Pettis (photo) returns to the Octagon in January 2016. Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC
In August of 2013, Anthony Pettis came very close to challenging José Aldo for the featherweight belt, but ended up getting injured and instead fought for and won the lightweight title weeks later. Now former champion of the under-70,3 kg category, Pettis seems not to have completely forgotten the lower division belt and was open to a possible challenge to the winner of the unification between José Aldo e Conor McGregor, scheduled for December at UFC 194.
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“It's just talk until it happens.(…) Featherweight will always be an option, now I want my belt back, it's my main goal. I'm doing a good marketing job, I'm not hurting anyone. My goal now is to get my belt back, after that, we'll see. Do people want to see McGregor? I fight McGregor. Do you want to see Aldo? I fight with Aldo”, said “Showtime”, in an interview with the German website “GNP1”.
Furthermore, Pettis also praised the promotional work done by McGregor, but stated that the technical level of the featherweight division is much lower than that of the lightweight division. “He (McGregor) speaks well, he is doing a great job for the category. There wouldn't be much money in featherweight fights if it weren't for that, that's why I still want to move down the division. Fighting me would make Aldo a lot of money, but now with Conor McGregor talking, selling himself, it's good for him. But lightweight is a totally different category, it's not the same as featherweight, which apart from Aldo, doesn't have much talent. He has Frankie Edgar, Chad Mendes, but the lightweight division is the most talented division in the UFC. It's a different story, it's crazy that Conor says he's going to get there and beat everyone. He only won Chad Mendes of the top 5”, he said.
While still at lightweight, Anthony Pettis has quite a challenge ahead of him in the under-70,3 kg division. On January 17, 2016, in Boston (USA), “Showtime” returns to the octagon after losing his belt to the Brazilian Rafael dos Anjos in March. Pettis' opponent in his return will be former Bellator champion Eddie Alvarez.
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