyama fumbled his mouthpiece briefly and it took a few seconds longer to get the fight restarted, but Goddard handled the situation appropriately. Bad Call It only took referee Herb Dean a couple of minutes into the first round of the first fight to make a bad call, standing up Issei Tamura even though he had a dominant position and was hammering Zhang Tiequan with punches on the ground. Dean's stand-up was totally unnecessary and continued a rough run for Dean, who has made far too many bad calls recently. Stock Up Riki Fukuda returned to the Octagon after a year off following his close decision loss to Nick Ring in his UFC debut, and he looked great in beating Steve Cantwell. I love Fukuda's punching combinations, the way he changes levels and mixes in uppercuts -- Cantwell had no answer for it. Stock Down Zhang Tiequan is the only Chinese fighter Zuffa has ever signed, and the company carefully brought him along in the hopes that he could win some fights and grow the promotion's presence in Asia. But it just isn't happening. Zhang didn't look good at all in his second-round knockout loss to Issei Tamura. If Zhang keeps his job in the UFC it will solely be because of the importance of the Chinese market, and not because Zhang is good enough. He's not. Fight I Want to See Next Anthony Pettis vs. Ben Henderson. Let's do this.

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Fresh off an instant classic that saw the UFC lightweight title go from Frankie Edgar to Ben Henderson it appears a rematch is already in order. Unfortunately for Edgar, it appears that rematch will be Henderson facing off against the last man to defeat him, Anthony Pettis. UFC president Dana White endorsed Pettis during the post-fight conference by stating “I think he’s going to get it” when asked about Pettis’s chances of being Henderson’s next opponent. The two last battled at the WEC’s last card, WEC 53, in a fight that ranks among the best in MMA history. The back-and-forth battle between the two fighters was essentially clinched by the now infamous “Showtime Kick,” where Pettis sprung off the cage to throw a head kick that knocked down Henderson and sealed the fight for Pettis. Pettis then chose to forgo his title shot in favor of a fight with Clay Guida after a scheduled rematch between then-UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard had to be delayed due to injury. Pettis went on to lose the fight against Guida but has since rebounded with wins over Joe Lauzon and Jeremy Stephens, putting him back into the title picture. While fans of the original WEC fight may be excited, there is one person who is less than thrilled about not receiving a rematch and that’s former champion Frankie Edgar.   Edgar came up short in Japan after an extremely close fight and believed he deserved a rematch. Edgar made his case at the post-fight press conference saying, “I don’t want to take anything away from Ben, he did a great job but I thought I won that fight. He came hard and I knew it was going to be a tough fight but I thought I did enough to win those rounds. I’m not trying to shoot anyone out of what they deserve but I had to do two immediate rematches, so what’s right?” While Edgar has a great point, it appears likely that Pettis will receive a rematch before him. Stay tuned to MMAFrenzy for more on this story and all your MMA needs. Pictured: Anthony Pettis and Ben Henderson face off at WEC 53 weigh-in

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SAITAMA -- After a sensational head kick KO of Joe Lauzon at UFC 144, lightweight contender Anthony Pettis spoke to MMA Fighting about getting back on track after a disappointing 2011, why this win is a return to the WEC Anthony Pettis and why he believes he is the number one contender at 155 pounds.

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UFC 144 took place Saturday night at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. The UFC announced the bonuses for UFC 144 at the post-fight press conference with “fight of the night” going to new UFC lightweight champion Ben Henderson, “knockout of the night” going to Anthony Pettis, and “submission of the night” going to Vaughn Lee. All earned $65,000 bonuses for their efforts. “Fight of the Night” earned in early “Fight of the Year” candidate Lightweight champion Ben Henderson and Frankie Edgar battled in an instant classic that matched Edgar’s volume of strikes against the power of Henderson’s. Edgar out-landed Henderson and secured more takedowns, but Henderson landed the most damaging shots of the fight consistently. The fight seemed to hinge on Henderson’s ability to keep fighting in traditionally defensive positions, that ability led to Henderson being able to steal some incredibly close rounds that might have otherwise gone to the now former champion Edgar. “Showtime” kicks off the show Before this fight, Anthony “Showtime” Pettis was widely known for a kick that did not end up in a knockout, well tonight he added another highlight kick to his reel and this time it was “lights out” for Joe Lauzon. Pettis keyed on Lauzon’s over-commitment to his leg kicks by using the same footwork to instead fire a head kick. The result was a quick knockout and Pettis netting “knockout of the night” Ironically, it originally appeared like the first fight on the undercard would be a shoe-in for the bonus as Issei Tamura scored a brutal one-punch knockout of Tiequan Zhang but Pettis sealed the bonus on the first fight of the PPV. Lee wins “submission of the night” with historic submission Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto had never been submitted in a career that has seen him victorious against renowned grapplers like Rani Yahya, Bibiano Fernandes, Caol Uno, Royler Gracie, and Jeff Curran just to name a few. That all changed Saturday after Vaughn Lee rocked the Japanese wrestler with a power shot that forced “Kid” to take a shot and end up in a deep triangle. While Yamamoto was able to fight out of the triangle, Lee expertly transitioned into an armbar to force Yamamoto to tap. So while it may have been the only submission on the card, Lee certainly earned the $65,000 for “submission of the night.” Pictured: Anthony Pettis via UFC.com

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In 2010, Ben Henderson and Anthony Pettis fought for the WEC gold and produced what many ranked as the best fight of the year. After 14 months, a sequel might be finally be in the works, but this one for the most prestigious belt in the sport.After Henderson captured the UFC lightweight championship and Pettis scored a highlight reel knockout of his own at UFC 144, the duo might be on a collision course. Pettis immediately campaigned for the title shot, and when asked if Pettis' victory would net him a chance to face Henderson, UFC president Dana White indicated that it would."I think he's going to get it," White said. White later backtracked a bit and acknowledged he'd have to think about it, but given their past history and the fact that they're on the same fight schedule, it seems likely that the pairing will be made.Pettis vaulted himself into the title picture after stopping Joe Lauzon in just 81 seconds, cracking Lauzon with a left high kick and then finishing him with a few ground strikes. Seconds afterward, Pettis mimicked putting a belt around his waist and said he was the No. 1 contender. A few hours later, Henderson earned a unanimous decision over Edgar to wrest the belt away from him."I’m the last guy to beat him so it makes sense for us to have a rematch," Pettis said. "I’m the last guy to beat him in the WEC, took his belt there, and it looks like I’m bound to do it again."The December 2010 bout between them is best remembered for Pettis' brilliant "Showtime Kick" in the final seconds of the fifth and final round. The move, in which he launched himself off the cage and kicked Henderson, flooring him, helped seal the win in a hard-fought decision. That made Pettis the final WEC champ and was supposed to earn him a UFC title shot, but instead, an Edgar vs. Gray Maynard fight went to a draw, necessitating a rematch. Instead of waiting, Pettis fought and lost to Clay Guida. But now he's won two straight, and the most recent one in dramatic fashion to put himself in position to fight for the belt again.As for the champ, Henderson said he had no opponent preference for his first title defense, though in the past he has said that he expected to face Pettis sometime in the near future."It really doesn't matter to me," he said. "I want to defend it however many times Anderson Silva defends his, plus 1. So whoever it happens to be, whether it's Frankie again, I'm down for that. Anthony Pettis, I see you doing big things and making waves. Great fighter, very spectacular. It happens to be Anthony, so be it. Whoever it is, I'm OK with it. I believe there’s a long list of guys. Nate [Diaz], Jim [Miller], Frankie, Anthony. Let’s do it. Let's do every single one of them." But as far as Pettis is concerned, there's only one choice. "You're looking at him. I'm the No. 1 contender," he said during a post-fight interview on FUEL TV.

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SAITAMA, Japan - WEC never die, indeed. With a pair of impressive wins at Sunday's UFC 144 event in Saitama, Japan, former WEC champions Benson Henderson and Anthony Pettis will now apparently meet for the UFC lightweight title. Following the pay-per-view event in which Henderson earned the UFC belt with a unanimous-decision win over Frankie Edgar and Pettis scored a highlight-reel finish of Joe Lauzon, UFC president Dana White suggested that was the likely plan.

Posted in: ufc, petti, henderson, title defense, payperview event

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It looks like Anthony Pettis will finally get his UFC title shot and it will be against the man he defeated to become the last ever WEC champion as well...

Posted in: anthony pettis, petti, wec champion, anthony, benson henderson

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Four men walked away from the UFC’s return to Japan with post-fight bonuses on Saturday night, as Benson Henderson, Frankie Edgar, Anthony Pettis and Vaughan Lee were each awarded an extra $65,000 for their performances at UFC 144.

Posted in: ufc, saturday night, petti, vaughan lee, postfight bonuses

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Ben Henderson, Frankie Edgar, Anthony Pettis and Vaughan Lee received the UFC’s post-fight honors for their performances Saturday at UFC 144 in Japan. The four will take home an extra $65,000 for their work at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama. The main event between Edgar and Henderson lived up to the hype with the two tireless lightweights pushing the pace through five close rounds. In the end, Henderson won unanimously on scores of 49-46, 49-46 and 48-47 to claim the 155-pound belt. More Coverage: UFC 144 Results | Henderson Beats Edgar for Lightweight Title On a card with a handful of devastating knockout finishes, final WEC champion Pettis took the Knockout of the Night nod with his head kick knockdown followed by punches to dispatch of Joe Lauzon in 81 seconds. More importantly, Pettis could have a bigger prize heading his way thanks to the knockout win. Pettis could be next in line for a title shot against Henderson. "I think he's going to get it," UFC president Dana White said at the post-fight presser. In the only submission on the card, Lee tapped out Norifumi "KID" Yamamoto with an armbar with 31 seconds left in the first round. Lee, a fighter based out of England, earned his first UFC win and became the first man to submit Yamamoto in his 11-year career.

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HeavyMMA's Megan Olivi talks to UFC lightweight contender Anthony Pettis after his big head-kick knockout of Joe Lauzon at UFC 144.

Posted in: ufc, petti, joe lauzon, headkick knockout, anthony

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After finishing Joe Lauzon at UFC 144 in Tokyo, Japan, with a beautiful head kick in the first round tonight (Feb. 25, 2012), Anthony Pettis feels he is ready for a title fight. The former World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) lightweight champion -- who missed out on a title shot when Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard fought to an unsatisfying draw early last year -- connected with a hellish head kick, which turned out Lauzon's lights almost immediately. "Showtime" breaks it down: "Right when I landed the kick I felt what part of this shin I hit him with, then I saw his eyes roll back, and I knew it was a done fight. To set it up, I came out in the southpaw stance and was just working the jab. I thought he was going to shoot sooner, so I kind of keep my range and stay far, but he was biting on the jab. I threw up the high kick and it was just his mistake." Indeed. Pettis goes on to explain that he has proven in his two last fights that he's worthy of being a contender. Prior to stopping Lauzon, Pettis battled Jeremy Stephens for three rounds to earn a split decision victory. He hopes that his quick finish of "J-Lau" to kick-off the pay-per-view (PPV) card will push him over the edge. "I felt this fight was somewhere close to a [number one title contender eliminator match]. He just beat Melvin Guillard, who was coming off a huge winning spree. And I finished him quickly -- I knew I had to finish this fight fast to get a title shot, so hopefully the UFC gives me my shot." With top division contenders Jim Miller vs. Nate Diaz squaring off at the upcoming UFC on Fox 3 show, Pettis might have a little competition when it comes to determining the next in line to challenge newly-minted champion Ben Henderson. However, he has what both of them do not, which is a recent win over "Smooth," as well as a "Showtime Kick" kicker.

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HeavyMMA's Megan Olivi talks to UFC lightweight contender Anthony Pettis after his big head-kick knockout of Joe Lauzon at UFC 144.

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MMAWeekly.com caught up with Anthony Pettis for an exclusive one-on-one interview just minutes after he delivered a dazzling kick to the head of Joe Lauzon at UFC 144.

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Anthony Pettis was already known for one of the most memorable kicks in MMA history. He added to that legend with a left kick that knocked out UFC veteran Joe Lauzon at 1:21 in the first round of their bout … Continue reading →

Posted in: ufc, petti, mma history, anthony, bout …

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Anthony Pettis is the man who delivered the greatest kick in MMA history, and on Saturday night he added another highlight-reel kick to his resume: Pettis delivered a sensational head kick to knock Joe Lauzon out at UFC 144. Pettis landed a picture-perfect kick to the jaw of Lauzon to knock him down, then landed a couple of punches to the face on the ground to finish it before the referee could jump in. The fight lasted just 1 minute, 21 seconds. More Coverage: UFC 144 Results | Pettis vs. Lauzon Live Blog "I feel awesome," he said. "I'm the best in the lightweight division. I'm going to come for my title shot." Pettis threw hard kicks from the get-go, landing right from the start. Although Lauzon landed a couple of punches of his own, it was Pettis who was in control in the early going, and afterward Pettis said he wants the winner of the Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson fight next. "Hopefully whoever comes out tonight, I get the winner," Pettis said.

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Anthony Pettis defeats Joe Lauzon by knockout. The stoppage came at 1:21 in the first round. Early head kick from Anthony Pettis. He followed it up with a leg kick. Joe Lauzon came forward with punches but wasn't able to land anything. Anthony Pettis landed a side kick to the body and then followed up with a left high kick that came out of nowhere. Joe Lauzon was dropped and Pettis followed up with punches until the referee dove in to stop the fight. Joe Lauzon expected the kick to land low and left his head wide open. Anthony Pettis was the last WEC lightweight champion and was expected to be the number one contender when the company folded. Injuries to Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard forced him to take a fight against Clay Guida. Pettis lost his title shot in the loss. Joe Lauzon made his UFC debut with a knockout win over Jens Pulver. Since that win he has been unable to string together a group of wins to break into the top of the division. SBN coverage of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson

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The UFC 144: "Edgar vs. Henderson" main card on pay-per-view tonight (Sat., Feb. 25, 2012) in Japan kicked off with a lightweight battle pitting former WEC champion Anthony Pettis against longtime contender Joe Lauzon. The winner wasn't promised a title shot but would most certainly be making their case for one, especially with Ben Henderson vs. Frankie Edgar going down later in the night. An impressive victory by either man would give them the leverage needed for a call out. It's no surprise, then, that when Pettis knocked Lauzon on his ass with a huge left head kick and finished him with punches he immediately climbed the cage and mock wrapped a belt around his waist. After a knockout victory in just over one minute, he's got every right to be doing so. Pettis opened up the offense by firing off a kick that slapped the side of Lauzon and sounded much worse than it was. His hope, I believe, was to use that as a pace-setter but Lauzon didn't back off in the slightest, maintain his aggressive stance and pressing the action. Big mistake. Pettis, a Duke Roufus trained kickboxer, unleashed a monster left high kick that fooled "J-Lau" bad enough to catch a knockout. Lauzon thought he was going low, and paid a heavy price for it. Anyone think Pettis should earn a title shot on this win? Remember, too, to check out our ongoing live coverage of the UFC 144 main card action by clicking here.

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SAITAMA -- This is the UFC 144 live blog for Joe Lauzon vs. Anthony Pettis, a lightweight bout on tonight's UFC pay-per-view from the Saitama Super Arena. Lauzon (21-6) is on a two-fight win streak and coming off a 47-second submission win over Melvin Guillard. Pettis (14-2) defeated Jeremy Stephens last October at UFC 136 by split decision. Follow the live blog below. More Coverage: UFC 144 Results | Latest UFC News Round 1: Round 2: Round 3:

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In 1993 Sega released the first polygonal fighter Virtua Fighter. As a young man at the time of release I did what every other kid at the time would do: pick the guy who looks like a ninja; Akira. Unbeknownst to me, playing as Akira was friggin complicated, he's one of the hardest characters to master in the game without a doubt. However, Akira could run the table if you just spammed headkicks. Now I'm not saying Anthony Pettis is a spammer, I would never suggest that. I am suggesting he's a ninja though, and if you got it, use it. Let's face it, no one had a higher ninja rating in the 155 division than the Duke Roufus Protege Anthony Pettis. In just over a minute Showtime Pettis added another clip to his highlight reel with this knockout of Joe Lauzon. [Source]

Posted in: anthony pettis, petti, ninja, anthony, ninja rating

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Joe Lauzon has been competing as a professional Mixed Martial Artist since he was a teenager, fighting fifteen times before making his infamous UFC debut against legendary lightweight Jens Pulver in 2006. However, despite his experience the 27-year has never been afforded an opportunity to compete in Japan…until now, that is. Lauzon faces Anthony Pettis later tonight as part of the main card for UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson. The event marks the UFC’s return to Japan after more than ten years away from the Asian nation, and, as mentioned, Lauzon’s first in the Far East. “I’ve always wanted to fight in Japan,” began Lauzon in a conversation with the UFC’s website promoting his bout with Pettis. “Before MMA was real big here, Japan was always the place to go. It’s turned around now, but before, when the UFC was just getting going and gaining all that momentum, Japan was the place to fight, so it’s pretty cool to go back there and be part of such a big card.” “The quiet fans are going to be a trip. I always hear my corner very clear and I’m very accustomed to their voices, so I can pick them up, but listening to the other corner and all that kinda stuff is all gonna be pretty cool. I think we’ll hear Joe (Rogan) and ‘Goldie’ (Mike Goldberg), and I’m looking forward to all of that,” Lauzon continued before referring to famed MMA promotion PRIDE as a core reason he fell in love with the sport. “I started training before I started watching the UFC, and honestly, I think I watched a little bit more PRIDE in the very beginning than I did the UFC. There were the entrances with the drums and there were so many people there and the whole entire thing is just a surreal experience.” Not only is “J-Lau” eager to fight in Japan but he’s pumped to have been paired with an opponent the caliber of Pettis. A former WEC champion, Pettis has won five of his last six bouts and brings a polished attack into the cage featuring slick striking, underrated BJJ, and unique athleticism. “I think Pettis is good everywhere,” Lauzon said, praising Pettis. “Everyone knows him as the kid that jumped off the cage, and he’s obviously got good kickboxing, but he’s good on the ground too. I think people forget that part about him.” Lauzon also made sure to point out he’s a bit better in the stand-up department than he gets credit for. Confident Lauzon Gives Fans a Glimpse at his Training in UFC 144 Vlog “Also, I don’t think he’s got a clear-cut advantage on the feet, like a lot of people are thinking. Everyone looks at me as ‘Oh, he’s got so many submissions,’ and this and that, but I think people forget that I’ve been hurting people with my punches and that’s been setting up my submissions. The last couple fights, I smashed guys on the feet, and then I took a submission once it hit the ground. So I don’t see it as this clear-cut striker vs. grappler match that a lot of people are seeing. I favor the ground over stand-up and I think Pettis favors stand-up over ground, but I think we’re both pretty even in a lot of areas, and I’m expecting a tough fight and an exciting fight. Most likely, the fight’s gonna end somewhere absolutely crazy, so I’m excited.” The two talented 155ers will mix it up on the PPV portion of UFC 144. Preliminary bouts begin at 7:30 PM EST on Facebook/FX with the featured fights starting at 10:00 PM EST. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

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One of the most underappreciated bouts on the card could decide who faces the winner of the UFC 144 main event. On one side you have the last WEC lightweight champion and the guy with a move so awesome it has it's own name - "The Showtime Kick". On the other side you have a guy who seen as the lamb being led to slaughter in his last bout, but he persevered and picked up the signature win of his career so far. Anthony Pettis (14-2, 1-1 UFC) meets Joe Lauzon (21-6, 8-3 UFC). Pettis currently sits in the 10 slot at lightweight in the USA Today/BE Consensus Rankings, while Lauzon is right behind him at 11. With a possible title shot on the line in this bout, the winner is likely going to move up a few spots over the next couple of months depending on how it plays out. This lightweight UFC 144 bout is the first fight of the main card, and will air live on pay per view. The PPV broadcast begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. How do these two stack up? Pettis: 25 years old | 5'10" | 72" reachLauzon: 27 years old | 5'10" | 70" reach What have these two done recently? Pettis: W - Jeremy Stephens (SD) | L - Clay Guida (UD) | W - Ben Henderson (UD) Lauzon: W - Melvin Guillard (SUB) | W - Curt Warburton (SUB) | L - George Sotiropoulos (SUB) How did these two get here? Anthony "Showtime" Pettis is one of the brightest lightweight prospects in MMA, despite his uneven performances in the UFC so far. He debuted in the WEC in mid-2009 and picked up a quick win, but suffered a controversial setback in his second bout at WEC 45. Most cageside observers had Pettis winning two of three rounds over opponent (and fellow UFC 144 competitor) Bart Palaszewski, but some wild scorecards led to Bartimus picking up a split-decision victory. The setback didn't stop Anthony's momentum though, and three straight wins earned him a title shot against then-champion (and now UFC 144 main eventer) Ben Henderson. The bout was even going into the fifth round, but the Showtime Kick earned him the belt and a UFC lightweight title shot. Briefly. An Edgar/Maynard draw at UFC 125 killed that idea, and Pettis faced Clay Guida in his first UFC bout instead. And lost emphatically. He rebounded against Jeremy Stephens at UFC 136 though, and could possibly earn his stolen title shot with a win over Lauzon. Joe "J-Lau" Lauzon still holds the distinction of having one of the best UFC debuts ever. He knocked out legend Jens Pulver in just 48 seconds at UFC 63 as a 7-1 underdog. He then signed up for The Ultimate Fighter 5, where Pulver was actually one of the coaches (Lauzon was on B.J. Penn's team though). Manny Gamburyan bounced him in the semis, but Lauzon had already proven he was UFC-caliber. His problem going forward was that he would do very well against marginal competition, but come up short against top guys. He entered his UFC 136 bout against Melvin Guillard as a decided underdog despite his 7-3 UFC record, but proved the public wrong by dropping Guillard and choking him out in just 47 seconds. He's finally in the top-tier of the division, and defeating Showtime could lead to a tile shot. Why should you care? Showtime is flashy and effective. Lauzon is so much more than the sum of his parts. This bout has fireworks written all over it, and is an excellent choice to open the PPV. You can catch more UFC 144 preview content from Bloody Elbow after the jump. SBN coverage of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson UFC 144: Rampage Jackson Misses Weight By Five Pounds, Loses 20% Of Purse While Fight Goes On - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144 Weigh-In Video And Coverage - Tim Burke UFC 144: Anthony Pettis Vs. Joe Lauzon Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144: The Bloody Elbow Judo Chops Of Frankie Edgar Vs. Ben Henderson - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Staff Predictions - Tim Burke UFC 144: Jake Shields Wants UFC To Make Sure Yoshihiro Akiyama Doesn't Cheat - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: Yushin Okami Vs. Tim Boetsch Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Video: Dana White Video Blog Episode 2 - Kid Nate UFC 144: Rampage Jackson On The Streets Of Tokyo - Kid Nate UFC 144: Dana White Wants You To Know The UFC Didn't Kill PRIDE - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: The Epic Drama Of Yoshihiro Akiyama - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Is Frankie Edgar Being Underrated Against Ben Henderson? - Fraser Coffeen UFC 144: Hatsu Hioki Vs. Bart Palaszewski Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Roundtable: Can The UFC Succeed In Japan? - Tim Burke UFC 144 Predictions: Pros Slightly Favor Frankie Edgar To Beat Ben Henderson - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: Takanori Gomi Vs. Eiji Mitsuoka Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Judo Chop: Benson Henderson And The Miracle of Survival Part 2 of 2 - Ben Thapa UFC 144 Video: Under PRIDE Rules, Rampage Jackson Dominates Fight Against Ryan Bader - Anton Tabuena UFC 144 Video: Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson Fight Simulation And Prediction - Anton Tabuena UFC 144 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video - Tim Burke UFC 144: Yoshihiro Akiyama Leads The UFC Back To Japan - Kid Nate UFC 144: Should The Winner Of Joe Lauzon Vs. Anthony Pettis Get The Next Title Shot? - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144: Norifumi 'Kid' Yamamoto Vs. Vaughan Lee Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144: Riki Fukuda Vs. Steve Cantwell Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144 Judo Chop: Benson Henderson And The Miracle Of Survival Part 1 of 2 - Ben Thapa UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Countdown Show Full Video - Anton Tabuena UFC 144: Edgar Vs. Henderson Betting Lines - Tim Burke UFC 144: Rampage Jackson Is A Death Sentence For Ryan Bader According To Michael Bisping - Brent Brookhouse UFC 144 Manga-Style Promo Video - Kid Nate UFC 144: Takeya Mizugaki Vs. Chris Cariaso Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 144: Tiequan Zhang Vs. Issei Tamura Dissection - Dallas Winston

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In the stacked Lightweight division, mixed martial arts (MMA) fans get more exciting matches than any other weight class. And the showdown better Anthony Pettis and Joe Lauzon later this evening (Feb. 25, 2012) on the UFC 144 pay-per-view (PPV) main card from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, should meet high those expectations, accordingly. With a huge win over then-streaking Melvin Guillard last October, Lauzon put a real feather in his cap with the most impressive win of his career. Once relegated as a submission specialist with a ground-based game, his willingness to find an opening on the feet against the dangerous "Young Assassin" showed real confidence in his stand up. Facing Pettis, Lauzon may well have to rely on it because the former World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) champion has worked readily on improving his wrestling, and his takedown defense. Mat-smashed in a frustrating decision loss to Clay Guida last summer in a bout that derailed his hopes for a title shot, Pettis rebounded with a workmanlike decision over durable Jeremy Stephens, showing maturity and patience. Both bring some name value and momentum into this bout as somewhat relevant, if not truly elite, 155-pound contenders. An impressive win could vault either of them back into the top 10. Style-wise, however, this is probably a match up that favors Pettis. Lauzon isn’t a power wrestler and isn’t as dynamic on the feet, but he has a knack for making things happen and pouncing on opportunities. Lauzon has also come up short in previously similar fights – showdowns against better levels of competition in Kenny Florian, Sam Stout and George Sotiropoulos – and needs a win to show he can compete at this level. Follow me after the jump for a complete breakdown of the UFC 144 fight between Anthony Pettis vs. Joe Lauzon: The Breakdown Pettis’ patience against Stephens was a definite plus, as he didn’t try to do too much, instead working small but definitive advantages to carve out a close decision win. The good thing about Pettis is his upside when it comes to grappling. Training with Olympian Ben Askren has worked wonders for his wrestling, but he’s still got a decent amount of room to improve. His stand up is outright dazzling at times, delivering unorthodox attacks with smooth mechanics to slam-bang effect. He’s also shown the requisite gameness any lightweight will need, as in the decision loss to Guida, he never stopped battling for subs and largely shut down Guida’s ground and pound in what was a stalemate at times on the ground. Lauzon is probably Pettis’ equal when it comes to Brazilian jiu-jitsu and submissions, but he may not have the physical strength to control and set up Pettis for these attempts. Lauzon’s got to make something big happen early and disrupt Pettis' standing rhythm, otherwise he’ll get kicked and combo-filleted in what will be an increasingly one-sided fight. Another factor is Pettis’ takedowns, which he used to smart effect to pull out close rounds with late ones in rounds over Stephens. That’s another go-to tactic for Pettis and Lauzon will have to deny him, a tall order for a fighter whose takedown defense is average, at best. The Pick This is a match designed to give Pettis some experience, and a win. Styles make fights, and while Lauzon looked great dismantling the talented, but erratic, Guillard, Pettis is not Melvin, whose incredible physical gifts are constantly undercut by the mental gaffes he makes that lose otherwise winnable fights. Lauzon is a tough customer, and he’ll be forced to engage Pettis on the feet, where "Showtime" will pile up points with solid strikes and increasingly accurate kicks. He’ll also score takedowns as needed and bloody up Lauzon with ground and pound and a punishing pace. This one will be entertaining as long at goes, with Pettis proving too much in a vicious scrap, emerging with a third-round technical knockout from strikes on the ground. Pettis via technical knockout Be sure to join MMAmania.com this evening for LIVE, detailed UFC 144 results of all the "Edgar vs. Henderson" pay-per-view (PPV) action. It will include blow-by-blow coverage of the Facebook video stream, FX "Prelims" bouts, and of course, the PPV broadcast. We'll start RIGHT HERE at around 7:30 p.m. ET and carry straight on through early Sunday morning. Jason Probst can be reached at www.twitter.com/jasonprobst and at jason@jasonprobst.com.

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"Showtime Kick" auteur and WEC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis meets Joe Lauzon in a lightweight clash at UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson from Tokyo's famed Saitama Super Arena on Saturday night. The career-boosting capabilities of one highlight-reel, cage-walking kick was evinced by Anthony Pettis (14-2) when he dethroned UFC 144 main-eventer Ben Henderson in the WEC promotion's farewell event. Pettis swallowed the blue pill and spat in the face of Sir Isaac Newton's equation by levitating off the fence wall and flattening Bendo with an unforgettably creative flying roundhouse kick. Pettis earned the 155-pound strap just as the promotion's doors closed. Ending on a four-fight roll, Pettis forged five wins in six turns in the WEC and finished all victories excluding Henderson (Mike Campbell, Alex Karalexis and Shane Roller by submission, Danny Castillo by head-kick TKO). His lone blemish was a competitive split decision against another UFC 144 cast member in Bart Palaszewski. Initially slated to challenge for the UFC lightweight belt after crossing over from the WEC, the draw resulting from the second Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard affair delayed his title aspirations. Admirably opting to challenge a top contender rather than stay idle awaiting his title shot, Pettis tangled with Clay Guida but had no recourse for his voluminous mop and boundlessly tenacious wrestling. The loss was the second of Pettis' career and inevitably deflated the lofty aura he soared in on. More UFC 144 Dissections Okami vs. Boetsch | Hioki vs. Palaszewski | Gomi vs. Mitsuoka | Yamamoto vs. Lee Fukuda vs. Cantwell | Mizugaki vs. Cariaso | Zhang vs. Tamura Bostonian Joe Lauzon (21-6) reinforced his propensity to pull off shocking upsets in his last foray by blasting an overconfident Melvin Guillard with a meathook in the first round. The stiff blow staggered Guillard just long enough for Lauzon to attach himself and encircle the throat for a dramatic rear-naked choke victory in the first. Lauzon flaunted his party-pooper costume in his UFC debut as well. He burst onto the big stage by unleashing an ungodly barrage of leather that separated former champion Jens Pulver from consciousness in less than a minute at UFC 63. He then signed up for TUF 5 and advanced to the semis with wins over Brian Geraghty and Cole Miller, but was scratched from the brackets by brawling Judoka Manny Gamburyan. "J-Lau" capitalized on two less than illustrious opponents by snaring submissions on Brandon Melendez and Jason Reinhardt before dipping into the upper-echelon of the division with mixed results. Lauzon split his next six with losses to Kenny Florian (TKO), Sam Stout (decision) and George Sotiropoulos (submission) and defeats over Kyle Bradley (TKO), Jeremy Stephens and Gabe Ruediger (submissions). He's pieced together two more sub-wins in a row with an elaborate "Trimura" catch on Curt Warburton and the aforementioned Guillard choke. Gifs and analysis in the full entry. SBN coverage of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson Both Pettis and Lauzon are among the more innovative lightweights in the UFC, they just use different canvases for their artwork -- Pettis on the feet, as depicted to the right, while Lauzon is a mat-moster with submission complexity. Pettis' dynamic striking is rooted in Taekwondo where he's billed as a third-degree black belt, and the tutelage of kickboxing swami Duke Roufus has fortified his stand up into a dangerously unorthodox arsenal. Pettis has fast and precise boxing and uncorks high kicks seamlessly with no set up or forewarning. TKD is not the only traditional martial art that sparkles in his striking acumen, as Pettis has consistently executed a surprisingly wide array of Capoeira kicks as well. His use of the Au Batido and Martelo techniques warranted a Kid Nate Judo Chop that's well worth revisiting. His guard is also smooth and diverse and it's not quite as formidable as his striking, but perfectly adequate as a secondary aspect. Wrestling is the only area Pettis doesn't excel in, yet he's shown excellent composure and technique in repelling takedowns and getting back to his feet. Lauzon has an applause-worthy approach against superior strikers, which is merely to squeeze the trigger with conviction and unload a ferocious volley of punches. Defensively, he protects his chin well and isn't overly concerned with being susceptible to takedowns as it only puts him in his preferred phase of combat. Like Pettis, Lauzon isn't a credentialed wrestler but his willpower, aggression and determination makes him a legit takedown threat. Complementing his attempts well with his hands, Lauzon will rifle for doubles from outside or swallow up space and lock horns in the clinch to work from there. Here Lauzon unveils his dual-pronged assault of blazing the cannons on the feet, once again scoring with his trusty left hook, and treacherous submission grappling. After crushing him with a hell-fire combination, Lauzon craftily snatches a kimura when Warburton is in the process of placing his back on the fence to regain his footing. If there was such a thing as wild and risky brawling with submissions, that'd be Lauzon's calling card. He pounces on every opportunity and maliciously wrenches holds with reckless abandon. Lauzon has a solid guard but he's especially fearsome from the top, where he power-passes to half-guard and side control while thwacking heavy punches and elbows and hunting for kimuras and chokes. Lauzon's assertive ground tactics are subtly unique and difficult to prepare for. Pettis has to assume the role of the polished technician and employ intelligent footwork to stay in open space while knifing tight counter-shots while Lauzon's in hot pursuit. He can still look to land the knockout or drench Lauzon with a stylish kick, but must do so sparingly and pick his spots very carefully. Pettis has never been finished by strikes and has a beefy chin and should have the grappling awareness to survive his fair share of sequences on the ground ... though he's in trouble if Lauzon can get on top and limit his options by stuffing Pettis against the cage. My Prediction: Anthony Pettis by late TKO. All gifs via Zombie Prophet of IronForgesIron.com Poll Anthony Pettis vs. Joe Lauzon Pettis Lauzon   21 votes | Results

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One of the most exciting, if not the most exciting lightweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Anthony Pettis, seems to have a knack for striking ... creative striking at that. Best known for the "Matrix-esque cage kick" heard around the world, he delivered a near fight ending foot to the face of Ben Henderson at World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) 53, springing himself off of the cage and landing the blow perfectly. The kick, dubbed "The Showtime Kick," sent the fans in attendance and the millions watching on television into a frenzy. It remains to this day on mixed martial arts (MMA) highlight reels everywhere. And it will most likely remain there indefinitely. Now, "Showtime" plans on pleasing the Japanese crowd with his creative striking, while capitalizing on his opponent's lack of cardio in the later rounds. Pettis, tells Sherdog.com that fans can expect him to dig into his bag of tricks this weekend (Feb. 25, 2012) as he takes on Joe Lauzon at UFC 144 from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. Check it out: "Joe Lauzon's a guy that everybody looks past, but I'm not looking past him. He's dangerous in the first round and he's always looking for the finish. He's jumping for heel hooks. He's jumping for kimuras. He's looking to finish the fight and he surprises you with his standup. I've got to be on my ‘A' game and just dictate the pace. I can't let him come out there and decide where the fight goes. That has to be up to me. A guy like Joe Lauzon, I think I'm going to open up a lot. First round he's always dangerous, but in the second and third -- even in the Sam Stout fight and a lot of other fights -- he kind of gasses and doesn't come as hard as he did in the first round, so look out for something new this fight." Pettis, however, acknowledges that all that matters is the win, no matter how he achieves it: "That's the only thing going through my mind in all these fights: win this fight. No matter how I do it, whether it's a ‘Showtime' kick or I've got to take this guy and beat him down and beat him up for three rounds, it's winning fights. That's what's going to get me back to title contention and my title shot." After losing his chance to battle Frankie Edgar for the UFC Lightweight title by coming up short against Clay Guida at the The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 13 Finale, Pettis earned a split decision win against Jeremy Stephens at UFC 136 to get him back on track. Pettis, the last man to win the WEC 155-pound title by defeating, oddly enough, Ben Henderson, the man who will challenge Edgar at UFC 144 for the UFC 155-pound title, looks to get one step closer to adding UFC gold to his mantle by defeating the scrappy Lauzon, who is on a two fight win streak. Any of you Maniacs care to venture what "Showtime" might have in store for Japan?

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Lightweight Anthony Pettis garnered national attention in late 2010 after landing one of the most amazing strikes in MMA history, springing off the cage in the fifth round of a close title-fight to drop opponent Benson Henderson with a move labeled as the “Showtime Kick”. However, in his follow-up fight against Clay Guida he was never given enough breathing room to work on his feet, while his most recent outing involved a surprising amount of takedown attempts by the heavy-handed Jeremy Stephens leading to yet another bout with Pettis failing to feature his stand-up prowess. Though the 14-2 Pettis faces a grappler this weekend at UFC 144 in the form of Joe Lauzon, the 25-year old is planning to avoid the slowed-down pace from his previous outings by taking the attack to the Massachusetts native. “Coming off of a win you have better mental preparation going into a fight,” began Pettis on his upcoming bout when asked in an interview with the UFC’s website. “You’re not doubting yourself, you’re not thinking about your last loss. I’m coming off of a win, so I’m better mentally. I know that I can go out there and do what I usually do. I can’t go out there and play it safe. I need to go out there and bring the fight and break his will.” Remarkably mature for his age, Pettis also understands doing so is easier said than done. “He’s a very intelligent fighter and very dangerous. He’s got some good striking, he’s getting better all the time, he’s been around a long time, he’s got the experience factor on me, and he’s very good on the ground. He’s one of those fighters who is dangerous everywhere,” said Pettis of Lauzon. “I wanted someone of his caliber and of his skill set. He’s coming off a huge win against (Melvin) Guillard. He’s going to put me right back where I need to be. A win over Lauzon will be huge for my career.” While Pettis didn’t so far as to say the victory will come as the result of his striking, the Roufusport product alluded to the possibility, explaining his comfort with a wide variety of rarely-seen techniques is akin to that of a boxer using basic combinations based on how long he’s been training them. He’s also quick to point out none of his success on that front comes without solid fundamentals to build on. “When someone is getting ready to fight me as an opponent, they definitely have to bring in some sparring partners who throw crazy moves. But the thing is I have very good basics, which allow me to go out there and throw spin kicks,” said Pettis. “I don’t just go out there and throw spin kicks and spin kicks and spin kicks. I set them up with a 1-2 and a low kick, mixing in with a high kick, and I’ll see the opening and then I’ll go for it. The kicks that people have seen in the WEC are kicks that I’ve done my whole life – the spin kicks, the Capoeira kicks – that all comes second nature.” Pettis-Lauzon will be part of an epic seven-fight main card at UFC 144. The show is headlined by Frankie Edgar putting his lightweight gold up for grabs against Henderson with another featured bout between Quinton Jackson-Ryan Bader in co-headlining action. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: ufc, fight, petti, i need, epic sevenfight

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UFC 144 brings the Octagon back to Japan and plenty of action back to the pay-per-view airwaves this Saturday night. The oddsmakers have laid down their pluses and minuses. Now it’s up to us to parse through the numbers and put our money where our keyboards are. As usual, let's begin at the top of the card.Frankie Edgar (-130) vs. Ben Henderson (even)Maybe the oddsmakers have finally come around on Edgar. Maybe, like many of us, they got tired of being wrong. Maybe they decided that if they have to lose money on an Edgar fight, they’d rather do it in the other direction for a change, just to see what it feels like. As Chuck Liddell said when I spoke to him for a very special edition of ‘Fighter vs. Writer’ (look for that on Saturday, btw): "I can’t go against Frankie...I mean, I have before, both times with B.J. [Penn] and the second time with Gray [Maynard]. But he’s tough, man." That more or less sums up my feelings on the matter. You get burned by ‘the little champion that could’ enough times and eventually you have to learn your lesson, right? Right? Yes. Certainly. And yet...I can’t stop thinking that maybe -- just maybe -- Henderson is the man to take that title. He’s a big 155’er with a solid all-around game and a non-stop motor. He demolished Jim Miller and won a cartoon dust cloud of a fight with Clay Guida to get this shot, so clearly he belongs at this level. He can wrestle, he can strike, and he isn’t easily put away. So why can’t he beat Edgar? Maybe there’s a quickness gap. Maybe also a quality of competition one, depending on your perspective. But Henderson isn’t out of depth here. Maybe an even money bet to claim the UFC lightweight title isn’t so crazy after all?My pick: Edgar. If Henderson were a bigger underdog, I’d consider it. But honestly, I just can’t bear to be on the wrong side of Edgar’s ongoing ‘Rocky’ saga. I’d actually rather lose money on him than risk winning while joining the ranks of those who pick against him every single time. Ask me on Sunday whether I still feel that way.Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (-280) vs. Ryan Bader (+220)The way I see it, there are two huge question marks here: 1) Can Bader take a punch? and 2) Does Jackson still care enough about this MMA nonsense to do well at it? These questions are equally difficult to answer. It’s possible that getting dropped by Tito Ortiz was a fluke thing for Bader. It’s never happened before or (in the one fight) since. But then, it’s also not exactly something Ortiz is known for. If a short hook from him can take your legs away, what’ll happen when "Rampage" touches your chin? Maybe nothing, because maybe ‘Page doesn’t really give a damn anymore. We know Bader isn’t his idea of a dream opponent for his glorious return to Japan. Of course, he won’t admit it unless he loses -- at which point no one reaches for an excuse faster than Jackson, except maybe Ortiz -- but it seems likely that he didn’t train as hard for Bader as he did for Jon Jones. Will it matter? Maybe not if he can find Bader’s off-switch with his fist early on. But if it goes into the later rounds, age and level of interest might become a factor.My pick: Jackson. I hardly even feel comfortable with it as a parlay bet, and I think anything over -200 is overvaluing the former champ, but I just have too many doubts about Bader. And after all, this is "Rampage" in Japan. Surely that still means something, right?Cheick Kongo (-300) vs. Mark Hunt (+230)Okay underdog-lovers, here’s your chance. You want me to believe that Kongo, whose grappling game consists mostly of shorts-grabbing, testicle-kneeing, wall-and-stall tactics, is a 3-1 favorite over MMA’s hardest-hitting, hardest-headed, and, as far as grappling goes, most improved heavyweight? Not on your life, pal. Hunt takes a punch like a redwood and is equally as willing, as long as it gives him the chance to punch you back. Kongo might start out wanting to wrestle his way to victory, but as we saw in his last fight, Hunt’s upped his game in that department. Eventually Kongo will be compelled, either through honor or a lack of better options, to stand and trade. Then we’ll see who has the better kickboxing and the better chin. I think I already know.My pick: Hunt. Usually I have to talk myself into picking at least one sizable underdog. This time the oddsmakers went and made it easy on me.Jake Shields (-300) vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama (+230)Now this is what a 3-1 favorite looks like. No disrespect to Akiyama, who still has the best walkout in the game, but if you get submitted by Chris Leben I have to admit that I don’t like your chances on the mat with Jake Shields. It probably won’t be the most exciting bout on the card. And despite his recent string of Fight of the Night awards, even Akiyama probably won’t be able to change that. Even so, it’s hard to see how this fight doesn’t get to the floor in a hurry, and once there you have to give the considerable edge to Shields.My pick: Shields. Make room in the parlay, because here he comes.Anthony Pettis (-240) vs. Joe Lauzon (+190)If you believe, as Duke Roufus does, that Pettis is MMA’s Michael Jordan when he gets in his zone, these odds might look like a steal to you. To me, they look like a bit much. Pettis deserves to be the favorite in this fight. He’s dynamic and unpredictable, and he really solidified his wrestling after that loss to Guida. Still, let’s not act like Lauzon hasn’t made fools out of a few guys who were supposed to trounce him. He’s beaten some very good fighters in his day (and some very mediocre ones), and his submissions game makes him a constant threat. At the same time, if Pettis keeps it standing you have to think he’ll easily out-strike him, and it’s not as if Lauzon is known for his takedowns. Despite a little odds inflation, that’s what will make the difference here.My pick: Pettis. It’s a parlay pick all the way, but I feel better about this one than I do about Jackson.Quick picks:- Yushin Okami (-345) over Tim Boetsch (+265). Does anyone else think this seems like a fight that’s tailor-made to make Okami look good in front of the home crowd? Yeah, me too. - Bart Palaszewski (+140) over Hatsu Hioki (-170). I wasn’t terribly impressed with Hioki’s win over George Roop, while "Bartimus" still hits as hard as almost anyone in the division. Look out.The ‘For Entertainment Purposes Only’ Parlay: Jackson + Shields + Pettis + Okami.

Posted in: fight, vs, petti, bader, itrsquo

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Anthony Pettis has seen Joe Lauzon come out firing before.

Posted in: anthony pettis, petti, joe lauzon, lauzon, anthony

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Scrappy lightweight contender Joe Lauzon, who is scheduled to face off against Anthony Pettis at UFC 144 this Saturday night (Feb. 25, 2012), gives fans a behind-the-scenes look at his trip to the Saitama Super Arena for the upcoming "Edgar vs. Henderson" pay-per-view event in Japan. For episode one, including his training footage, click here. For our extensive preview covering the Lauzon vs. Pettis fight click here.

Posted in: ufc, anthony pettis, petti, click, lauzon

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TOKYO - As Anthony Pettis looks a few spots above his name on UFC 144's fight card, he knows it could be he - not Benson Henderson - fighting for the UFC lightweight title in Saturday's main event. Fourteen months after defeating Henderson in the WEC's final event, Pettis now watches his former foe taking a headlining slot in a championship bout on a huge UFC event. But rather than regret or jealousy, Pettis said it simply provides motivation as he prepares for his UFC 144 bout with fellow contender Joe Lauzon.

Posted in: ufc, event, anthony pettis, petti, championship bout

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The upcoming UFC 144 event will feature the two most resilient lightweights in recent memory at the very top of the card as Frankie Edgar defends his title against Ben Henderson. Neither man has cruised through their careers with ease and both have had to claw back victory from the jaws of defeat several times. Iron wills, nearly limitless energy and the calm retention of technical skills under pressure have allowed Edgar and Henderson to survive and thrive in the shark tank that is the lightweight division. This two-part Judo Chop takes a look at what exactly the little things are that Bendo does to work his near-miraculous escapes and to stave off defeat until he can find and exploit a route to victory. In his last bout, Edgar capped off the finest trilogy of fights in MMA with his dramatic comeback from near defeat and subsequent knockout of Gray Maynard at UFC 136. Edgar has retained his UFC title with quiet tenacity and is now one of the most respected people in the sport for his heart and desire to win. Benson Henderson, the man who will stand across from Edgar in Saitama Super Arena, took a hard lesson from his last defeat. The loss of his WEC title to Anthony Pettis at the end of the bittersweet, but great WEC 53 card ended with Benson reeling from the now-legendary Showtime Kick. After that defeat and the subsequent absorption of the WEC by the UFC, Benson roared like the lion his frizzy mane emulates throughout thrilling matches with Mark Bocek, Jim Miller and Clay Guida to claim this title shot. All four fighters have had Bendo in trouble at some point and every single time, he has escaped. This first part takes an in-depth look at the WEC 53 fight against Anthony Pettis and the UFC 129 bout with Mark Bocek. Hit the jump for the fight breakdowns combined with the GIF goodies from Grappo. The Showtime Kick was for a time the most vivid image in recent mixed martial arts history. The visual poetry of the kick was so strong that it overshadowed the actual fight itself, a back and forth battle between two closely matched competitors. Both Pettis and Henderson had the other in trouble in all phases of the game and in particular, the rear mount position figured heavily in the action. At approximately the 3:30 mark of the third round, Pettis managed to work out of an open guard position and slide around to the rear mount position with a body triangle modification. In IBJJF competitions, he would achieve no points for this particular back take, but in real grappling and in MMA, such a position is extremely powerful. Finish opportunities open up and the body triangle can slowly constrict the energy and fight out of an opponent. Pettis was on Henderson's back for over three minutes, but achieved no finish despite working constantly to generate an opportunity for the rear naked choke (RNC) or punching Henderson in the face. The lack of a finish is due to Benson's calm controlling of one hand at almost all times. In this gif, you can see Benson get a two on one grip on Anthony's right arm and stretch it out. In MMA, if one hand is controlled, the other hand can generally be allowed to wrap around the neck without fear of a choke. In submission grappling, it is possible for grappling wizards like Marcelo Garcia to do a one handed RNC on high level opponents (as demonstrated on Ryan Hall in a practice session), but that takes a certain confluence of skill, position and mastery of technique. At that point in time, Pettis does not have such a confluence, so Henderson need only disrupt the choke attempts by controlling one hand. The full fight (very much worth watching) shows that Pettis constantly attacked by alternating which arm was going for the choke and which would complete the RNC, only to be frustrated by Henderson's grips. The two on one is usually a powerful grip in grappling as very few people outside of Mark Coleman or other immensely strong individuals will be able to power a single arm through the grip of two. In an earlier interview, Dave Camarillo mentioned that he believes the kimura grip (a variant of the two on one grip) is the strongest grip possible in grappling and utilizes it heavily within his own grappling and teaching. Note that Benson also alleviates the discomfort of the body triangle and carrying Anthony's weight to some degree by struggling upright and leaning against the cage. Pettis has to fight gravity in a small way himself and cannot take the easier route of staying on top of a turtled up opponent and driving his hips forwards to create immense pressure and discomfort. Those who remember the DaMarques Johnson and Mike Guymon fight from UFC: Fight for the Troops 2 can remember the power of that particular body triangle. Benson survived three minutes of this and looked unusually placid while doing so - as if this threatening back take was merely something to tolerated and worked through until he could get free and fire off more clinch knees. Jumping forwards to the next time Henderson was in significant trouble leads us to right after the Showtime Kick. Rather than dwelling upon the already much heralded burst of violent creativity, we should focus on how a very dazed and tired Bendo weathered a full minute of Pettis trying to finish the fight. Yes, there was a minute of the fight after the kick and smart tactics combined with an unfortunately timed lack of improvisation by Pettis is what allowed Henderson to survive to the decision. Immediately after the kick, Benson knew he had to get up off his back and do something or risk taking big punches from Anthony. He glommed onto the legs of Pettis and held his head tight to the legs in an instinctual clinch that played into the rule proscribing blows to the back of the head. Pettis had to pick and choose the spots to launch his strikes and the singleminded determination of Henderson to grab a leg and stay on it makes it difficult for Pettis to do anything other than end up in a crucifix position - as the GIF shows. However, right after the kick and scramble, Pettis stalls out a bit. Here, Pettis displays positional dominance in a way that often leads to the end of fights. The legs are controlling one arm and the head looks ripe to rain down damaging blows upon. This is an MMA fight, bound by rules and regulations and thus Pettis cannot punch away at the back of the head a la Hayato Sakurai against Nick Diaz. Fortunately for Henderson, Pettis never makes the logical leap to the Gary Goodridge style crucifix hellbows that left Paul Herrera a crumpled heap on the floor of the UFC 8 cage. With this oddly hesitant pattern of strikes, Ben is never fully overwhelmed and can prevent the referee from stepping in. Eventually, time ran out on the round and on the last, most brilliant card of WEC's existence. Benson would stand ready to hear the judges' decision and watch Anthony Pettis's hand be raised in victory. After the absorption of the WEC into the UFC, Henderson was largely viewed as a mid-level entrant to the division and Pettis waited for a potential title shot. Four months after the WEC 53 battle, Henderson fought Mark Bocek as part of the general "American vs. Canadian" vibe of the UFC 129 card. Henderson won a unanimous decision, but there were moments of real trouble for him due to Bocek's grappling prowess. Three such moments will be looked at this Judo Chop: For the first, Henderson has had a takedown stuffed and is on his hands and knees below Bocek, who has established head control. After some time securing the position, Bocek shifts to an anaconda grip. The angle for the cameras unfortunately obscures the placement of Bocek's hands and the beginnings of the choke, but there have been multiple Judo Chops done on the submission before. [The first is Judo Chop: Breaking Down the Groundwork of Maia/Munoz at UFC 131 and the second is Judo Chop: Carlo Prater Uses a Novel Finish to the Anaconda Choke.] Bocek is squeezing Henderson's left carotid with the placement of his right biceps and wants to force Henderson's right arm next to his head in such a way that the right carotid will also be squeezed. By making a series of motions somewhat similar to a RNC, Bocek has his right hand in the crook of his left arm and wants to roll to his left to off-balance Henderson and create more pressure on the carotids and thereby gain the submission. However, the cage and Henderson's positioning block Bocek from really turning over to get the proper anaconda finish that the grappling gods want. For a better idea of what a real anaconda choke looks like, check out the Judo Chops mentioned above or watch the old PRIDE fights of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira - better known as "Big Nog" or "The Really Old Looking Brazilian Who Made The Anaconda Choke Famous". The nicknames sounds better in Portuguese, trust me. Mark bails on the anaconda and gets back to his feet, while retaining the head control that keeps Ben from getting a counter-takedown or punching Mark in the face some more. While they are along the fence, Bocek repositions his hands and arms in such a way that makes for a great guillotine - if he can get in position. The angles are not quite right for a guillotine in the style of the one Jake Shields pulled on Robbie Lawler back at Strikeforce: Lawler vs. Shields, so Mark moves a bit to his right to clear his legs from Ben's control and Ben sinks to his knees as he loses the grip on the legs. When the legs are clear and Ben is fully on his elbows and knees, Bocek goes for a classic variation of the guillotine. The far side leg is swiftly thrown behind the opponent's back to prevent a move into side control, which would allow the alleviation of the pressure on the carotids and thus safety from the choke. The opponent's head is tucked into the latissimus dorsi muscles, which allow for a better, tighter squeeze and the left arm comes up to link and possibly throw the elbow over the opponent's right shoulder. Some Brazilian jiu jitsu people call this the Marcelo-tine, but a large number of grapplers from any discpline can get finishes with this move if they can hit it right. This is the second submission that Ben had to defend. Ben defended by bringing his right hand up to give some modicum of space within the choke and by simultaneously rolling - which may not always work against high level grapplers. The roll and the "not-quite-finished" status of the choke allowed Bendo to knock the left hand free and escape yet again. This might be the single closest time that Ben Henderson has come to being finished in the cage in the last several years and he reacts by storming Bocek with a flurry of punches. In the third round, Bocek ends up in an open guard position as Henderson has dominated nearly the entirety of the round by dealing out vicious punches and knees. Bocek places his left foot on a hip and leaves his right leg free (in a cautiously optimistic way). Ben walks in as if completely unconcerned about anything other than controlling the feet to prevent an upkick. Bocek uses that opportunity to grip the left leg of Henderson at the ankle and swims his right leg under and around the knee. This is a move that is banned in IBJJF competitions due to the risk of the submission Bocek initially sets up - the heel hook. [Previous Judo Chops featuring the heel hook: Rousimar Palhares and Leglocks, Shogun Rua's Fightsaving Leglock on Dan Henderson, Ed Herman Uses 50/50 Guard to Heel Hook Kyle Noke.] Ben probably realizes as soon as his leg is gripped that he has left the door wide open for a heel hook. The best way to get out of a leglock is to keep base carefully, stay calm, work the escapes techniques and to avoid panicking and ripping out the wrong way. Mark decides to control the hands of his opponent instead of going straight for the heel hook, which is a sort of judgement call in the damage versus submission opportunity debate. Henderson turns his right leg outwards to try and keep balance as if he were bullriding, but Bocek is a great grappler and uses his free left leg to kick out Henderson's base. As Ben falls over, Mark follows him and locks hands around the waist. Some of you may already know what submission Bocek has the opportunity for and have seen it broken down in an earlier Judo Chop covering how Charles Oliveira defeated Eric Wisely with the calf slicer. In contrast to Wisely, Bendo is extremely flexible, quite strong for his weight class and does not make the mistake of trying to launch vertically upwards to escape. Bocek looks like he wants the submission, but realizes that the slicer is probably not going to work as desired. Mark bails on it to go for an eventually unsuccessful back take. But for Benson's calm grappling defense and diligence in stretching, we could have seen the first UFC calf slicer in April of last year... That is all for Part 1 and stay tuned to Bloody Elbow for the next installment. Part 2 will take a look at the Jim Miller and Clay Guida battles Ben Henderson went through to reach his title shot complete with analysis and more pretty visuals.

Posted in: right, petti, henderson, leg, bocek

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HeavyMMA's Megan Olivi catches up with UFC lightweight contender Anthony "Showtime" Pettis in Tokyo to talk to him about his UFC 144 pay-per-view opener against Joe Lauzon.

Posted in: ufc, petti, contender, anthony, heavymma

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On December 16th, 2010, with one minute remaining in a hotly contested five round WEC lightweight championship bout that would also be the final fight of the company’s storied tenure, arguably the most sensational athletic move was attempted and successfully delivered: the ‘Showtime kick.’ After 24 minutes of back and forth action with the title on the line, then challenger Anthony Pettis seemingly defied all known laws of physics by leaping towards the cage, spring boarding off of that cage with his right foot, and delivering a mid-air whip kick with that same right foot, which caught then champion Benson Henderson in the face. It didn’t knock the champion out, but it did drop Henderson and was the declarative statement that Pettis won the epic contest. About the only person in the entirety of the MMA community who is not still hypnotized by that captivating moment is the man who did it. “I don't want the ‘Showtime kick’ and the WEC belt to be the highlight of my career,” affirms Pettis, who understandably is working towards a long, successful career as a professional fighter, and not resting on his 23-year old self’s accomplishments - as great as they were. “I want to be the UFC champ. I want to do well in this and I believe in myself. I want to show the fans that I am a skillful fighter and I can be the best at 155.”If UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones had the most impressive year in MMA history in 2011, then there’s a case to be made that Pettis had the second best in 2010. Coming off a split decision loss to Bart Palaszewski at WEC 45, which was also the first loss of his career, Pettis entered 2010 a relative no name 155er who found himself being followed around by a yet-to-debut documentary television show while preparing for his third WEC bout. At WEC 47 against Danny Castillo, Pettis scored an opening round head kick knockout, which earned him “Knockout of the Night” and provided a scintillating ending to the World of Jenks MTV show. But that was only the beginning to his year, as Pettis would win three more fights, a “Submission of the Night”, a “Knockout of the Night”, and was crowned the last WEC lightweight champion. An added stipulation to the Pettis/Henderson bout was that the winner would face the winner of the UFC lightweight championship fight between Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard at UFC 125. The title fight ended in a draw, which earned Edgar and Maynard a rematch with each other, but left Pettis without a dance partner for the foreseeable future. Instead of waiting for the eventual winner of Edgar/Maynard (which was finally decided last October), Pettis chose to take on another top contender. Long story short, six months later, Pettis debuted in the UFC against veteran grinder Clay “The Carpenter” Guida and suffered a unanimous decision loss. “It sucked,” tells Pettis. “Going from fighting pretty much every two months to having six months off - I didn't like it at all. A lot of stuff changed. Having Mr. Andrew Jenks follow me around, my popularity definitely went up, and having six months off I didn't have anything to look forward to. My fight camp and I decided I should take a fight and luckily we did because I wouldn't have been fighting until this year. Taking that fight didn't turn out how I was hoping, but there were a lot of factors - time off, gameplan, and a lot of stuff factored into why I lost that fight.”It wasn’t the UFC debut Pettis expected, but he is a professional, and four months later he was inside the Octagon for a second time looking for that first win. “The biggest thing for me was to not get another loss,” says Pettis, who took on the heavy-handed Jeremy Stephens at UFC 136, a bout which did not go as expected either. “Going into the Stephens fight, we were expecting a standup war. He was talking big stuff like he was going to knock me out and welcome me properly to the UFC, so I was expecting a standup fight. It didn't turn out that way.”No one would have guessed the ultra, dynamic striking of Pettis and the 14 knockouts, power punching of “Lil’ Heathen” would end up in a wrestling match in Houston. “He goes and takes me down in the first round, twice I think, but I wasn't expecting him to shoot on me - I was expecting him to throw big bombs,” divulges Pettis, who didn’t start the grapple-thon, but definitely ended it by showing off his takedowns in the later rounds. “He takes me down and he goes up on the judges’ score cards right away. In the corner, Duke [Roufus] told me, ‘if you can take him down then take him down and grind him out.’ In the second and third round, I came out and I did just that.”Although, 2011 was slow for the Milwaukee, Wisconsin native, going 1-1 in two wrestling matches in the UFC, 2012 is shaping up to be very exciting. At UFC 144, in the UFC’s first event in Japan in over a decade, Pettis faces five-time Submission of the Night winner Joe Lauzon at the Saitama Super Arena. The submission magician from Massachusetts is entering the bout on a two fight win streak capped off by a huge 47 second upset victory over Melvin Guillard at UFC 136. At 20-6, the Ultimate Fighter season 5 alum is in the mix for a title shot, and Pettis knows a win over him would put him back near the top of the lightweight pack hunting for gold.“He’s a very intelligent fighter and very dangerous,” says Pettis. “He's got some good striking, he's getting better all the time, he's been around a long time, he's got the experience factor on me, and he's very good on the ground. He's one of those fighters who is dangerous everywhere. I wanted someone of his caliber and of his skill set. He's coming off a huge win against Guillard. He's going to put me right back where I need to be. A win over Lauzon will be huge for my career. Coming off of a win you have better mental preparation going into a fight. You're not doubting yourself, you're not thinking about your last loss. I'm coming off of a win, so I'm better mentally. I know that I can go out there and do what I usually do. I can't go out there and play it safe. I need to go out there and bring the fight and break his will.”The type of fight that only “Showtime” can bring is a uniquely flashy, but effective, one that is fan-friendly and knockout-centric. It’s a style that is as atheistically pleasing as it is deadly for Pettis’ opponents. Nevertheless, Pettis fights with a controlled chaos, as seemingly high risk maneuvers like the ‘Showtime kick’ are actually thoughtfully practiced with legendary kickboxing coach Roufus, and they come naturally to Pettis because of his background in traditional martial arts like Taekwondo (3rd degree black belt). “People ask me all the time, ‘am I trying to go out there and be ‘Showtime’ or am I trying to go out there and show off a new kick?’ Nah, this is the way I practice,” states Pettis. “I practice flashy because I've been doing it my whole life. Jump kicks, spin kicks, I've been doing them my whole life and they're second nature to me. For a boxer to throw a 1-2 is nothing for them because they've been doing it their whole life. For me to throw a spin kick is nothing to me because I've been doing it my whole life. A jump spin kick has been something I've using in my whole martial arts career and it's just something that carries over into my fighting. When someone is getting ready to fight me as an opponent, they definitely have to bring in some sparring partners who throw crazy moves. But the thing is I have very good basics, which allow me to go out there and throw spin kicks. I don't just go out there and throw spin kicks and spin kicks and spin kicks. I set them up with a 1-2 and a low kick, mixing in with a high kick, and I'll see the opening and then I'll go for it. The kicks that people have seen in the WEC are kicks that I've done my whole life - the spin kicks, the capoeira kicks - that all comes second nature.”For the training required to make himself elite, Pettis doesn’t even need to leave his hometown of Milwaukee because of Roufusport Mixed Martial Arts Academy. Within the hallowed walls are the gym’s namesake, Roufus, who is both head coach and striking coach, as well as a cast of steadily growing up-and-coming talent like UFC featherweight Erik Koch. One of the newest members of the fight team is the highly decorated, former 2x NCAA Division I National Champion wrestler from the University of Missouri, Ben Askren, who is 9-0 as a pro in MMA. Also, Pettis’ younger brother, Sergio, is a 3-0 flyweight on the Roufusport team. “It's huge,” says Pettis about the motivation he gets from training with his brother. “For me and my brother training together we have a bond, we're both pushing each other to the limit because we want the best for each other, but we're competitive. I don't want to lose, and I don't want my little brother whooping my ass, so I have to stay on top of my game. I know he looks up to me, so I know I have to do the right things and set the right examples.”Lastly, out of all the fans that he earned from the TV show, the exciting finishes, the kick, and the title, Pettis’ biggest fan didn’t get to see any of that happen because she’s only seven months old: his daughter Aria. “You hear it all the time that when you have kids that they're your ultimate motivation, but it doesn't really make sense until you have one and you see,” says Pettis, who is going to have to work harder than ever to outdo what he’s already done, but with his daughter in his corner he’s ready for the task. “I have a baby girl, she's amazing, and I'm more focused than ever.”On February 25th at UFC 144, Pettis is bringing “Showtime” to Japan and Lauzon better be prepared for that arsenal of creativity. “I have a fight style that is different from everyone else’s and from what everyone has ever seen,” asserts Pettis, who wants to eclipse his previous WEC accomplishments and the best way to start doing that is a win over Lauzon. “I think coming out here and having a great performance shows that I'm one step closer to my goals. I've got the basics, I've got the flash, and I'm trying to be the most well-rounded fighter in the UFC.”Who knows, maybe it's possible to jump off the cage into a flying triangle choke, back flip kick. If anyone is going to do it, Pettis can.

Posted in: ufc, fight, petti, wec, kick

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“I catch a lot of crap sometimes about gassing and cardio and things like that. But I come out and I push hard. I can be in great shape, but when you push as hard as I push, it’s tough to maintain that pace… On one hand I could … be like everyone else and have great cardio and never finish fights, but I would rather push and try to finish people. And you know what, if I get tired because I was trying to finish guys? I can deal with that. I don’t ever want to be a guy that never finishes anyone but is known for having great cardio… We’re just going to put it on [Anthony Pettis]. I’m sure his gameplan is going to be to kind of ride out the pressure, pace in the first, and then take it to me in the second. But a lot of other guys have had that same gameplan and I’ve still overwhelmed them in the first. Like I said, it’s easy to have great cardio when you’re not really doing a whole lot of work.” — Joe Lauzon on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani talking about the correlation between finishing fights and cardio Joe Lauzon’s alright in my book. I’ll take a guy who goes for the finish any day over a guy who conserves his energy and point fights his way to a decision. That said, I’m not the guy in the cage either who’s job or a title run is on the line. There’s an incredible amount of pressure on fighters to win in the UFC, so I can see why some fighters choose to take the safer paths to victory. I’ll always have a little more respect for the guys who really go for it though. As for his fight with Anthony Pettis this weekend, there could be a title shot at stake. Lauzon explained in the interview that he and Pettis were led to believe that one of them could be a last-minute replacement for Ben Henderson in case something happened to him. “From talking to Joe Silva, he kind of led me to believe a little bit that part of the reason why me and Pettis were going out there was because if something happened with Ben, then one of us would step up and fight for the title. He didn’t completely come out and say it, but he was like, ‘it would be a really good thing to have two top-ranked guys out there in case something happened with Ben.’” Does that mean Lauzon vs. Pettis is a number one contender fight? Not necessarily, but it definitely sounds like a possibility if one of them puts on a impressive performance Saturday night. Nate Diaz and Jim Miller are also looming out there, but they don’t fight until May, so the timing is definitely in Lauzon and Pettis’ favor. Lauzon also said he was a little irritated with Melvin Guillard for telling everyone he beat himself. Joe’s response: “No, I smacked you in the face with my fist, and you went down and I choked you. I’m pretty sure I’m taking credit for that.” Nice one, J-Lau. Image via Dave Mandel for Sherdog

Posted in: fight, guy, petti, lauzon, cardio

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MMAFrenzy kicks off our main card coverage of UFC 144 with a pair of breakdowns of Saturday’s card. Each day we will breakdown a pair of fights leading up to our breakdown of the UFC lightweight title fight between Ben Henderson and champion Frankie Edgar. Today’s feature previews two main card matchups, with a lightweight battle between Joe Lauzon and Anthony Pettis, along with a featherweight showdown between Bart Palaszewski and Hatsu Hioki. Keys for Joe Lauzon (Chris Leslie): It seems that the sure way to seal a Lauzon win is to bet against him. For some reason, that seems to be the key. However, that’s not the only reason for his success. Lauzon has improved his striking greatly over the years but it is in his best interest to keep Pettis tied up through clinch work on their feet and using top control BJJ to control the posture of Pettis. Doing so would not allow Pettis to use his very impressive guard but it can also also Lauzon to try for his own submissions. If Lauzon can dictate the pace of the fight, look for him to be getting his hand raised this Saturday Keys for Antony Pettis (Bryan Robison): When looking over Joe Lauzon’s career, the fighters that put a loss on his record are the ones that can make it through the first round. Lauzon is a quick starter, and is able to overwhelm many of his opponents. This is something Pettis cannot overlook, as he has not had a fight that failed to make it to the third round in nearly two years. We saw a different Pettis in his most recent fight, a victory over Jeremy Stephens at UFC 136 in October. He was much more calm and easy in the Octagon compared to what we had gotten used to from Pettis. He showed more wrestling than he had ever displayed before. Is that a sign of the “new” Pettis, or was it a style tailor made to defeat Stephens? That is to be determined. Concerning Lauzon, Pettis is not as decorated in Jiu-Jitsu, but he can hold his own. He has a strong triangle choke, so he is able to fight offensively off of his back. But he would be best served keeping the fight on the feet, where he can methodically attack Lauzon, and gradually wear him down. While another “Showtime Kick” is unlikely, “Showtime” does have an opponent who will be willing to strike with him Keys for Bart Palaszewski (Chris Leslie): The breakdown for this one is pretty simple. The longer this fight stays standing, the more likely Palaszewski is to pull out the victory. Palaszewski has a lot of power in his hands and that needs to be what he tries to decide the fight with. The real x-factor here is whether his hands can hold up over the fight. Palaszewski has had multiple hand breaks over the years and those never really go away. If this fight drags on, that could be a big thing to watch. Keys for Hatsu Hioki (Bryan Robison): Hioki did not have an impressive debut in the UFC. This has become a pattern for many Japanese fighters that transition to the cage. While he has not been overly dominating over the last few years, Hioki brought a strong reputation over with him as he fought George Roop in his UFC debut last October. He was able to escape with a split decision win, but was not overly impressive. Now Hioki fights another dangerous fighter in Bart Palaszewski. In order to win, Hioki will have to make it look very similar to his first fight. Unfortunately for Hioki, Palaszewski has even stronger striking than Roop, and also has a strong submission game. In order to get a win in his home country, Hioki will need to be much more aggressive than he was against Roop. Palaszewski certainly will be looking for ways to expose Hioki on the feet. While “Bartimus” is strong in Jiu-Jitsu, he can be taken down and overpowered, which is something Hioki will look to do. For complete coverage of UFC 144, stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com

Posted in: fight, petti, lauzon, palaszewski, hioki

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Over the course of a few months Anthony Pettis went from being next in line for a UFC Lightweight title shot to having to fight his way back into title shot consideration.  Pettis took the WEC Lightweight crown from Benson Henderson at WEC 53 and was then lined up to face the winner of the January 1, 2011 Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard bout. The problem with that was, there was no winner. The fight finished in a draw and a rematch was booked, a rematch that was delayed by injury. Pettis decided that

Posted in: title shot, anthony pettis, petti, injury pettis, maynard bout

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Anthony Pettis electrified the MMA world with his "Showtime Kick" and victory over Benson Henderson, but still he's forced to take a backseat.

Posted in: petti, henderson, mma world, benson henderson, showtime kick

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Anthony Pettis electrified the MMA world with his "Showtime Kick" and victory over Benson Henderson, but still he's forced to take a backseat.

Posted in: petti, henderson, mma world, benson henderson, showtime kick

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Ben Henderson isn’t sure how many times he’s seen the same highlight clip replayed over and over. "Hundreds and thousands," he estimates, and that doesn’t even count all the time spent talking about it in interviews. It was just a few seconds of his life lifted from a rare losing effort inside the cage, and a part of him knows that he’ll never fully escape it."I’m still not over it. I won’t lie to you," Henderson said. "I still get teary-eyed thinking about it. It affects me deeply to this day. It will affect me for the rest of my fighting career, for a long, long time. I’m very upset about it still. I can put it behind me, but am I totally over it, never think about it? No."Even if he wanted to forget, the sport wouldn’t let him. The clip of Anthony Pettis launching himself off the cage and into a jumping kick that floored Henderson quickly found its way onto ESPN and into MMA lore. It also changed both men’s lives, though not in the ways they might have expected as they stood in the cage that night in Glendale, Ariz., waiting for the judges’ scores to be read aloud. Pettis claimed the victory, the fame, and the promise of a UFC title shot that night, though it ultimately came at a price. Henderson ended up sitting at the post-fight press conference, visibly struggling to suppress the tears that came up in waves whenever he thought about what had just happened."It was heart-wrenching," he said. "I was sad, and I’m still sad. It was heart-breaking. ...Every time I’m out there, I give you guys everything. I open up my heart and soul. I hold nothing back. To come up short, and to come up short in that manner, that hurt. But I’ll never let that happen again."That same night, Henderson said, he promised himself that he would not be defined by this one loss, this one kick. He would use it to make himself better, so that when people looked back on his career it would be little more than a footnote. After all, he told himself, didn’t Georges St. Pierre have to see clips of himself getting TKO’d by Matt Serra over and over again? Didn’t it only make him stronger in the end?"It’s the same thing for me. I’ve had to see that kick hundreds and thousands of times. I have to talk about it over and over and over. But I’m using it. I’m using it to make myself better."And he has. Even former foes like Pettis -- who will be forced to watch from the UFC 144 undercard this weekend as Henderson gets a crack at UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar in Tokyo -- can admit that."After our fight, he changed as a fighter," Pettis said. "He’s hungry. You can see it on his face, he’s ready to win this fight."Henderson will tell you now that, despite the heartbreak of the moment, in the long run the loss was "absolutely beneficial to my career." He didn’t overreact the way some fighters do after a painful defeat, dumping all their coaches and making cosmetic changes in an attempt to fix a problem they haven’t even truly diagnosed yet."But I think what I did change was my approach during the fight," he said. "I think against Pettis, the biggest thing I took away was that I was not aggressive enough. I didn’t have enough ring control. I think I did fine in the fight, landed more strikes, all that. But the problem was, I think I was backing up too much."If anything, the loss made him more aggressive. While he still insists he hates decisions -- "absolutely hate them" -- he resolved to make any fight that does go to the distance into an easy call for the judges and the fans."I can’t leave any doubt. There’s going to be no doubt in anyone’s mind after they watch one of my fights as to who won the fight."That seems problematic against Edgar, a champion who’s never been finished in his MMA career, and who has yet to lose a five-round fight. His indefatigable style and his ability to bounce back from even the most punishing blows make him seem nearly impossible to put him away, at least to some. Henderson, not surprisingly, doesn’t quite see it that way."If you make a mistake, you leave your neck out there for half a second too long, you leave your arm out there, you give me your knee, I will end the fight. If you leave your chin out there? Man, let me touch your chin. I will end the fight. It’s just a matter of a guy making a small mistake and giving me the opportunity."As for Pettis, the man who gave him this renewed sense of purpose and this extra drive, it’s nice for Henderson to know that his former nemesis is picking to win this one. And sure, he knows there might be some ulterior motives involved. Pettis could well be hoping that a Henderson win would make a rematch more likely, this time with a bigger title on the line, and Henderson doesn’t necessarily disagree with the notion."Maybe my second or third title defense, I could see fighting him again. I’d have no problem with that."After all, Pettis did stick him in that interminable highlight reel hell. It sure would be nice to return the favor. Sooner or later, Henderson said, he feels certain he’ll get the chance."I will say this: before I retire, before I leave this earth, I will see Anthony Pettis again in the cage."It just won’t be this weekend, when Pettis will have to content himself with watching on a monitor backstage while Henderson steps in the Octagon for the title shot he’s had to earn the hard way.

Posted in: fight, time, anthony pettis, petti, henderson

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It’s possible that it was all too much too soon. It’s more than possible, actually. It’s pretty much a fact, and Anthony Pettis doesn’t deny it. Just think: when he showed up in Glendale, Ariz. in December of 2010, he was a 23-year-old underdog heading into the last title fight in the last event before the WEC was shut down for good. By the time he left, he was a star. His face was on SportsCenter every hour, courtesy of the kick that ESPN would later dub one of the top ten plays of the year. Who wouldn’t get caught up in that?"That whole time until the Guida fight," said Pettis, "I was on top of the world. Everything changed. I was 23 years old, just won my first world title. I did it that way and was on ESPN. It was a big, big jump from where I was before. Nothing was the same." No one wants to think that the best moment of his life might have come when he was 23 years old. Then again, not many people will ever pull off anything so spectacular as the "Showtime Kick" during something as important as that final title fight. Not only was the WEC belt -- now an ultimate collector’s item -- on the line, so too was a guaranteed UFC lightweight title shot. Or so both Pettis and Ben Henderson thought at the time.Even Henderson has to shake his head in admiration when he looks back on that night."In the 24th minute of a championship fight, dead tired, exhausted, and what did he do?" Henderson said. "He went big. For that, I have to take my hat off to Pettis."It was "one of the greatest all-time moves in the history of mixed martial arts," according to Pettis’ longtime coach, Duke Roufus. What followed was "a whirlwind" that the young fighter from Milwaukee wasn’t totally equipped to deal with."People actually wanted to watch me train," said Pettis. "There was a lot of media attention. I did all the news stations and radio shows. I was flying all over and doing appearances, doing seminars, doing a bunch of stuff. Before, I was at home doing nothing but training. I think getting adjusted to that attention was hard for me."The decision loss to Clay Guida in his UFC debut was almost inevitable, looking back. His life had changed so much so quickly, and now he was facing a savvy veteran of the Octagon who knew all the tricks of the trade and knew exactly how to put them to great use."Fighting a guy like Clay Guida, I think I had the wrong game plan," he said. "I was really focused on finishing with a submission. I was on my back the whole time."He didn’t take much damage in the fight, but he lost the decision nonetheless. He also lost his promised title shot. Now the "Showtime Kick" was just a memory, replaced in people’s minds by images of Guida taking him down and keeping him there. The loss was a learning experience outside the cage as well, according to Roufous, who noted that "the people who told [Pettis] how great he was, the girls who wanted to talk to him, the opportunities people were offering him, those all shrank up. I think then he really saw the importance of being the best and winning."The way Pettis saw it, the win over Henderson vaulted him to new heights, but the loss to Guida "knocked all that down and brought me back to reality."Now, after a split decision win over Jeremy Stephens, Pettis finds himself just trying to make it two in a row against Joe Lauzon on the UFC 144 undercard in Tokyo. Meanwhile, in the main event, the man he achieved his greatest triumph over is getting a shot at the UFC lightweight title before him. It’s a turn of events that he never could predicted back when he was watching himself in constant reruns on ESPN, but now all he can do is make the best of it."Last year this time I was guaranteed a title shot, but it all happens for a reason. Now I’ve got to work my way up again," he said.The way Roufus sees it, the highs and the lows are all just practice for riding bigger waves of fame and success in the future. Better to deal with it as WEC lightweight champ than wait until after you’ve got the UFC strap to learn about those pitfalls."It’s only going to get bigger. That’s the thing," said Roufus. "You grow up in the sport, and Anthony has."If you’re looking for someone to undersell Pettis’ abilities, don’t look to Roufus. He’ll tell you that Pettis is already championship material, already the best lightweight in the UFC when he brings his best stuff into the cage. And yes, he knows how that sounds, but he can’t help it."I know I’m saying the same thing every trainer says, but it’s true," he said. "When Anthony Pettis’ A-game is on, it’s like watching Michael Jordan score 63 points against the Boston Celtics. When he’s on and everything comes together, he’s the most dangerous fighter on the planet."As for Pettis himself, he lets his coach do the bragging. He focuses instead on how easily fortunes can be reversed in this sport. It was supposed to be him fighting for that belt. That it’s Henderson instead only shows what can happen when you grow from your losses rather than allowing yourself to be forever tortured by them."Ben was on a tear. He was killing guys in the WEC. Then I come in there, we go five rounds and I win the decision, and he was back to square one. I think a loss makes everyone a little hungrier, and that’s what it did for him."He’s picking Henderson to win that, he said. Naturally, he’s also picking himself to beat Lauzon. Then, who knows? Maybe he and Henderson will eventually get a chance to do it again, this time with the belt on the line. Maybe Pettis will get another opportunity to make some magic happen. He’s already proven that he has what it takes to achieve greatness inside the cage. Now he needs to show that he also has what it takes to live with the repercussions outside of it.

Posted in: ufc, title, petti, henderson, itrsquo

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Two of the most exciting lightweights in the UFC will clash next Saturday night (February 26, 2012) as bonus hog Joe Lauzon takes on former WEC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis on the UFC 144 main card in Saitama, Japan. Lauzon is on a modest two fight winning streak, but that includes a huge upset victory over Melvin Guillard at UFC 136 in which Guillard was potentially one win away from a title shot. The former cast member of The Ultimate Fighter season five always puts on a show, as evidenced by his eight UFC fight night bonuses. He'll be looking to win his seventh straight next Saturday night. Anthony Pettis has a reputation for being one of the most unpredictable and interesting lightweights on the planet. We could talk about his "Showtime Kick," which set the MMA world on fire at the end of 2010. After missing out on a title shot last year, he's back on the winning track and hoping to potentially regain his number one contender status. He'll have to get through Lauzon first, however. Will Lauzon earn a win bonus on top of a fight night bonus? Can Pettis put on a show and become a potential title challenger with a big win? What's the key to victory for both men next Saturday night? Let's find out: Joe Lauzon Record: 21-6 overall, 7-3 in the UFC Key Wins: Melvin Guillard (UFC 136), Jeremy Stephens (UFC Fight Night 17), Jens Pulver (UFC 63) Key Losses: George Sotiropoulos (UFC 123), Sam Stout (UFC 108), Kenny Florian (UFC Fight Night 13) How he got here: Joe Lauzon has faced some seriously stiff competition in his seven and a half year MMA career. The native Bostonian competed primarily on the east coast circuit early in his career, earning a victory over eventual WEC champ Mike Brown but coming up short to the likes of Jorge Masvidal, Ivan Menjivar and Raphael Assuncao. Lauzon won three fights in one night on April 1, 2006 to punch his ticket to the UFC where he was expected to be thrown to the wolves against former UFC lightweight champion Jens Pulver. Instead, he clipped Pulver, knocking "Lil Evil" out in just 47 seconds in one of the biggest upsets of that year. Despite his incredible showing, Lauzon would instead take a spot on season five of The Ultimate Fighter, where "J-Lau" was the favorite to win the show. Instead, he would be upset by eventual finalist Manny Gamburyan in the semifinals. Since the show, it has been feast or famine for Lauzon. He's won seven fights in the promotion and has scored three losses against three of the division's best in Sam Stout, Kenny Florian and George Sotiropoulos. Lauzon has turned into a bonus hog in his recent fights, taking home "Fight of the Night" in all of his three Octagon losses and winning "Submission of the Night" in his four most recent victories. He's coming off the biggest victory of his career, a huge upset against Melvin Guillard at UFC 136 in which he stunned "The Young Assassin" with a left hand and then choked him out in less than a minute. He's hoping to enter title contention if he can get past former WEC champion and number one contender Anthony Pettis next Saturday night. How he gets it done: Lauzon really hunts for submissions in his fights. He's got a very aggressive guard with sweeps and attacks of the arm but he's also got some competent striking, something he showcased against both Jens Pulver in his UFC debut and in his most recent fights against Kurt Warburton and Melvin Guillard in which he stunned his opponents on the feet before pouncing with submissions on the ground. Lauzon would be unwise to stand at a distance with Pettis though, as he's going to be dealing with a proficient puncher and an even better kicker. His key to victory is to do what he always does and really get in "Showtime's" face with aggressive strikes, either hoping to hurt the Milwaukee-native standing or get in close enough to score a takedown and work from top control. If Lauzon does anything in the stand-up, he needs to get inside. He can't afford to give Pettis the proper range to blast him with his wide array of kicking attacks. Anthony Pettis Record: 14-2 overall, 1-1 in the UFC Key Wins: Ben Henderson (WEC 53), Jeremy Stephens (UFC 136), Danny Castillo (WEC 47) Key Losses: Clay Guida (Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale), Bart Palaszewski (WEC 45) How he got here: Anthony got his start in the Gladiator Fighting Series, going 8-0 on the Wisconsin local circuit with seven of those wins coming by way of first round stoppage. Pettis would earn a trip to the WEC and he would debut with a triangle choke submission over Mike Campbell in June of 2009. After suffering a split decision setback to Bart Palaszewski, "Showtime" would kick into high gear with three consecutive stoppage performances against the likes of Danny Castillo, Shane Roller and Alex Karalexis. His career defining fight would be his title shot against then-WEC lightweight champion Ben Henderson in the final World Extreme Cagefighting event ever, WEC 53. With the WEC title (and a shot at UFC gold) on the line, Pettis and Henderson put on a performance for the ages and you all should know how it ended by now. Final minute of the fight and "Showtime" pulls off the craziest kick in MMA history to score a near fight-ending knockdown that sealed the victory for the youngster. Pettis chose to forgo his UFC title shot and, rather than wait, he accepted a bout with Clay Guida, but couldn't handle "The Carpenter's" wrestling skills and would lose a decision. He showcased offensive wrestling skills of his own in his last fight against Jeremy Stephens, winning another close decision. Now back on track, a victory over Joe Lauzon next Saturday night would put him right back into the mix. How he gets it done: What makes Pettis so fun to watch is his willingness to think outside the box and try crazy new things. It's not just the "Showtime kick" either. Pettis has been willing to throw anything from crazy capoeira kicks to insane cage somersault sweeps from mount. That's part of what makes him great, but can also be a hindrance. At times, he's looked to do something crazy rather than to actually be effective and win.. Look for Pettis to really work his kicking game. Only fellow UFC lightweights John Makdessi or Edson Barboza rival"Showtime" in flashy kicks. He's got very powerful leg, body and head kicks if he's allowed to get in the proper range. With Lauzon not having much of a kicking game at all, this could make a huge difference in the fight. Pettis also rivals Lauzon on the ground as he's very active with submissions, sweep attempts and guard passes. If anyone takes this fight to the canvas, it might just be Pettis. He showcased some improved offensive wrestling in his last fight with Jeremy Stephens and he might utilize it again to try and stifle Lauzon. Conditioning could be at play here. Lauzon can last all three rounds fine if he paces himself, but he tends to really push the pace and expend a ton of energy early in his fights. If Pettis can be patient and not let himself get drawn into a wild exchange in the first few minutes, he could take over in the second and third round. Fight X-Factor: The biggest X-Factor for this fight is the first round. That's where Joe Lauzon is the most dangerous, when he comes out guns blazing with both his striking and ground attack. He's likely going to be expending a ton of energy early so Pettis has to be vigilant and prepared for this. If he gets overwhelmed early, he'll only have himself to blame. Expect Pettis to fight defensively early on, perhaps just waiting long enough until Lauzon tires himself out and then he'll strike back hard. Depending on how the first round goes, the rest of the fight should be very simple to foresee Bottom Line: The possibility for this fight being boring is almost nonexistent. Joe Lauzon has won a ridiculous eight fight night bonuses in his UFC career thus far, out of 11 career UFC fights (and I don't think the bonuses existed back when he KO'd Pulver). He's also won a bonus a ridiculous six times in a row. Pettis was a bonus-hound as well in the WEC, winning the triple crown of Knockout, Submission and Fight of the Night while there. As long as Lauzon pushes a pace and Pettis is forced to keep up with him and go toe-to-toe, this is going to be one of the best fights of the entire card. Both men are capable of tremendous excitement and this fight has serious potential. The only cause for concern is the Anthony Pettis that showed up to fight Jeremy Stephens, as he seemed more intent on winning than being entertaining. He might simply try to smother Lauzon and stifle him, although that's a very slim possibility as I doubt Lauzon would let him do that. Get your popcorn ready for this one. Who will come out on top at UFC 144? Tell us your predictions in the comments below! Poll Which lightweight will become one step close to a potential title shot with a huge victory next Saturday night on the main card of UFC 144 in Japan? Anthony Pettis Joe Lauzon   3 votes | Results

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One of MMA’s most hyped prospects is making a change, as Sergio Pettis will debut as a flyweight May 4 at North American Fighting Championship “Colosseum.”

Posted in: petti, mma ’s, flyweight debut, sergio, sergio pettis

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Scrappy lightweight contender Joe Lauzon, who is scheduled to face off against Anthony Pettis at UFC 144 on Feb. 25, 2012, gives fans a behind-the-scenes look at his pre-fight training camp for the upcoming "Edgar vs. Henderson" pay-per-view event in Japan. For more on Joe Lauzon vs. Anthony Pettis at the Saitama Super Arena click here.

Posted in: anthony pettis, petti, joe, lauzon, arena click

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Photo: US Combat Sports Name: Sergio Pettis Nickname: -- Age: 18 Height: 5'6" Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin One of the trends we've noticed between this year's report and last year's report is the rise of siblings in the ranks of MMA's talent pool. The Lima brothers are the perfect example, but in a more broader sense -- siblings aren't that uncommon in the upper reaches of the sport. Why is that? Most fans would conclude that both men were cut from the same fabric, each possessing whatever it is that makes them great fighters. Others would say that the older fighter inspired the younger fighter, training alongside one another and helping each other achieve great heights. I fall into the latter argument, and look no further than former WEC champion Anthony Pettis' younger brother, Sergio Pettis (3-0), for proof. The 18-year-old has maintained an unblemished three-fight professional record, stopping all of his opposition inside two rounds. He also put up a 4-0 record in the amateur ranks, finishing three out of four opponents when he was still in high school. Those impressive feats come as no surprise to most fans. After all, he's had excellent teachers in Duke Roufus and his brother Anthony. There is, however, an argument that what Sergio has done is even more impressive. He's fought in the shadow of his brother as a fighter who people associate with high-flying striking. Not surprisingly, Sergio is exactly that type of fighter, utilizing explosive kicks, calculated striking attacks, and speedy footwork. But it's clear from the start of every fight that his opponents have shrunk their gameplan down to one word: takedowns. Sergio accommodates the wrestling community well, putting a roof over their heads, normally in the form of his interlocked legs. Unlike his brother during his early days, Sergio is a more developed Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighter, working from an open guard and actively working for submissions. Sergio has fought his entire career within the confines of the 135 lb. weight class, but he'll take on Christopher Haney at NAFC Colosseum on May 4th at flyweight. While he's still very young, he possesses all the tools in his arsenal to beat strong competition, and we're confident that Pettis will find himself in the UFC in 2012. Since the birth of the UFC's flyweight division creates a question of who we should consider as prospects, we've tweaked the criteria specifically for this weight class. Most notably, we drew a line, excluding the following well-known, established flyweights: Jussier ‘Formiga' da Silva, Ulysses Gomez, Ian McCall, Yasuhiro Urushitani, BJ Kojima, Rambaa Somdet, Mamoru Yamaguchi, Dustin Ortiz, Darrell Montague, Danny Martinez, and any flyweights outside of our original criteria. Footage of Sergio Pettis after the fold... FlyweightBantamweightFeatherweightLightweight #1 - #2 - #3 - Sergio Pettis#4 - Rafael de Freitas#5 - Alexandre Pantoja#6 - Hector Sandoval#7 - Jesse Riggleman#8 - Sean Santella#9 - Claudir Dutkevis#10 - Kevin Belingon #1 - Rony Mariano#2 - Aljamain Sterling#3 - Chris Holdsworth#4 - Josh Hill#5 - Fabiano Fernandes#6 - Claudio Ledesma#7 - Sirwan Kakai#8 - Kyoji Horiguchi#9 - Leandro Hygo#10 - Pedro Munhoz #1 - Hacran Dias#2 - Joey Gambino#3 - Brandon Bender#4 - Lance Palmer #5 - Jim Alers#6 - Anthony Gutierrez#7 - Max Holloway#8 - John Teixeira#9 - Cody Bollinger#10 - Bubba Jenkins #1 - Fabricio Guerreiro#2 - Alessandro Ferreira#3 - Adriano Martins#4 - Justin Salas#5 - Neilson Gomes#6 - Eduard Folayang#7 - Zorobabel Moreira#8 - Anton Kuivanen#9 - Jordan Rinaldi#10 - J.P. Vainikainen WelterweightMiddleweightLight HeavyweightHeavyweight #1 - Andrey Koreshkov#2 - Dhiego Lima#3 - Brandon Thatch#4 - Nordine Taleb#5 - Hernani Perpetuo#6 - Brock Jardine#7 - Alan Jouban#8 - Mohsen Bahari#9 - Andre Santos#10 - Stephen Thompson #1 - Antonio Braga Neto#2 - Marcelo Guimaraes#3 - Claudio Silva #4 - Bojan Velickovic#5 - Ildemar Alcantara#6 - Michal Materla#7 - Elvis Mutapcic#8 - Tor Troeng#9 - Jack Hermansson#10 - Tim Ruberg #1 - Wagner Prado#2 - Phelipe Lins#3 - Tom DeBlass#4 - Misha Cirkunov#5 - Kyle Cerminara#6 - Robert Drysdale#7 - Artur Alibulatov#8 - Thiago Perpetuo#9 - Steve Bosse #10 - Juha Saarinen #1 - Magomed Malikov#2 - Magomed Abdurahimov#3 - Alexei Kudin#4 - Levan Razmadze#5 - Chris Birchler#6 - Ruslan Magomedov#7 - Adam Parkes#8 - Richardson Moreira #9 - Jan Jorgensen 10 - David Oliva Sergio Pettis vs. Mike Lindquist Sergio Pettis vs. Kyle Vivian

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Fresh off the victory over Jorge Masvidal in San Diego, California, Strikeforce Lightweight champion Gilbert "El Nino" Melendez continued to call out UFC 155'ers, this time targeting the former WEC champions Ben Henderson and Anthony Pettis. Melendez gave credit to Ben Henderson for "being awesome", but still declared that he achieved more as a fighter than the current #1 contender for the UFC Lightweight title. As for Pettis, would Melendez declared he would smash "Showtime" if ZUFFA choose him as the

Posted in: petti, henderson, ben henderson, jorge masvidal, melendez

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In a combat sport that involves being struck in your face repeatedly. it is very important to be well versed both offensively and defensively. Mixed martial arts (MMA) since the beginning has featured so many different disciplines being utilized and one of the earliest and most effective even in today's sport has been Jiu Jitsu. The discipline that allows a smaller, less imposing possibly (even weaker) grappler to defeat much larger foes. There has never been a better showing than the run Royce Gracie made in the first Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) open weight tournaments. But just like any strength in a sporting environment, there will always be a counter. Wrestling has become a staple in mixed martial arts because it can neutralize a striker with takedowns and can stifle grappling with superior control on the ground. From the early days of Mark Coleman and Mark Kerr to the current sport world that boasts fighters with incredible Jiu Jitsu stifling wrestling like Chad Mendes, Georges St. Pierre and Mark Munoz. Jiu Jitsu has needed its fair share of evolution over the years. It won't be sufficient enough to just have an effective guard to submit from your back or to have a strong top game to control and submit from atop your opponent. It simply is no longer that easy. For more on what it takes to become an effective grappler, follow me into the extended entry for animated .gifs and breakdowns. The Top Game There are three components to being a successful top game grappler. Control, transitions and submissions make up the core of what a top game requires in order to be well rounded atop your opponent. Control is the most crucial, the reason being that if you can't hold your opponent down comfortably then you will not be able to effectively set anything up. Control will allow you to fish for submissions or look to move into dominant positions. Without control of some sort then those things are just not possible. Clay Guida has fought a very stiff line of dangerous grapplers in his UFC career. From the versatile Diego Sanchez to Rafael Dos Anjos, Guida has always made it his staple to be able to be on the ground with guys far superior on paper and find success. Against Anthony Pettis it would be the same style that earned him another impressive victory. Dealing with a very active and dynamic guard, Guida establishes control very effectively on Pettis. Clutching the legs and stacking Pettis high on his shoulders takes away the slick mobility of the hips. It also makes the person very uncomfortable and in doing so takes away the space needed to get anything going. Even though Pettis is clutching to the wrist, Guida lands some punches to help him get inside the guard of Pettis. As he comes down he evades a submission attempt by Pettis who is searching for an arm bar or possibly a triangle choke. Guida does this by staying very mobile with his limbs and torso while also keeping his posture very upright. In doing so, Guida doesn’t get sucked in too deep to get caught in those submissions. After fighting through the submission attempts Guida now sits comfortably inside the guard. He reaches with both hands behind the neck of Pettis and squeezes which eliminates space and also once again attempts to make Pettis uncomfortable. In order for Pettis to really establish himself to set up a sweep or a submission he would need space. As soon as Guida got inside the guard he worked on posture and control to disallow any sort of movements from Pettis. It is hard not to appreciate the knack for stifling Jiu Jitsu like Clay Guida. After scoring a takedown, Penn immediately sucks in Jon Fitch’s legs with his own in a triangle variation. In doing so Penn shuts down the mobility of Fitch and chooses to calmly hold his position as he sets up his next move. With his legs tied up and his ability to escape limited, Jon Fitch begins to rotate his body in hopes of shaking off the legs of B.J. Penn. Instead, Penn is able to see an opening and by posting his left leg out and using it to sit up and take the back of his opponent. As he does that he has already established his arm near the neck in hopes of setting up the rear naked choke. Transitioning is a major part of the ground game as it allows you to keep your opponent off balance and weakening him defensively as he will be defending something different from each position. Penn is able to effectively move from a semi-mounted position as he sits atop the legs of Fitch to another dominant position by securing back position and trapping him with a body triangle. Penn has nearly passed into dominant position in every fight where Penn has earned top position. Being able to dominate position by passing out of guard or passing into dominant positions in general allow you to comfortably unleash ground and pound, set up position and it makes a great case for the win on scorecards. It is no wonder that Penn has accomplished so much in mixed martial arts. Jon Jones showcases everything previously mentioned by gaining a dominant position and controlling an opponent thoroughly. Then he shows the most lethal of three more important aspects of top game grappling. Submissions. With a dominant position you can risk more and commit fully to a set up knowing that there is little room for offense to be made by an opponent. Comfort is one of the most overlooked aspects of combat sports in that being comfortable will take away hesitation and enable commitment and the ability to take an opportunity to the fullest. With control Jones is able to pick his shots. Whether it is landing strikes or looks for possible another transition, he is able to pick and choose what works best for him. He finds an opening to slip his arm in Ryan Bader’s defense and snatches up his neck for a guillotine choke. Jones remains heavy keeping overwhelming control of the mobility of Bader disallowing any sort of escape and also keeps his position which enables the choke to hit a certain angle with loads of leverage. It is no wonder as to why the Light Heavyweight Champion has found the success he has found in the sport. Tune in next week Maniacs, as we conclude this breakdown when we look at what makes for an effective bottom game.

Posted in: petti, penn, control, guida, position

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It turns out Las Vegas will not get a lightweight clash between future title contenders Anthony Pettis and Joe Lauzon, as their match up will take place from Japan instead in February at UFC 144. Pettis and Lauzon did a great job of setting up their match through social media and interviews, as both men felt like they would be a good test for the other. “Showtime” is 5-1 in his last six fights, while “J-Lau” is coming off a submission victory over Melvin Guillard. The match-up was announced through the UFC’s website. The UFC’s return to Japan on February 26 is also expected to feature UFC lightweight champ Frankie Edgar defending his title against Ben Henderson. Henderson’s last loss came at the hands of Pettis when the two met for the WEC 155-pound title last year meaning a win over Lauzon should thrust the Roufusport product back into the spotlight. Other fights at UFC 144 include Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Jake Shields and Yushin Okami vs. Tim Boetsch. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: ufc, title, petti, melvin guillard, lauzon

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Two of the UFC's most exciting lightweights had been calling each other out and the bout was rumored for a Las Vegas event, but now the UFC has confirmed that Joe Lauzon and Anthony Pettis will instead collide in Japan at UFC 144 in February: Verbal agreements are in for a match between two of the most exciting lightweights in the sport as Joe ‘J-Lau’ Lauzon will face Anthony ‘Showtime’ Pettis February 26th in Saitama, Japan," confirmed UFC president Dana White today. Both men are coming off impressive wins, with Lauzon derailing Melvin Guillard's title aspirations in less than a minute, while Pettis showed his willingness to follow a careful gameplan when he defeated the always-dangerous Jeremy Stephens via decision with a methodical, takedown-based attack. UFC 144 is expected to take place at the Saitama Super Arena on February 26th. Joe Lauzon (21-6)Win Melvin Guillard (submission - RNC) - UFC 136Win Curt Warburton (submission - kimura) - UFC on Versus 4Loss George Sotiropoulos (submission - kimura) - UFC 123 Anthony Pettis (12-2)Win Jeremy Stephens (unam. decision) - UFC 136Loss Clay Guida (split decision) - TUF 13 FinaleWin Ben Henderson (unam. decision) - WEC 53 UFC 144 Coverage

Posted in: ufc, decision, petti, lauzon, anthony

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There appeared to be little doubt lightweights Anthony Pettis and Joe Lauzon were destined to collide in early 2012 after both fighters openly, albeit respectfully, requested they be matched up as a means of propelling one into title-hunt based on successful showings in recent performances. Possible became probable Tuesday night when the UFC announced both sides had officially agreed to the encounter. However, rather than face off over Super Bowl Weekend as expected, Lauzon and Pettis will join headlining peers Frankie Edgar and Ben Henderson in Japan on February 26 for UFC 144. Lauzon is on the heels of one of his biggest wins to date, submitting the streaking Melvin Guillard less than a minute into their melee at UFC 136 to pick up his sixth straight event-specific bonus. The 27-year old self-labeled “computer nerd” has finished all twenty-one of the opponents he’s beaten, an extraordinary feat considering some of triumphs including victories over Mike Brown and Jeremy Stephens. Lauzon Not One to Be Bullied or Intimidated The latter is an adversary the 14-2 Pettis knows well, having fought Stephens last month on the same card where Lauzon picked up his victory over Guillard. Pettis came away with a Split Decision win after opting to play it somewhat safe in comparison to a few of his previous pairings including a superb scrap with Henderson where he landed his infamous “Showtime Kick”. In addition to Edgar’s title-defense against “Bendo”, UFC 144 is also scheduled to feature Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Jake Shields and Yushin Okami vs. Tim Boetsch. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

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A key lightweight bout between former WEC champion Anthony Pettis and fellow UFC contender Joe Lauzon is set for February's UFC 144 event. Although reported as a possibility for UFC 143 in Las Vegas, it'll instead take place later in the month in Japan. UFC officials announced the fight overnight.

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Frankie Edgar and Ben Henderson won’t be the only top lightweights squaring off at UFC 144, as a 155-pound matchup between Joe Lauzon and Anthony Pettis has been moved to the Feb. 25 event in Saitama, Japan from a rumored spot on UFC 143 earlier in the month, the UFC announced Tuesday night. Lauzon and Pettis both picked up wins at UFC 136 in October, as Lauzon (21-6) stunned Melvin Guillard with a 47-second submission of one of the division’s top contenders, while the former WEC champ Pettis (12-2) rebounded from a debut loss to Clay Guida with a decision win over Jeremy Stephens. Edgar defends the lightweight title against Henderson in the UFC 144 main event, while the card also includes Yushin Okami vs. Tim Boetsch and Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Jake Shields. For complete coverage of UFC 144, stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com.

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Anthony Pettis and Joe Lauzon will indeed meet in the Octagon, but the fight has been shifted to UFC 144 in Japan.

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Anthony Pettis was on an all time high before Gray Maynard and Frankie Edgar put on a classic that required an end to their trilogy. In between injuries, and a questionable decision, Pettis would find himself on the losing end of a decision to Clay Guida: fresh off a loss to the man Pettis beat at the WEC's final show. Pettis' hype cooled considerably when he put on a lackluster performance against Jeremy Stephens. You could sense the betrayal of Pettis' longtime fans: 'fine, you couldn't stop Guida form taking you down, but Stephens?! Didn't he get fireman carried into oblivion by Joe Lauzon?' Well, speaking of Lauzon, MMAFighting is reporting that Pettis will fight Lauzon in Japan at UFC 144. Lauzon is coming off his biggest victory to date, over Melvin Guillard (in terms of scale, his win over Jens Pulver was probably a bigger upset at the time, but the Guillard win feels more significant). It's another fight fleshing out a card that has long been criticized as a 'vanity show', but that is nonetheless filling out nicely as a solid card with Edgar set to defend his title against Benson Henderson a fight this is a classic even on paper, in addition to Okami and Akiyama fighting on that card.  It's difficult to say much on the matchup itself. Pettis has regressed a bit, and simply did not look good against Jeremy Stephens, who out muscled him, and controlled him for good portions of the fight. It was essentially a wrestling rally in the 3rd that earned Anthony the victory. I still feel like Lauzon is a bit of a paper tiger. He's a quality fighter, but he won't have the advantage on the feet, and won't likely finish with a submission. And then there's his cardio issue. Lauzon is a front runner through and through: the difference is Pettis won't get overconfident the way Guillard did, nor does he consider jiu jitsu an affront to his style.  But it's still a highly interesting matchup. For all of Lauzon's faults, he's not the kind of fighter you take lightly. And he has no problem taking the fight to his opponents. I feel like this fight should be a co-main for a FOX card (teaching Zuffa once again that if there's anyone you can rely on, it's the LW's). But it's happening anyway, therefore I can't complain. LW continues to bring the goodies, especially with Donald Cerrone vs. Nate Diaz also on the horizon. Poll Who takes this matchup? Pettis: it'll be like the Lauzon/Stout fight but worse. Lauzon: it'll be like the Pettis/Stephens fight but without wasted clinch battles.   0 votes | Results

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Filed under: UFC, MMA Fighting Exclusive, NewsA lightweight meeting pitting Anthony Pettis and Joe Lauzon has been agreed to for UFC 144 in Japan, MMA Fighting has learned. The UFC confirmed the matchup to MMA Fighting's Ben Fowlkes on Tuesday. The matchup had previously been rumored, with a possible date in Las Vegas. Instead, it will go international. The fight should prove to be a high-octane battle between two of the division's most offensive-minded fighters. Lauzon is riding a two-fight win streak, most recently upsetting the surging Melvin Guillard with a first-round submission win at UFC 136. That improved his record to 21-6. Pettis recently rebounded from a loss that snapped a four-fight win streak by defeating Jeremy Stephens by decision, also at UFC 136. With the win, he's now 12-2. The duo essentially booked the match on their own. Shortly after UFC 136, Pettis said he would welcome a match with Lauzon, and Lauzon accepted, setting the future date. UFC 144 will take place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on February 26, 2012. It will mark the promotion's first time in the Land of the Rising Sun under the Zuffa banner. The main event will also be a lightweight match, with champion Frank Edgar defending the belt against newly named No. 1 contender Ben Henderson. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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Clay Guida has been here before ... less than five months ago, actually. The last man to hold the World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) lightweight title, Anthony Pettis, was lined up to challenge for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) belt shortly after the promotion and its best fighters melted into the 155-pound mix. However, when UFC Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard battled to a draw earlier this year, "Showtime's" automatic title shot went up in smoke. Rather than sit on the sidelines, he accepted a fight with "The Carpenter," who was riding a three-fight win streak and in the midst of establishing himself as a legitimate division contender behind Jim Miller and Melvin Guillard, among others. Guida was thrilled, saying that he was going to make Pettis pay his dues inside the Octagon just like him. He did just that, defeating Pettis via unanimous decision at The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 13 Finale and, in the process, opening up the division for other contenders. Meanwhile, "Smooth" racked up two big wins, including a dominant performance over the aforementioned Miller. Combined with a loss from Guillard just last month at UFC 136 to Joe Lauzon, and the fight tonight (Nov. 12, 2011) between Guida and Henderson at UFC on FOX 1 has emerged as a number one contender eliminator match. Right back where we started. Unsurprisingly, Guida's tenor hasn't changed much, remarking that he has fought numerous opponents who are better than Henderson. Perhaps he still feels as though his experience inside the Octagon (this will mark his 15th appearance) will carry him to victory. Or, perhaps, he's not sold on Henderson and his level of competition to date. That would be a big mistake. Henderson, 27, is among the most talented up-and-coming fighters in the sport today. He improves each time out and is nearly impossible to finish. Yes, he was the recipient of the now infamous "Showtime Kick," but other than that he has demonstrated that he has what it takes to compete against the best in the business.  Guida has been here before; however, he can't expect the same results. Henderson might be a WEC carry-over, but that's where the similarities between him and Pettis end. Measure twice, cut once, Clay. REMEMBER: MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of UFC on FOX 1, beginning with the preliminary card bouts on Facebook scheduled for 5:00 p.m. ET. In addition, we will also provide LIVE, real-time results of the heavyweight championship bout as it happens later this evening at 9 p.m. ET.

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They both wanted it, so Joe Silva gave it to them. MMA Weekly is reporting that Anthony Pettis vs. Joe Lauzon is in the works for Super Bowl weekend at UFC 143. Sources close to the match-up confirmed to MMAWeekly.com that verbal agreements are in for the lightweight fights to place on the Feb. 4 show. Bout agreements have not been issued for the proposed fight yet however. Lauzon recently told MMA Weekly that he thinks it’s going to be a “dog fight.” “I really like watching Anthony fight. That to me is just as important, I like fighting guys who go for the finish. He’s got great stand-up, he’s working on his wrestling, which is still pretty good, and he’s good off his back too. I think it will be an exciting fight,” Lauzon commented. “I don’t think either one of us are going to blow the other one out of the water with stand-up or ground. I think it will be a dog fight.” It’s definitely an interesting match-up. Pettis chose to focus on his wrestling instead of showcasing his high-flying striking arsenal when he fought Jeremy Stephens at UFC 136, but that could easily get him in trouble with Lauzon and his slick jiu-jitsu game. Hopefully, that means we’ll see Pettis let it all go on the feet like he used to in the WEC.

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A matchup between rising lightweights is in the works for Super Bowl weekend, as Joe Lauzon and Anthony Pettis have verbally agreed to square off at UFC 143 on February 3 in Las Vegas, according to MMAWeekly. The news comes a couple weeks after Lauzon and Pettis said they wanted the matchup following their respective wins last month at UFC 136. Lauzon (21-6) stunned Melvin Guillard with a 47-second submission of one of the division’s top contenders, while the former WEC champ Pettis (12-2) rebounded from a debut loss to Clay Guida with a decision win over Jeremy Stephens. UFC 143 is expected to be headlined by welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre vs. Nick Diaz and will also include welterweight contender Carlos Condit vs. Josh Koscheck. For complete UFC 143 coverage stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com. Pictured: Anthony Pettis

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One hell of a lightweight battle is reportedly in the works, as Joe Lauzon and Anthony Pettis have verbally agreed to square off at UFC 143 on Feb. 4, 2012, in Las Vegas, Nevada. This according to a report from MMAWeekly.com, which has the following quotes from Lauzon: "I'm always down for whatever the UFC wants. It sounds like that's a fight that's super exciting, so I'm all about it. I talked to Joe Silva, he's all about it, Pettis seems to be about it, I'm about it, so I'm sure it's going to happen. I don't know exactly when, I'm trying to get on the Super Bowl card. I think that would be awesome." Using Lauzon to spruce up the Super Bowl weekend fight card is a grand idea. In 11 career fights inside the Octagon, "J-Lau" has walked away with nine bonus awards. Even his three UFC losses have been cushioned by "Fight of the Night" bonuses. He's got a great opponent tailor made to bring home bonus number 10. Anthony Pettis came to the UFC with a ton of hype, a WEC lightweight championship belt and a guaranteed title shot in hand. Then he got pushed out of the way thanks to Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard part deux going to a draw before losing a hard fought decision in his Octagon debut against Clay Guida. An even closer decision followed against Jeremy Stephens at UFC 136, only this time Pettis came out on the other side with the victory. And for his efforts, he's getting a shot against one of the most seasoned veterans of the lightweight division. If these two want to win "Fight of the Night," they'll have to do so up against some seriously stiff competition. UFC 143 features Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre defending his title against Stockton bad boy Nick Diaz. In the co-main event Carlos Condit will attempt to earn his shot at the winner of that fight by locking horns with former 170-pound title challenger Josh Koscheck. Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more on this still-developing fight card.

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All signs are pointing towards a Super Bowl weekend fight at UFC 143 between Joe Lauzon and former WEC champion Anthony Pettis.

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Joe Lauzon says the UFC is all about pitting him against Anthony Pettis next, and he's hoping that they get to be a part of the Super Bowl 2012 card.

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UFC lightweight Joe Lauzon has never been the most outspoken fighter unless the topic somehow relates to Call of Duty. However, when it comes to calling opponents out, Lauzon lets his skills in the Octagon do the talking for him rather than use media outlets to get his point across. The latest individual to take the opposite route, mentioning Lauzon’s name as a person of interest, is Anthony Pettis. The former WEC champion discussed a potential fight with “J-Lau” in a recent interview given their mutual success earlier this month at UFC 136. Pettis Changing Style to Compete with Elite Lightweights Lauzon has since responded to the challenge, expressing his belief the two would make for an exciting fight but that he isn’t in the habit of choosing his opponents. “I think it would be an exciting fight. It doesn’t matter to me who I fight. Whoever the UFC says they want me to fight, I’ll fight,” the Massachusetts native explained in an interview with The Boston Herald. “If they want it to be Anthony Pettis, I’ll fight Pettis.” “I’m not sure why people are calling me out, but I’m fine with it,” Lauzon continued. “I have to be doing something right if everybody wants to fight me. I definitely don’t think it’s a bad thing. It’s awesome getting called out by guys like that, that are doing really well.” “I think a lot of people are definitely paying more attention now,” the 27-year old concluded on his raised profile. “But I don’t really get caught up in what people think because two weeks ago everybody thought I was going to get knocked out. So I don’t really worry about it too much.” PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

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  Former WEC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis survived a tough challenge from Jeremy Stephens at UFC 136 and eked out a victory, his first in the UFC. And now it seems that he wants to fight another lightweight who picked up a win at UFC 136, albeit in much more impressive fashion - Joe Lauzon. Pettis did an interview with Cage Fanatic a couple of days ago and issued the challenge: "I don't know who my next opponent is, but I'm going for that title shot, that title shot run, so anybody who's a top five guy, I'm ready for them. Joe Lauzon beat Melvin Guillard, I think that would be a great fight for me." Lauzon, who's no stranger to being challenged by fighters after getting called out by Guillard initially, quickly accepted in an interview with the Boston Herald: "I think it would be an exciting fight," Lauzon told the Herald today. "It doesn't matter to me who I fight. Whoever the UFC says they want me to fight, I'll fight. If they want it to be Anthony Pettis, I'll fight Pettis. It doesn't really matter to me that much. I'm up for whoever." Not exactly the strongest acceptance statement ever, but pretty diplomatic at least. He also commented on why he thinks he's become a subject of callouts lately: "I must have (ticked) off someone," Lauzon said. "I'm not sure why people are calling me out, but I'm fine with it. I have to be doing something right if everybody wants to fight me. I definitely don't think it's a bad thing. It's awesome getting called out by guys like that, that are doing really well." Pettis vs. Lauzon might seem like solid matchmaking on the surface with both fighters coming off wins, but I'm not so sure. I think, despite the Lauzon win over Guillard, that Pettis is a step above Lauzon on the UFC's internal rankings ladder and that Showtime will get a guy like Jim Miller or Sean Sherk next. And Lauzon facing the winner of Dennis Siver vs. Donald Cerrone, or maybe even Evan Dunham, makes more sense to me. In the end it will come down to what Joe Silva thinks though and if he matches these two up, I'd be tuning in for sure.

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Whatever worries Joe Lauzon has in life, finding opponents is not one of them. His most recent fight came together because Melvin Guillard called him out, and now the same has happened with Anthony Pettis. Following his win over Jeremy Stephens at UFC 136, Pettis told Cage Fanatic (via MMA Mania) that he wants J-Lau next. “I don’t know who my next opponent is but I’m going for that title shot, that title shot run, so anybody who’s a top five guy, I’m ready for them. Joe Lauzon beat Melvin Guillard, I think that would be a great fight for me.” And like he did with Guillard’s challenge, Lauzon says he’ll gladly fight Anthony Pettis if that’s what the UFC wants. “I think it would be an exciting fight,” Lauzon told the Herald today. “It doesn’t matter to me who I fight. Whoever the UFC says they want me to fight, I’ll fight. If they want it to be Anthony Pettis, I’ll fight Pettis. It doesn’t really matter to me that much. I’m up for whoever.” “I must have (ticked) off someone,” Lauzon said. “I’m not sure why people are calling me out, but I’m fine with it. I have to be doing something right if everybody wants to fight me. I definitely don’t think it’s a bad thing. It’s awesome getting called out by guys like that, that are doing really well.” The UFC hasn’t commented thus far, but if fight comes together, Lauzon can expect to see more from Pettis than crazy kicks and flashy striking. Now that he’s had a taste of the higher level of competition in the UFC, Pettis believes he needs to adjust his style if he wants to make his way back to a UFC title shot. “You look at the UFC lightweight division, the top guys are all wrestlers,” Pettis said. “Me being a striker, I don’t fit into that picture. I need to adjust my game to fit in with the top-level guys in the UFC. By no means am I only going to hold people down and try to win fights. I’m still going for my bread-and-butter, which is knockouts, but fighting a guy like Jeremy Stephens, you don’t want to stay in the pocket with that guy too long.” “I think I’m going to have to just find out how to make them work at this level,” Pettis said of his flashier moves. “It’s easy to do it when you’re fighting guys who aren’t as good at striking as you or don’t pose a threat and you can do whatever you want, but now that these guys [have] good boxing and good kicking and good defense, you’ll still see it, but it’s going to be limited. I have to be careful. I have to win fights. If I want to be a champ, I need to win fights.” As Melvin Guillard learned, calling out Joe Lauzon might not be the smartest career move, but it also provides a good barometer to see where you stand in the lightweight division. If Pettis can’t beat Lauzon, then he probably shouldn’t be fighting the Frankie Edgar’s and Gray Maynard’s of the world yet anyways. Image via Dave Mandel for Sherdog

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After both scoring impressive wins earlier this month at UFC 136, lightweights Joe Lauzon and Anthony Pettis could be on a collision course as they rise towards the top of the 155-pound division. One day after Pettis said Lauzon would be a “great fight” to continue his push for a title shot, Lauzon said he’s also open to the matchup if it’s what the UFC wants. “I think it would be an exciting fight,” Lauzon told the Boston Herald. “It doesn’t matter to me who I fight. Whoever the UFC says they want me to fight, I’ll fight. If they want it to be Anthony Pettis, I’ll fight Pettis. It doesn’t really matter to me that much. I’m up for whoever.” Lauzon (21-6) stunned Melvin Guillard at UFC 136 with a 47-second submission of one of the division’s top contenders, while Pettis (12-2) put his wrestling on display in a unanimous decision over Jeremy Stephens to rebound from losing his Octagon debut to Clay Guida. For the latest UFC news and UFC rumors stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com.

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Remember what happened the last time someone called out Joe Lauzon? Fresh off his UFC 136 strangulation of Melvin Guillard, former "Ultimate Fighter' and perennial dark horse, Joe Lauzon, has become the man to beat for any 155-pound title chaser. Including former WEC Lightweight Champion Anthony Pettis. "Showtime," who also picked up a win at UFC 136 by outpointing Jeremy Stephens, is gunning for an eventual title fight against division kingpin Frankie Edgar, and thinks a great fight with "J-Lau" gets him one step closer to questioning "The Answer's" strap. Lauzon tells the Boston Herald if the UFC wants that fight to happen, he's "fine with it." "I think it would be an exciting fight. It doesn’t matter to me who I fight. Whoever the UFC says they want me to fight, I’ll fight. If they want it to be Anthony Pettis, I’ll fight Pettis. It doesn’t really matter to me that much. I’m up for whoever. I’m not sure why people are calling me out, but I’m fine with it. I have to be doing something right if everybody wants to fight me. I definitely don’t think it’s a bad thing. It’s awesome getting called out by guys like that, that are doing really well." "J-Lau's" rear naked choke, which came after he stunned "The Young Assassin" in the opening frame, earned him a $75,000 "Submission of the Night" bonus at the UFC 136 post-fight press conference. It's unlikely that Lauzon will assume his former opponent's spot in the 155-pound pecking order, but it definitely narrows the field. Guillard was one of the names at the top of a very short list that also includes the winner of Ben Henderson vs. Clay Guida at UFC on Fox in just over a month. But if he finishes Pettis ... could be hard not to consider him top three. Anyone disagree? Let's hear some predictions on this potential 155-pound fantasy fight.

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UFC 136 featured three high level Lightweight fights; Anothony Pettis versus Jeremy Stephens, Melvin Guillard versus Joe Lauzon, and the main event of the evening, Frankie Edgar versus Gray Maynard. When the dust had settled, Pettis, Lauzon and Edgar stood as the victors. The win for Edgar meant that he remained the UFC Lightweight Champion, while the wins for Lauzon and Pettis left them in prime position to climb the Lightweight rankings. Earlier this week Pettis expressed his desire to face Lauzon in his

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Since winning the now obsolete WEC lightweight belt back in December of last year and by default earned himself a prospective shot at UFC title-holder Frankie Edgar, Anthony Pettis has not had the best of times since coming to the UFC. After beating Ben Henderson in a hotly contested and adrenaline fueled five rounds, he found himself up against stiff competition in Clay Guida, an experienced and explosive wrestler, whose main offense is purely breaking people, in a Jon Fitch manner of demoralizing his opponent with takedowns and ground ‘n pound. He lost by a Unanimous Decision because he could not stop Guida from taking him down and keeping on the ground for much of the fight. The loss most definitely cost Pettis next dibs on Edgar’s gold and instead pushed him down outside of the Top 5. In order to get back Pettis back in the title hunt, he and his camp came to a decision that he needed to slightly alter his style to accommodate the high level wrestlers which make up most of the division’s elite. Pettis Prepared to Evolve for Title Shot Pettis elaborated about a style-change in a recent interview with Sherdog where he said, “You look at the UFC lightweight division, the top guys are all wrestlers,” Pettis said. “Me being a striker, I don’t fit into that picture. I need to adjust my game to fit in with the top-level guys in the UFC.” The Roufusport product learned a lesson from the loss to Guida and used a total of six completed takedowns to narrowly out-point Jeremy Stephens, a strategy he commented on, stating, “I’m still going for my bread-and-butter, which is knockouts, but fighting a guy like Stephens, you don’t want to stay in the pocket with that guy too long.” Some of his long time fans, may be concerned that we may not see many more of his patented ‘Showtime Kick’, Pettis addressed this in the interview by explaining, “I think I’m going to have to just find out how to make them work at this level,” Pettis said of his crowd-pleasing antics. “It’s easy to do it when you’re fighting guys who aren’t as good at striking as you or don’t pose a threat and you can do whatever you want, but now that these guys (have) good boxing and good kicking and good defense, you’ll still see it, but it’s going to be limited. I have to be careful. I have to win fights. If I want to be a champ, I need to win fights.” With a new mindset and a seemingly unlimited level of potential, it seems evident he will definitely be doing just that for years to come. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

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Anthony Pettis was not going to be outwrestled by Jeremy Stephens at UFC 136.

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When the UFC absorbed the WEC in 2010, it looked as if Anthony Pettis, the WEC Lightweight Champion was in  line to face the winner of the January 1 bout between UFC Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard. Unfortunately for Pettis, that fight ended in a draw and a rematch between Edgar and Maynard was booked.  Pettis then took a chance, booking a fight against Clay Guida, a fight that Guida went on to win by unanimous decision. In a weight division as stacked as the UFC lightweight

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Anthony Pettis won his fight with Jeremy Stephens at UFC 136, but he didn't win over too many new fans. Despite fighting a smart and safe fight, winning through the use primarily of wrestling, many fans were left wondering where the explosive and dynamic fighter who won the last ever WEC lightweight championship bout went. It's possible that Pettis just wanted to get back in the win column after losing a bout with Clay Guida in his UFC debut. The Guida loss took Pettis out of his then position as the number one challenger to the UFC lightweight championship. As a result Pettis finds himself on the outside looking in with the near future arrival of Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez and the UFC on Fox bout between top contenders Guida and Ben Henderson. That isn't discouraging Anthony though, as he tells Larry Pepe of Pro MMA Radio that he wants to fight a top five fighter before the year ends: I'd love to get back in there by the end of the year. That'd be ideal. There's match ups going on right now and it doesn't seem too promising. But I'll be healthy and get ready and if anybody gets hurt or injured, I'll be ready. A solid strategy for Pettis as big wins and being on the UFC's good side are the quickest paths to a shot at the title.

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight fighter Anthony Pettis recently got back into the win column with a solid victory over "Lil' Heathen" Jeremy Stephens at UFC 136 in Houston, Texas, on Sat., Oct. 8, 2011. Eager to strike while the iron is hot, "Showtime" told Pro MMA Radio's Larry Pepe that he has no intention to sit around and wait very long for his next fight. In fact, the former World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) champion wants to get back into the Octagon as soon as possible. His ideal plan goes a little something like this:  "I'd love to get back in there by the end of the year. That'd be ideal. There's match ups going on right now and it doesn't seem too promising. But I'll be healthy and get ready and if anybody gets hurt or injured, I'll be ready." Hmmmm ... Who should he fight next? Rumors have recently swirled with "experts" speculating that the fight between Clay Guida vs. Ben Henderson at he winner of UFC on FOX 1 next month will very likely next take on reigning UFC Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar. Two very familiar foes for Pettis, who has danced with them both before. On Dec. 16, 2010, Pettis and Henderson squared off at WEC 53 in Glendale, Arizona. The fight will forever go down in MMA history, largely because of a "Matrix-esque," running off the fence, jump kick by Pettis that set had the sports world's highlight reels ablaze. MMA highlights don't make ESPN's "SportsCenter" often. That one did. Interestingly enough, Pettis believes that he, himself, has motivated Henderson. The result? He believes it will be a win for "Bendo" over "The Carpenter" on Nov. 12, 2011, in Anaheim, California.  "I think Ben Henderson's gonna walk away with the 'W.' I feel he's on a tear. I think I motivated him the way Guida motivated me. He's looks like he means business and he's wrestling and he's striking well. He did very well against Jim Miller and Miller was considered the number one contender not too long ago. I think Henderson pulls off a victory in that one and I think Clay, he's gonna have to try to strike with him. Henderson's wrestling is very good and I don't think he's gonna be able to hold him down." If that were to occur, it certainly would shake things up a bit. It may be a tough sell to put Henderson in against Edgar for a title shot when Pettis, who beat Henderson in their last fight, is also waiting in the wings.  Regardless, Pettis knows he ultimately has no control over who his opponent will be. He just wants to fight a top contender and get back into the mix. "Man, anybody in the top five that will be get me one step closer (to a title shot), I'm interested in fighting. There are a lot of interesting match ups coming up and there were a lot of interesting match ups on the card I was on (UFC 136). I potentially could have my next opponent in there." One of those potential opponents is Donald Cerrone, assuming he is able to notch a win over Denis Siver when the two face off at UFC 137 on Oct. 29 in Las Vegas, Nevada.  Pettis said he'd be excited about a rodeo with "Cowboy." He even gave a prediction for if the fight were to go down: "Yeah, it'd be very interesting. I think that'd be a good and very interesting match up. I'm gonna have to go with Cerrone in that fight (versus Siver). I think Cerrone has a little bit more overall skill than Siver does. That'd be a very interesting match up that could have happened a lot of times already. That'd be a banger man. Cerrone always brings it. He has very good striking and a good ground game. I don't think either of us would be trying to shoot too hard. It'd be a good stand up war." So who do you Maniacs want to see Pettis face next? Does he deserve a top five guy? Gray Maynard looks to be available and has had some things to say about Pettis in the past. Interested in that match up? Any others?

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When Anthony Pettis’ bout with Jeremy Stephens at UFC 136 was originally announced many felt the fight would feature little more than powerful, precise striking exchanges from both with the ground game thrown out the window. However, after the dust settled in Houston, Pettis may have emerged a winner but did so without completely relying on his stupendous stand-up. The 24-year old recently offered his own evaluation of the evening’s events in a press release where mentioned his improved wrestling as being key in the victory. “This win over Stephens was huge! I needed to get back on the right track, and evolve as a fighter,” Pettis animatedly explained. “Losing to Clay Guida was a small setback in my journey to become the UFC Lightweight Champion.” As far as the source of his evolution, the 14-2 Pettis credited his teammates for helping him grow in certain areas. “At Roufusport, we got a group of guys that are all getting ready for battle, and that always helps immensely when you’re getting ready for a fight. I also had a full camp with Ben Askren for the first time, and I think you could see the difference in my wrestling. And I worked with Jo-Z (Joao Zeferino) on my jiu-jitsu, which is only going to make me better on the ground.” In terms of how those skills played out in the fight, Pettis was quick point out the role his wrestling played in the performance, saying, “I felt that I dealt with Stephens’ takedowns very well. When he was able to take me down, I worked my guard real well. And I was able to get back to my feet really quickly. I feel like I surprised him with my offensive wrestling, too.” “I feel like I’m climbing the ladder to a title shot. I had a really good showing against Stephens, who was really close to getting a title shot, too. I probably need a few more solid wins, but I got to take it one fight at a time, and keep improving and evolving,” he concluded. Five Opponents Worth Considering for Pettis The decision win was only the third of Pettis’ career with five TKOs and six submissions to his credit. In addition to Stephens, “Showtime” holds past victories over Danny Castillo, Shane Roller, and Ben Henderson. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

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For fans of Anthony Pettis, UFC 136 may have been difficult to watch. Gone was his usual flash, and in its place, a Clay Guida clone. To win he employed plenty of wrestling, and very little striking. Though to be fair, it was Stephens who initiated the wrestling match, and so perhaps as a middle finger, Pettis made a statement more for Jeremy Stephens than for the LW division. Much has been made of Pettis' ensuing quote with UFC.com about winning fights by "holding them down". Jon Luther, in yesterday's interview with Anthony Pettis on Sherdog radio, asked him about this, to which Anthony replied. "I wanna clear that up too. That was more of a misquote. I didn't say that's how you only win fights. That's a huge part of the game. You look at the UFC LW division, and the top guys are all wrestlers. As a striker I need to adjust my game to fit in at the top levels of the UFC. By no means am I gonna hold people down, and try to win fights. I'm still going for my bread and butter, which is knockouts." As to whether or not the "Showtime kick" has added undue pressure to his performance, Pettis added, "No, not really. In the Guida fight I was like, kind of, really focusing on my striking, and then I kind of believed in the hype and that I could try to knock everybody out. But that's not the case. Everybody's so good, you gotta be well rounded everywhere. For me if the Showtime kick happens, I'm not waiting for it to happen" But will the LW wrestle-boxer obstacles compromise the identity of the man they call Showtime?  "No I don't think so. I think I'm gonna have to find a way to make them work at this level. It's easy to do it when you're fighting guys who are not as good at striking, don't pose a threat, and you can do whatever you want. Now you have guys with good boxing, good kicking, and good defense. But you'll still see it, but it's gonna be limited. I gotta be careful. I gotta win fights. I can't throw Showtime kicks everytime." When TJ De Santis asks him point blank whether or not it's possible to win off your back in the judges' eyes, Anthony responds, "If you submit someone yea, but not if you're not active...I think it's a flaw, yea. You're attacking, and the guy is just defending the whole time, you're the aggressor. You're the one holding down cage control. But if the guy's on top, you know what it looks like. It looks like he's holding you down. and he's winning the fight." Some fighters have found success striking from their back. In fact, in perhaps the only case I can remember off the top of my head of a fighter essentially winning from his back, you have to go back to another Clay Guida fight: against Diego Sanchez, who bloodied hm up with elbows from the bottom. Pettis seems skeptical of this approach. "That's the thing. Do you want to get into that kind of detail, where it's 'how can I show these judges that I'm winning'? Or should I just get up, take him down, and hold him? That's that fine line where you've gotta decide what kind of fighter you want to be. And I want to be the fighter that wins fights. For me it's about my paycheck, and if I lose I don't get my paycheck." Pettis is still a promising prospect, but it sounds like he's having a bit of identity crisis. Has he gone from romantic to cynic? He still wants to be the guy everyone fell in love with at the final WEC show, but now he recognizes that compromises have to be made if he's to have any success. Let's hope for a Pettis fight against either Jim Miller, Joe Lauzon, or the winner of Donald Cerrone vs. Denis Siver.

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Anthony Pettis was a walking highlight reel during his time in the WEC. He famously landed the "showtime kick" against Ben Henderson in a moment that likely won him the last ever WEC lightweight championship and was set up to challenge the winner of Gray Maynard and Frankie Edgar for the UFC lightweight crown. Edgar and Maynard battled to a draw and the course of Pettis' career was changed as he took a fight with Clay Guida rather than wait for the Edgar/Maynard situation to be resolved. Guida did what Guida does and ground out a decision victory and derailed the title hopes of Pettis (at least in the immediate future). Pettis rebounded this past weekend at UFC 136 with a split decision win over the very tough Jeremy Stephens. Many fans were left a little disappointed as Pettis utilized his wrestling much more than his explosive striking to earn the win on two of three judges cards. It was a fine strategy and a win is a win, but a video on UFC.com shows that Pettis isn't thrilled with just earning the "W": I really wanted to focus on my wrestling and my top game against Jeremy and show everyone that I am well-rounded and that I do have wrestling. I think I did that, but I also think I could have done better. When you go to the UFC it's not all about 'showtime' kicking or knocking everybody out. Get people down, hold them down and you win fights. I think it's a little inaccurate to say this is some function of "going to the UFC." You're fighting in front of the same judges with the same criteria in place. There is no rule of "UFC = hold them down to win." And, if anything, the rewards are bigger in the UFC to be exciting in an attempt to win some sort of fight night bonus. But if this is something Anthony has in his mind, it may be something we see more of in his future bouts. The sky remains the limit for Pettis though, and we'll just have to take it one fight at a time to see where he ends up. SBN coverage of UFC 136: Edgar vs. Maynard III

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We thought for sure UFC 136 would clear up the 155 picture. Many, myself included, thought we'd finally get a definitive outcome following Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard III, and going into the 4th, we weren't. Thankfully Edgar steered us away from that particular boat. But everything else would work itself out. Melvin Guillard and Anthony Pettis were obvious favorites against Joe Lauzon and Jeremy Stephens, respectively. All they had to do was win. That, of course, didn't happen. In fact, it anti-happened (I'm starting to realize that the more you write, the lazier you get, and the more creative you try to be without actually being, ya know, creative). Melvin Guillard didn't just lose. He lost impressively. Lost in such a way that offended some fans, including Dana White, who thinks Guillard still has an attitude problem.  Which is semi-valid. Guillard made his way to the cage like he was "ready to walk out, instead of walking in" (Dana's words via MMAFighting). Once the fight started he appeared overly aggressive, throwing wild kicks, and acting as if the KO would be handed to him. Lauzon stayed composed, caught Guillard with left hookish punch, and used his "little jiu jitsu". The fight turned into a NAGA tournament after all. Perhaps these words, coming from Melvin himself, were karmic. Not respecting different aspects of MMA is the same as not respecting the different ways you can lose.  The other piece of the 155 coin was Anthony Pettis. He was given the perfect opponent: a fighter who would stand with him, and wouldn't be the wrestling threat like Clay Guida that was said to be his kryptonite. Pettis would end up 1-1 going into the 3rd, and Stephens made it a dog fight on the mat, where he scored takedowns with relative consistency.  It's as if Pettis took two steps back in his career. Unlike Guillard, Pettis didn't drop the ball completely. He won, and that's what matters. But with so much hype foisted upon him following his win over Henderson, and potential title shot looming on the horizon, the Pettis bubble feels like it has burst. As an optimist, I suspect a fight with Joe Lauzon will be just what Pettis needs to get everyone's attention again (in a fight I think he can and should win: Lauzon is still a front runner until he can prove otherwise). Still, Lauzon wasn't even "in the mix" before the Guillard fight. Which means Clay Guida vs. Ben Henderson will be official contenders assuming Gilbert Melendez doesn't receive the shot first. The Melendez fight is the one Dana seems to want. But in talking to Ariel Helwani, the fact that he's in Strikeforce with a title defense scheduled for December might make things difficult. Dana White has been known to change his mind, and so I wouldn't be surprised if he's waiting for either Guida or Henderson to look impressive in order to reach a decision. I wasn't actually disappointed, for my part. Even in a lackluster fight, Pettis is still engaging to watch. And I think a return to Jacksons can put Guillard back on track. But perhaps even more bizarre is considering who has stood up in these tough times for LW. Stephens nearly replaced Pettis for contendership. Lauzon replaced Guillard. Henderson replaced Miller. Could Cerrone replace Siver at UFC 137? Could Dos Anjos, having replaced George Sotiropoulas, get into this mix with a win over Tibau? The lightweight division is still a mess, but what a glorious mess it is.

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At UFC 136: Edgar vs. Maynard III, Anthony Pettis defeated Jeremy Stephens via split decision. This Lightweight bout was one of the two prelims shown on Spike. Pettis brings his record up to 14-2, 1-1 in the UFC, while Stephens drops to 20-7 and sees a two fight win streak come to an end. The fight was very close, with Stephens taking round 1 and Pettis round 2. With the fight even, it came down to the third. Both men put a lot into the final round, but Pettis was able to just barely pull ahead in the eyes of two judges. We saw a bit of the trademark Pettis flashiness throughout the fight, but it was improved wrestling game that gave him the win here. Obviously this is an area Pettis has worked since being outwrestled by Clay Guida in his UFC debut.  What was the high spot of this fight? It was a good fight, but low on big moments. The highlight for a stand-up fan like me was Pettis's nice leg kick, then head kick early in round 3. It was a small moment, but had a perfect set-up and delivery.  Where do these guys go from here? Pettis was the theoretical #1 contender at one point, but that Guida loss really threw him down the ladder. This was a good win, but a split decision victory over Stephens is unlikely to get him right back up to the top. But his next fight should be a real challenge. Personally, I'd love to see him take on Edson Barboza, but Joe Lauzon would also work after tonight's win. Stephens is the kind of fighter who will forever be just there. He's a perfectly fine stop-gap opponent for literally almost anyone in the division. Watch it now, later, or never? Later. It was a good fight, and good to see Pettis win, but not a must watch. More BE coverage of UFC 136 in the full entry. UFC 136 Results: Post-Hangover Thoughts and Reactions - Brent Brookhouse UFC 136 Results: Frankie Edgar Embodies Rocky's Message in Win Over Gray Maynard - Leland Roling UFC 136 Results: Aldo vs. Florian, Phan vs. Garcia FightMetric Reports - Mike Fagan UFC 136 Results: Chael Sonnen vs. Anderson Silva II Will Produce Massive Interest Despite Skepticism - Leland Roling UFC 136 Results: Dana White Says Frankie Edgar Is Top 2 Pound-for-Pound, Wants Him to Face Jose Aldo - Anton Tabuena UFC 136 Results: Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard Post-Fight Recap and Analysis - Mike Fagan UFC 136 Results: Jose Aldo vs. Kenny Florian Fight Video Highlights UFC 136 Results: Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard 3 Fight Video Highlights Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 88: UFC 136 Results Review UFC 136 Results: Frankie Edgar Stops Gray Maynard In Four - Brent Brookhouse UFC 136: Edgar vs. Maynard III - Live Results and Play-by-Play for PPV Fights - Brent Brrokhouse UFC 136 Results: Jose Aldo Decisions Kenny Florian - Brent Brookhouse UFC 136 Results: Chael Sonnen Challenges Anderson Silva After Dominating Brian Stann - Brent Brookhouse UFC 136 Results: Nam Phan Wins Decision Over Leonard Garcia - Brent Brookhouse UFC 136 Results: Joe Lauzon Makes Quick Work of Melvin Guillard - Brent Brookhouse UFC 136: Edgar vs. Maynard III - Live Results and Play-by-Play For Spike TV Fights - Brent Brookhouse UFC 136 Results: Demian Maia Decisions Jorge Santiago - Leland Roling UFC 136 Results: Anthony Pettis Narrowly Edges Jeremy Stephens - Leland Roling UFC 136: Edgar vs. Maynard III - Live Results and Play-by-Play for Facebook Fights - Brent Brookhouse UFC 136 Results: Stipe Miocic Makes Successful Debut, Edges Joey Beltran - Leland Roling UFC 136 Results: Darren Elkins Out Grapples Tiequan Zhang, Wins Decision - Leland Roling UFC 136 Results: Aaron Simpson Dominates Eric Schafer - Leland Roling UFC 136 Results: Mike Massenzio Batters Steve Cantwell, Takes Unanimous Decision - Leland Roling

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Anthony Pettis is celebrating his return to the win column after taking a split-decision win over Jeremy Stephens at the weekend.But he has expressed disappointment...

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Anthony Pettis discusses his win over Jeremy Stephens at UFC 136 in Houston.

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Filed under: MMA Videos, UFC, MMA Fighting Exclusive, VideosHOUSTON -- MMA Fighting caught up with Anthony Pettis after his split decision win over Jeremy Stephens at UFC 136. Pettis discusses his performance, expectations after his "Showtime" kick, if he regrets taking the Clay Guida fight and much more.  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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Before the UFC 136: "Edgar vs. Maynard 3" pay-per-view (PPV) began TONIGHT (Oct. 8, 2011) from the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, two fantastic match ups were featured live on Spike TV for what has now become the traditional "Prelims" special. Kicking off this portion of the UFC 136 fight card was a showdown between former WEC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis and the always entertaining Jeremy Stephens, locking perhaps the most creative and hardest-hitting, respectively, 155-pound fighters inside the Octagon together.  It was a bout that had "Fight of the Night" written all over it coming into "Space City." And while maybe it didn't play out as good as it looked on paper, it was certainly an exciting back-and-forth, up-and-down battle for 15 minutes.  "Lil' Heathen" surprised early with two takedowns in the opening frame, perhaps taking a page out of Clay Guida's book, who recently outpointed Pettis thanks to a takedown-heavy gameplan. "Showtime," however, readjusted coming out for the second stance, perhaps realizing that he could not make the same mistake twice in back-to-back fights. Almost immediately, Pettis turned the tables and scored a takedown of his own. And another. And another.  Stephens did a great job of getting back to his feet, but Pettis would manage to get him back to the ground quickly. From there he'd threaten with submissions, including a rear naked choke attempt with more than one minute remaining in the round. Pettis couldn't lock it in, however, because of Stephen's stellar defense on the ground. Heading into the third, final and decisive round, the fight was up for grabs. Pettis, seemingly the fresher fighter, pushed the pace from the outset and looked to continue right where he left off in the previous round. Stephens, who appeared to suffer a broken nose that was bleeding bad, didn't back down, reversing positions and looking to land that one punch that would end it all. It never came. And in the end, Pettis was awarded his very first, well-deserved win inside the Octagon, which turned out to be a close split decision win. One that gets him one step closer to the lightweight title shot that was taken away from him earlier this year. Next up was a battle between Brazilians, one a former number one middleweight contender, Demian Maia, and the other a former Sengoku standout looking for his first win under the UFC banner. Maia, who has markedly improved his stand up skills since his professional MMA debut, is a decorated Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist, while Santiago is a very effective striker with sound ground skills of his own. Neither fighter was able to leverage their strengths and register a finish, with Maia taking down Santiago and being stymied and Santiago lunging in (and missing with) big punches. With Santiago unable to connect, Maia was able to use his takedowns to coast to a unanimous decision victory. Maia did attempt several submissions, and even momentarily secured full mount in the final frame, but it was essentially a very bland fight that Maia took via unanimous decision. And while it wasn't a spectacular "Submission of the Night" performance, it was certainly just as important as any other win. It gets him back in the win column after a close decision loss to Mark Munoz and another inch closer to possibly earning another title shot in the near future. Having said all of that, perhaps he needs to get back to the basics and start submitting guys once again. His striking is much improved, but it isn't what got him to where he is today. That's not all for tonight. Not even close. UFC 136 results from the Facebook online video stream are already in the books -- you can check out our detailed recap from that portion of the card right here. Remember, too, to join MMAmania.com for our LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of the UFC 136 pay-per-view (PPV) broadcast at 9 p.m. ET right here. And to check out everything thing else about UFC 136 results and more feel free to visit our event archive right here. Keep in mind that we will also be the spot for the latest news, recaps and post-fight analysis after UFC: 136: "Edgar vs. Maynard 3."

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Anthony Pettis' second appearance inside the Octagon wasn't an easy one as he narrowly edged veteran Jeremy Stephens, winning the contest by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28). Pettis came out fast in the opening frame, throwing a variety of kicks and punches with little success. Stephens countered with a couple of glancing shots and two brief takedowns, likely taking the first round on most scorecards. Pettis landed a takedown early in the second round, beating on Stephens from top control and using knees to the body to maintain position. Stephens eventually made his way back to his feet at the halfway mark, but Pettis found ways to bring Stephens back to the mat repeatedly. Pettis threatened with a rear naked choke late in the round. Stephens escaped, however, trying to tee off on Pettis as the horn sounded. Stephens pressed hard to open the third, taking down Pettis thirty seconds into the round. Pettis escaped to his feet after a brief exchange, then took it to Stephens, repeatedly taking him down over the remainder of the round. Stephens did have many moments in which he regained his feet quickly, avoiding any damage from Pettis. He also reversed a few takedown attempts from Pettis, making the round hard to score for the judges.Pettis lost to long-time UFC veteran Clay Guida in his promotional debut at The Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale in October. He was previously crowned the WEC's final lightweight champion at WEC 53 in December, edging Ben Henderson by unanimous decision in a wild affair.  Like Pettis, Stephens is also one of the UFC's promising young bucks. He entered tonight's contest with a 4-1 record in his last 5 appearances, only faltering to Melvin Guillard at UFC 119 in a narrow split decision loss. He defeated Marcus Davis and Danny Downes in his last two appearances.

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HOUSTON -- This is the UFC 136 live blog for Anthony Pettis vs. Jeremy Stephens, a lightweight bout on on tonight's UFC 136 on Spike TV preliminary card from the Toyota Center. Pettis (13-2) is a former WEC lightweight champion in search of his first UFC win. Stephens (20-6) has won both his UFC fights this year against Marcus Davis and Danny Downes. The live blog is below. More Coverage: UFC 136 Results | Latest UFC 136 News Round 1: Left-right combo fired off by Stephens early. Pettis measuring the distance, and as he comes forward, Stephens ducks down and takes him to the ground. Pettis threatens with an armbar and Stephens pulls away. As he does, Pettis gets to his feet. Round 2: Round 3: %VIRTUAL-Gallery-136080% Follow Us on Twitter Friend Us on Facebook Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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The last WEC lightweight champion gave MMA fans the term "Showtime kick" and came into the UFC with a guaranteed title shot. One title fight draw before he got his shot changed all that, and a loss to Clay Guida has Showtime looking to finally establish himself in the UFC in Houston. On the other side of the coin, one of the hardest-hitting lightweights out there is looking to completely derail the Showtime hype train and finally establish himself in the upper echelon of the packed 155-pound division. Anthony Pettis (13-2, 0-1 UFC) squares off with Jeremy Stephens (20-6, 7-5 UFC).  Pettis is currently sitting at number 10 and Stephens is unranked on the USA Today/BE Consensus Rankings.  Stephens actually just missed and is currently at 28, and a win over Pettis would guarantee him a spot in the top 25. Pettis doesn't have much to gain rankings-wise, but his first UFC win would be huge for him. This lightweight UFC 136 fight will be on the preliminary card, which will be shown live on Spike TV. The Spike prelims show begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. How do these two stack up? Pettis: 24 years old | 5'10" | 72" reachStephens: 25 years old | 5'9" | 71" reach What have these two done recently? Pettis: L - Clay Guida (UD)  | W  - Ben Henderson (UD) | W - Shane Roller (SUB)Stephens: W - Daniel Downes (UD) | W - Marcus Davis (KO) | L - Melvin Guillard (UD)  How did these two get here? Anthony "Showtime" Pettis made his MMA debut on his 20th birthday, and just kept winning. He earned his way into the WEC and won a bout there before dropping a highly controversial split decision to Bart Palaszewski at WEC 45. That didn't stop him though, and three more impressive wins earned him a WEC lightweight title shot against champion Ben Henderson at the promotion's final show, WEC 53. And what a fight it was. In the 5th round of a fight that was dead even, Pettis used the cage as a projectile and kicked his way to a win and the title. He thought he was getting a UFC title shot too, until UFC 125 saw champion Frankie Edgar go to a draw with Gray Maynard. A rematch was ordered, and Pettis was matched up with Clay Guida at the TUF 13 Finale. Guida grounded him and picked up an easy decision win, and now Pettis needs a win badly to establish himself in the UFC and stay in the title hunt. Jeremy "Lil Heathen" Stephens has definitely had an up-and-down career since his UFC debut back in 2007. He's 7-5 in the UFC, but has never strung together more than two wins at a time. He's on one of those two-fight winning streaks now, and a win over Pettis would likely be the biggest of his career. The heavy-handed lightweight has won the knockout of the night bonus three times, and picked up a fight of the night bonus as well. Why should you care? Come on folks. This is MMA's version of July 4th - guaranteed fireworks. Stephens is unlikely to follow the Guida gameplan and will look to take Showtime's head off, which should lead to some amazing exchanges. This fight is a PPV-worthy matchup, and it's on free TV. That's how deep this card is. You can catch more UFC 136 preview content from Bloody Elbow after the jump. UFC 136 Judo Chop: The Striking of Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard - Fraser Coffeen UFC 136 Preview - Melvin Guillard Gunning for Knockout Bonus - Brent Brookhouse UFC 136: Chael Sonnen vs. Brian Stann Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 136 Video - Bruce Buffer: 'You Can't Announce the Way I Announce If You're Not Into It' - Brent Brookhouse UFC 136: Edgar vs. Maynard III - Live Weigh-In Video and Results - Brent Brookhouse UFC 136 Video: Frankie Edgar Says Belt Proves He Belongs at Lightweight - Brent Brookhouse UFC 136: Edgar vs. Maynard III - Bloody Elbow Staff Predictions UFC 136 Preview: Melvin Guillard Says Joe Lauzon Folds Under Pressure - Brent Brookhouse UFC 136: Chael Sonnen Denies Gameplanning for Brian Stann - Mike Fagan UFC 136: Frankie Edgar Talks Gray Maynard, Jose Aldo - Mike Fagan UFC 136: Melvin Guillard vs. Joe Lauzon Dissection - Dallas Winston Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 87: UFC 136 Preview UFC 136: Leonard Garcia vs. Nam Phan Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 136: Time Aplenty for Chael Sonnen Despite Competition for Contention - Leland Roling UFC 136: Edgar vs. Maynard III Betting Lines - Tim Burke UFC 136: Spike TV Preliminary Card Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 136: Did Promotion Need More Chael Sonnen and Brian Stann? - Brent Brookhouse UFC 136: Jose Aldo's Second Chance to Destroy Foolish Assumptions - Leland Roling UFC 136: A Running Diary of Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard II - Mike Fagan UFC 136 Pre-Fight Press Conference Video and Updates - Tim Burke UFC State of the Union: UFC 136 and the Lightweight Division - Fraser Coffeen Countdown to UFC 136 Video UFC 136: Melvin Guillard's Continuing Quest for a Title Shot - Brent Brookhouse UFC 136 Preview: Looking Back at Edgar vs. Maynard 2 Highlights and Reaction - Brent Brookhouse UFC 136: Facebook Undercard Dissection - Dallas Winston UFC 136: Dana White Video Blog, Day 1

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Anthony Pettis is ‘Showtime.’ So his next opponent, Jeremy Stephens, recently began advertising himself as the ‘Showstopper.’ Days before the two highly-ranked 155-pounders collide, Stephens said that despite a pedigree that includes 12 Octagon appearances – versus just one Octagon test for Pettis – the knockout artist (Stephens) nevertheless perceives himself as the underdog headed into a contest that is virtually a lock to produce some fireworks. And it’s a comfortable spot for the husky roughneck who boasts more than his fair share of victories. “His camp has talked some crap about me but that’s easy for them to do because they get to hide behind their fighter come fight night,” said Stephens (20-6). “He’s going to be the one suffering the blows. That’s not my focus, to talk s---. I know I said some things about ‘Showstopper’ Stephens (publicly) but that’s what I do. I’m very confident. That’s what I’m going to do: I’m going to stop his show.”Winner of four of his past five bouts, Stephens’s lone loss came via split decision to Melvin Guillard – a ferocious and intimidating top contender in the hunt for a title shot. For his most recent training camp, Stephens placed particular emphasis on footwork and has tried to mimic the movements of elite fighters such as Georges St-Pierre, Jon Jones and Anderson Silva. Though he pronounced himself “more light on his feet,” Stephens also intends to pressure Pettis (11-2) for as long as the fight lasts. To prepare for the unpredictable kicks Pettis might try to unleash on Saturday night in Houston, Stephens has sparred regularly with a Hawaiian fighter named Max Halloway, whose unique style also features an array of wild and crazy kicks.“I have a great chin and standup and I’m a striker myself … so Anthony’s not going to do anything that I haven’t seen,” Stephens said. “One thing Anthony doesn’t do -- he doesn’t throw any combinations. He has power in his kicks but he also hasn’t fought a striker like myself, who can bring the kind of pressure like Bart Palaszewski did. I hit a lot harder than Bart and I’ll be in his face a lot more. I’m constantly evolving. Ever since the Melvin Guillard loss I move a lot better, Anderson Silva-style. I’ve become more fluid.”As he discussed the matchup over the course of a 30-minute interview, Stephens mentioned the word “hype” several times in reference to Pettis, a fan favorite since appearing on MTV’s “World of Jenks” and since delivering a Matrix-style kick (in a WEC title bout last year) that remains unlike anything the MMA world has ever seen. The popularity of Pettis far trumps that of Stephens, but the latter insisted it doesn’t bother him in the least. “It all comes with timing. I’m not a jealous or envious guy,” the 25-year-old Stephens said. “He got what he deserves – the fame and the highlights. And he can have all of that. I’m sure he’s trained really hard for this fight and wants to get on track in the UFC (after losing his UFC debut against Clay Guida). He doesn’t want to lose his job or all the sponsorships that he probably got off ‘that kick.’ So that will be beneficial for me. When you beat somebody you steal their energy, you steal their momentum. You take something from them. That’s why no one likes losing; no one likes getting their energy stolen. “I’ve been fighting in the UFC since 2007 and I’m looking to steal some of that energy from Anthony Pettis. He has a long ways to go in his career and I’m going to go in and expose him. And if that means more fan followers and the limelight then I’m ready for it. But I don’t mind being low-key and chill. I’m more that low-key kind of guy. I’d rather ride in the backseat than the front seat.”The turning point in his career, Stephens recalled, was in early 2009, following back-to-back losses to Joe Lauzon and Gleison Tibau. Amid the disappointment, a sobering reality sank in for the fiery Iowan.“I knew that if I buckled down and quit with all the partying,” Stephens said, “that I could be one of the best in the world. I just had to make some changes, get out of Iowa and come here to better training with the best in the world (to San Diego). I took a leap of faith, I took a risk to be a champion. The Justin Buchholz fight was the turning point in my life.” For this training camp, Stephens occasionally sparred with UFC bantamweight kingpin Dominick Cruz, whom he effusively praised. “He deserves a lot more recognition than what he gets,” Stephens said of the champ. “He’s one of the hardest working, most humble guys I’ve ever met. He’s always at the gym constantly. He’s a great leader and is always positive. He’s got a great team and brings in a lot of guys. Just being around him is great energy. I really look up to him.” Rather interestingly, this marks the second straight fight for Stephens against a Duke Roufus protégé. In October, Stephens tormented and battered Danny Downes over 15 minutes. If they ever invent a “Not An Ounce of Quit In Him” award, an overmatched Downes proved he should be a frontrunner for the honor in 2011. Relatively few fighters would probably march on under such nonstop and prolific abuse (Stephens even cranked on a gnarly kimura that bent Downes’ arm so deeply it was painfully uncomfortable to watch). Yet the epically gutsy Downes fought on, never tapped, never came close to quitting and miraculously survived until the final horn.“I was impressed by his heart. Danny Downes has got my respect,” Stephens said. “He took a lot more punishment than Pettis will; I think Pettis will fold.” Stephens conceded that he was uncommonly nervous before the Downes fight because “I had everything to lose that night and he had everything to gain.” Stephens feels he’ll be in the opposite situation on Saturday against Pettis. “Weakness is not in my heart, it’s my time to rise,” Stephens said. “I’ve got a family to feed, I’ve got a job to do. I really want to finish Anthony Pettis and make a statement on October 8th.  So I’m going to go out there and destroy him, rip him apart.”

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UFC 136 is by far more stacked card that you would originally think. Former WEC Lightweight Champion Anthony "Showtime" Pettis will make his second appearance inside the Octagon, this time facing the hard-hitting Jeremy Stephens in a Spike-TV aired portion of the card. Twenty-and-six Stephens currently enjoys a two-fight winning streak in the UFC, with sights on moving up in the UFC Lightweight ladder. Lil' Heaten documents his preparations for the fight with Anthony Pettis, and the road to UFC 136 in

Posted in: ufc, anthony pettis, petti, anthony, stephen

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I can't remember the last time a card had so many relevant fights for one division. Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard will finally decide who the champion at LW is, while the contenders will have a clearer picture of where to go from here. As great as the second Edgar/Maynard fight was, it created a real logjam at 155. First up on the stage: Anthony Pettis. He's the real star of the match agaisnt Jeremy Stephens. What's unfortunate about Pettis is that the draw at UFC 125 put his career on serious hold. He was flying high with his victory over Ben Henderson, sat out while waiting for Edgar, and then once the outcome changed everything, had his schedule redirected into a fight with Clay Guida. The Guida fight has been an overemphasized stain on Pettis' record. I personally don't think he won, but I was impressed with his ability to threaten from his back against a fighter who I thought for sure would neutralize his submission game with top control completely. Pettis never stopped attacking (to his detriment however). It's rare to take positives out of a loss given the hype surrounding Pettis, but I'm not surprise. Anthony has shown considerable improvement, going from a good striker with decent submissions and no wrestling with little cardio, to a striker using his diverse arsenal much more confidently with better submissions, and better wrestling with great cardio.  Fans may have forgotten, but Pettis scored his own takedowns against Roller and Henderson: if the Guida fight "exposed" him it had everything to do with Clay's superb (however unappealing) strategy. When Pettis talked to Luke Thomas at MMA Nation, he made it clear he should have gone for sweeps, and scrambled more to get back to his feet. That he's identified these problems is one thing. That he's made significant improvements in the past makes me believe he'll flourish as a result. It'll be interesting to see how he responds to a clubber like Stephens. Next up: Melvin Guillard. 8-1 in his last nine, and just like Pettis, has taken his seemingly one note bag of tricks, and made an army out of them. With 40 fights under his wing, Melvin has been a bit slower, but it seemed like personal problems and attitude had long been his undoing. I was one of the idiots who wasn't quite a believer going into his fight with Roller. The Stephens and Tibau wins weren't exactly inspiring (and required perhaps some debate in the Tibau case), and there are still questions about his submission defense. But as Guillard has calmed, and soaked in Greg Jackson's wisdom, he's looked like an absolutely wrecking machine. I do think Joe Lauzon is no walkover, and I wouldn't at all be surprised to see this fight go to a decision. Lauzon, despite being a fighter who consistently gases at the 7 minute mark, is a gutsy, no frills grappler who will still occupy a special place in my heart for the fireman's carry he executed against Stephens. As he demonstrated in that fight in addition, he'll drop down from a standing clinch position to go for a leg lock if necessary. How Melvin handles that unpredictability will be interesting. But Guillard is the favorite and rightfully so. The great thing about UFC 136 is that an entire division will unfold right before our eyes. We didn't need any grandiose tournaments getting our expectations up. It's taken awhile for the LW division to clear itself, but if the problem is that the champion needed to fight the challenger because their rematch was epic, then that's a good looking problem. Moreover, the fighters in the spotlight have their own narratives to write beyond getting closer to a title shot. Will Pettis showed the continued improvement he's shown through his career? How high is the ceiling for this kid? How high is the ceiling for Guillard if he smashes Joe Lauzon in the first round?

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“Pettis is overrated.” “Pettis is not as good as everybody thought he was.”Those are just the phrases that come to mind immediately for lightweight contender and former WEC champion Anthony “Showtime” Pettis, who got a crash course in the fickle nature of the fight game after his June loss to Clay Guida.  According to those folks, Pettis was a figment of their imagination, “a one kick wonder,” as he puts it, and you can tell that even as he prepares to get back into the Octagon to face Jeremy Stephens this Saturday night on the UFC 136 card in Houston, the barbs still burn.“Duke (Roufus), my coach, actually prepares me for a lot of the stuff inside and outside the cage, and he always tells me that you’re only as good as your last performance and unfortunately for me I had a bad performance in the Guida fight and a lot of fans aren’t as loyal as you think they are,” he said. “They’ll celebrate with you, but once you lose, they’ll turn on you.”It’s a situation experienced by so many fighters that to count them here would crash the internet itself. Win today and you’re the greatest thing since pizza. Lose tomorrow and you’re yesterday’s news. That’s the nature of the sports business, but one brand new to the affable 24-year old from Milwaukee, whose compelling story, personality, and talent made him a star in the WEC. And when he capped off his WEC title winning effort against Ben Henderson in December of 2010 with a kick off the cage that became a highlight for the ages, there seemed to be no stopping him.But Guida has a way of getting in the way of things, and he stopped Pettis in his tracks with a beautifully executed gameplan of mauling and brawling that kept the dynamic striker from getting any room to breathe. The unanimous decision in Guida’s favor was a no-brainer. Pettis had his second pro loss (the first coming via decision to Bart Palaszewski in 2009), and it was time to regroup.“It’s just a build-up of a number of things that went wrong,” he said. “I don’t want to say I had a bad fight or it was an off-night because that leaves something in my mind that I could have that kind of performance again. There were a number of things that I did wrong – preparation for the fight, gameplanning that should have been changed – but you can’t cry over spilled milk and I’m just ready to get back and get my next win.”And when it comes down to it, that’s all he really can do. He’s got too many gifts to walk away from the game, and why would he? Oh wait, that’s what some “fans” of the sport believe fighters should do when they lose a fight. But Pettis knows better, and he admits that he still has plenty of people who remain in his corner.“I still got some loyal fans,” he said. “I can’t say everybody turned on me. It’s just that the fans that don’t really know who I am, they just saw the kick (against Henderson). ‘Oh man, look at this crazy kick this guy did,’ and they don’t really know my skillset behind that kick. But some of my fans are always loyal to me, they know that I have skills, and that I want this so much. But the general masses and most of the media portrays it that I’m overrated and Guida exposed it.”So where does a fighter begin after such a defeat? Do you erase everything you’ve done and start from scratch, or simply tweak the soft spots in your game and move forward? Pettis, hurt by the criticism, but using it as fuel, has become a gym rat.“I just live in the gym,” he said. “I got back to becoming a student of the game and just learning everything. After the Henderson fight, I got so much media attention, the title shot in the UFC, all these appearances, all this hype, and no matter how many people tell you about it, you kinda gotta experience it for yourself to realize how it affects you and how it is. So I think I’m kinda getting more used to performing on that level where people actually care about my training and care about what I’m doing, so for me it’s just balancing everything out.”A couple key factors help him attain that balance now, and the first one has nothing to do with the fight game, as Pettis and his girlfriend welcomed a daughter into the world in July. “I’m not as important as I used to be,” Pettis laughed when asked how things have changed for him since the arrival of Aria. “She comes first. And it’s motivation. I’ve got a daughter to take care of now. I’m fighting for more than just myself and my own gain so I’ve got to do my job well to take care of her.”The other factor is an old standby in Roufus, Pettis’ longtime trainer and mentor, and someone who isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel after the Guida loss. So don’t expect “Showtime” to play it safe from now on. He will be bringing all the unorthodox moves we’ve come to expect from him.“A big reason why I’m with Duke is because he allows me to be myself,” said Pettis. “He doesn’t want to make me a Muay Thai guy, he doesn’t want to make me a wrestler or a basic jiu-jitsu guy. He allows me to create my own style and make my own Anthony Pettis. So he’s supportive but he’s still smart about it. He’s not like ‘ok, go out there and do a jump spin kick and see what happens.’ Everything’s set up, and he just helps me make it more effective.”So with the motivation of being a father, the stability of having a good trainer and team behind him, and that little something in the back of his head that says ‘I’ll show you,’ Pettis is in fine stead as he prepares to meet Stephens, an unabashed banger who will likely strike with the striker.“I’m getting to fight a striker finally,” said Pettis. “I’ve been fighting all these wrestlers, and people are counting me out big time; so for me it’s a chance to come back and show these guys that I am gonna be the number one contender and the champion one day.”Pettis also has a secret weapon in camp in fellow UFC fighter Danny Downes, who recently extended Stephens the three round distance before losing a decision.“Danny talks to me a lot and we train every day together,” said Pettis. “Danny said he (Stephens) didn’t feel as strong as everybody makes him out to be, and his punching power ain’t the end all. Everybody’s always like ‘oh, Jeremy Stephens has knockout power,’ and he does, but it’s not one of those punches where he touches you and it’s over. I got a good chin, so I’m not gonna go out there and overthink his right hand or left hook; I’m gonna do my gameplan and put my will on him.”And not that Pettis needed any more motivation, but Stephens has not been reticent in declaring just what he’s going to do to the former WEC champ. There will be no retorts though; Pettis is saving his war for the Octagon.“I haven’t really lashed out or talked any crap at all,” he said. “I’m gonna let my fight skill do the talking. I’ve got a lot to prove in this fight, it’s my second one in the UFC and I need to get that ‘W’ and I need to do it the ‘Showtime’ way.” I’m here to stay. I’m not just a one kick wonder and I’m not a guy who just got lucky once. I’m coming for that title shot and I’m gonna earn my title shot.”

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UFC 136: Edgar vs. Maynard 3 play-by-play of Anthony Pettis vs. Jeremy Stephens on Saturday, Oct. 8, in Houston.

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Here at MMAjunkie.com, we largely avoid the typical pre-fight banter and promises of destruction when it comes to headlines and story intros. But with Jeremy Stephens, an ultra-confident lightweight who meets Anthony Pettis at Saturday's UFC 136 event, it's not so much trash-talk as statements of fact. As far as Stephens is concerned, he's not threatening anything. He's just telling you how Saturday plays out: He's going to hunt down Pettis, work the body, hit the chin, and "destroy him."

Posted in: jeremy stephens, anthony pettis, petti, stephen, story intros

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The Spike TV preliminary card for UFC 136: Edgar vs. Maynard III begins at 8 p.m. ET, sandwiched between the Facebook stream and the main. The two featured match ups pit middleweights Demian Maia vs. Jorge Santiago and lightweights Anthony Pettis vs. Jeremy Stephens. Demian Maia (14-3) vs. Jorge Santiago (23-9) Maia's losses to Nate Marquardt and Anderson Silva were understandable. Marquardt is considerably more experienced and well rounded, plus the knockout fit into the semi-dismissive "he got caught" category. Anderson Silva is ... well, he's Anderson Silva. The Mark Munoz fight seemed to reveal a very mortal Demian Maia. In addition to his vastly improved striking and deceiving takedown prowess, Maia had accrued a rep for submitting or thoroughly dominating anyone and everyone on the mat. Perhaps we all placed too much stock in his astounding trip and insta-triangle of Chael Sonnen, the Sherman Tank of 205. I'll admit that I was immediately inclined to pick Maia when Jorge Santiago was announced as his opponent. However, Santiago's well known Achilles Heel (six of his nine losses are by TKO) shouldn't factor in considering Maia's relatively deficient punching power. Additionally, the former Sengoku champion's BJJ black belt and MMA experience should allow him to stay competitive with the submission demon on the ground, as he's never been submitted. Gifs and analysis in the full entry. The metamorphosis of Maia's kickboxing has never ceased and deserves mention. It started out ugly, showed a semblance of legit technique, advanced to adequacy and looked the best it ever has against Munoz. I thought UFC 131 was the first time Maia seemed fully comfortable and confident in exchanges, going so far as to stalk Munoz and back him up with a fireball left hand. In the clip to the right, his technique, power and footwork are clearly the best they've been. I got the impression before that Maia was "imitating" a striker, but his overall stand up game at UFC 131 might have shown his steepest progression yet. Unfortunately, effectively rounding out his weaknesses was overshadowed by the lack of venom in his outright specialty. My hat's off to Munoz for his grappling awareness and submission defense, but purposely pushing the fight into Maia's guard used to be the proverbial nail in the coffin. While almost any other location is more advisable, Munoz demystified the notion that Maia was untouchable on the ground. He showed that one can not only survive but still vault ahead on the score cards and beat Demian Maia somewhere other than standing. Jorge Santiago is nowhere near the level of wrestler of Munoz nor can he match his physical strength, but I think there's more light at the end of the tunnel than ever before in tangling with Maia, especially for a skilled grappler like Santiago. Most of the talk on Jorge Santiago's record revolves around his 67% TKO defeats and rarely on the bright side of his respectable winning and finishing percentages. Of his twenty-three career wins, twelve were submissions (52%) and nine were by TKO (40%) with only two victories going the distance. Sure, you can bag on his overseas competition or lackluster Octagon performances, but you can't ignore his affinity for taking risks and finishing fights in exciting fashion. Let's not gloss over the caliber of opponent he drew in his first UFC stint either, which was Chris Leben, Alan Belcher (both knockout losses) and the late Justin Levens (knockout win). After his UFC release, Santiago went a twelve-fight tear against the best middleweight competition available while becoming the Sengoku middleweight champ and Strikeforce Middleweight Grand Prix champion. He dusted everyone except Mamed Khalidov (currently ranked #19 in the world) but Santiago would later avenge the loss by decision; the only fight he didn't finish along that stretch.  With Stann now ranked sixth and Maia seventh, Santiago isn't getting any easy opportunities this time either. At UFC 130, Stann never let Santiago find his groove: he beat him to the punch, he sidestepped and counter-punched his incoming flying knees and takedown attempts and shut him down in every sense. Just like Santiago can't replicate Munoz's strength and wrestling, Maia won't be the imposing and immovable force that Stann was. I'm interested to see how Maia's enhanced striking compares to a veteran knockout artist like Santiago, and also whether Santiago will pursue takedowns and how he'll fare against Maia's astronomical sub game. I was impressed enough with Maia's striking against Munoz to put him near Santiago's level. Though unlikely, I wouldn't put a Maia KO beyond the realm of possibility. Alternatively, I would probably evaluate Santiago's grappling with that same proximity in reverse, which -- I realize -- is a bold statement. We are talking about a guy who choked out the legendary Jeremy Horn in the first round and has never been submitted throughout a pretty loaded list of opponents. I think Santiago is being mildly overlooked here and, on paper, only trails Maia by a little. I considered calling for the upset but Maia's slick clinch throws and trips inspire me otherwise, as this will likely put him on top and in control of any grappling encounters, and Maia's top game might be more fearsome than his guard. My Prediction: Demian Maia by decision I have to start with a little rant on behalf of Jeremy Stephens, who I feel deserves to make the top twenty-five cut in the consensus lightweight rankings. From a pure performance standpoint, I understand his absence, especially based on his less than flattering inauguration into the UFC. Stephens began his career losing only one of thirteen fights to Chris Mickle; a defeat he twice avenged by vicious knockout. In fact, Stephens crushed his opponents in all twelve victories leading up to his tenure in the Octagon, nine by TKO and three by submission, closing all but two of those in the first frame. His entrance to the big leagues was an armbar at the hands of savvy veteran Din Thomas before, after notching another first round smashing elsewhere, Stephens reappeared with a decision over Diego Saraiva and a strike stoppage of Cole Miller. Here's where things went downhill: Stephens would drop three of his next four to Spencer Fisher (decision), Joe Lauzon (submission) and Gleison Tibau (decision). His win in that sequence was a knockout of sixteenth-ranked lightweight Rafael Dos Anjos. Stephens boomeranged back by winning four of his next five, including twenty-one ranked Sam Stout, and the sole loss was a controversial decision to ninth-ranked Melvin Guillard. The scoring wasn't accompanied by the typical bickering about MMA judging yet, from cage-side I had the fight a draw, Brent Brookhouse had it for Stephens as did all three Sherdoggers on their play by play. Hey, I warned you it was a rant, but the point is that Stephens has comparable or better records than the four lightweights ranked from fourteen through eighteen but doesn't even appear in the top twenty-five. Don't get me wrong ... there's not much to dislike about Anthony Pettis. The Showtime kick will always be one of the most innovative jaw-droppers in MMA history. His creativity is off the charts and he's a dual pronged threat with a stockpiled kickboxing arsenal and a fluid guard. Entering the WEC undefeated after eight fights -- all first round stoppages (4 by TKO, 3 subs) save one decision -- the Roufusport fighter won five of six, consummated by snatching Ben Henderson's title. It is of particular interest that his sole WEC defeat -- a split decision to Bart Palaszewski -- was delivered by a fighter who bears the most similarities to Stephens. Pettis has smooth boxing and high kicks, enjoying the most success striking when he's getting off first, though he is a skilled counter puncher. The animation to the left shows nothing but nice, clean technique with straight punches. Defensively, his lack of head movement in this exchange could be a concern against a slugger like Stephens. His hand speed and accuracy are top notch, his footwork has been sound and his ability to react quickly with punches ties everything together in his formidable stand up arsenal. The seamless addition of the left high kick to close out his combination (right) depicts his unnerving comfort in stringing strikes together, though again his static head position is a bit of a concern. While there's nothing tremendously flawed in his defense, Stephens is easily the biggest power puncher he's encountered, leaving a tiny margin of error for even the slightest mistakes. His wrestling is rarely mentioned, but taking down a juggernaut like Bendo (left) attests that Pettis is dangerous there as well, endowing him with the oft-absent aspect to transition to the floor to maximize his multifarious offense. His clinch is ruthless in that he alternates from technical striking to latching onto the back or chomping for submission attempts. Clay Guida unwound him with a strategy that Stephens can't replicate, so Pettis is faced with trading with Stephens or exploiting his grappling wit. While jousting strikes would be the fan's choice, Pettis would be foolish not to implement his avid submission artillery. Still a technical striker, Stephens is much more primal and raw. He substitutes an extra heaping of vicious punching power and unbridled forward aggression for not being the most fundamentally textbook kickboxer. The problems with that style are the defensive holes that are left exposed, but the best band-aid is having the brick-laden chin that Stephens has demonstrated thus far (no TKO losses). In his last outing, a commanding decision win over Pettis training partner Daniel Downes, Stephens rolled out some strong wrestling and surprising submission attempts of his own. Typically, his clinch game was restricted more to the stiff knee he clips Downes with to the left, but Stephens, perhaps in an attempt to break his one-dimensional mold, secured a shocking six takedowns throughout the fight. These weren't of the mild variety either. Stephens went all Matt Hughes by lifting Downes off the canvas and taking a short job before burying him against the cage. The fun didn't end there, as another statistical category was uncharacteristically checked: Stephens attempted three submissions as well (below). I don't think this means he can compete with Pettis on the mat; just that he's making subtle strides to round out his game with each showing. I do think he can give Pettis hell standing though. The prediction should surely favor Pettis just for being so thoroughly dynamic. The balance is pretty even standing and everywhere else except technical BJJ. While I might give Stephens a slight nod in the striking, mostly for his cleaving power advantage, Pettis also has a sturdy chin to even things out. I'd guess Stephens' stand up will influence Pettis more and more that the ground is his friend as the fight goes on. Hopefully I've put some on notice that Stephens is the last lightweight you want to overlook and has all the potential to score an upset, especially if Pettis plays his game or doesn't respect his power. From a judging standpoint, his aggression and power tend to stand out if it goes the distance, so he might be worth taking a chance on at +250. With their knack to take a punch being about even, Pettis' clean punches and devious ground-work make him the clear (but slight) favorite. My Prediction: Anthony Pettis by decision   Jorge Santiago vs. Kazuo Misaki gif via MMA-Core.com All others via Zombie Prophet of IronForgesIron.com         Poll Demian Maia vs. Jorge Santiago Demian Maia Jorge Santiago   201 votes | Results

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As he heads into his fight against former WEC champion Anthony Pettis at UFC 136, Jeremy Stephens isn't lacking confidence.

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