Anthony Pettis set to choose between Jose Aldo at Featherweight and Gilbert Melendez at Lightweight
Posted on March 14, 2012, 06:56 AM by Anton GurevichDespite 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 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."
Meanwhile, Gilbert Melendez's coach Cesar Gracie spoke about what's next for his protege, revealing that he hopes for BJ Penn or Anthony Pettis as an opponent for "El Nino". Melendez will put his title on the line on May 19th, but the identity of his opponent is still unknown.
Pettis is 15-2 in his career, with convincing victory over Joey Lauzon at last month's UFC 144 in Saitama, Japan.
(Photo via BJPenn.com)
Comments
A fight with Aldo would be crazy, but a fight with Melendez ? How would that be possible ?
Pettis vs Aldo at lightweight !
it would be a good test at light weight for aldo . :)
Or Pettis vs Fedor in a M1 global event would be sick !!!!!
(ok ok this was a joke )
this is called a, "win/win."
He should go for the Strikeforce title first and than come back to challange the Ufc champ.
How does that make any sense?? go to strikeforce.. beat Melendez.. then come back and fight Benson (cause he will surely beat Edgar AGAIN) and leave Strikeforce without a champ?? Doesn't make any sense.. not gonna happen. If he goes to Strikeforce and takes the belt (which i believe he would if he chose to go that route) he would have to stay in Strikeforce no doubt...!
You are right, does not make a lot of sense, I am going to weak myself now.
Trust me, you keep coming here for a couple more years, you'll be an MMA wizard.
Aldo it is then, because we all know S.F. is a huge step down, and current UFC fighters want no part of that.
I want to see pettis vs aldo!
both are tough fights, I feel like the UFC are begging lightweights to drop 10 pounds and fight aldo and we dont even know if Pettis wants to cut the weight. If I were him i would fight Melendez then come back for the UFC belt just so he could say he had the WEC StrickForce and UFC lightweight belts. That would be sick!!!
Thats what happens when Dana CLOGS up the light weight division by fighting the same guys 3 times each. Pettis was doing to darn good to be forced down IMO. Dana and co. need to get the act together.
I think Pettis learnt that better to fight for a championship straight away or else risk the same limbo state when he lost to Guida. If I was Pettis management I would get a fight with Aldo OR even a fight with a contender in the WW division a lost to any of that choice will still have him as a top contender in the LW division. Just make sure the management play up the weight gain problem or the weight lost problem and state that it had an effect in his performance.
http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/06/04/clay-guida-tops-anthony-pettis-in-ufc-lightweight-battle
http://martialarts.about.com/b/2011/06/04/clay-guida-vs-anthony-pettis-results.htm
http://www.cagedinsider.com/ufc/results/tuf-13-finale-guida-vs-pettis-results/
Nor according to the this three websites..
where does it indicate anywhere that he is fighting Gilbert? Gil is asking for him but he asked to go to UFC and that didn't happen.
He said he is only considering going to FW, hell he might not even get a straight title shot.
Extremely misleading title and it's infact untrue. It's basically Dana's choice who he gets to fight next.
how bout pettis vs aldo and then penn vs melendez... theres beef with bj's camp and cesar's
The only beef is BJ, hes as whiney as Rampage.
As long as the weight cut to fight Aldo doesnt take too much out of him might as well go for it. No reason for anyone that has a shot at a ufc belt to go to strikeforce though. Theres a reason all those guys want to come to the ufc. Ufc keeps talking about how staked the light weight is though so even if he has to fight another top guy at 155 to further hone his skills thats good to.
Aldo vs Pettis would be awesome...
1st things 1st-get rid of that pic of Pettis with that puppie ok,thanks! 2nd-since when do fighters get to pick and choose? Dana is FULL of it,always has,always will!!!!
I would like to see Pettis vs Penn for number one contender fight and Edgar vs Aldo !!
To the guy who said Pettis should go to WW..Are you serious?? He looks skinny at LW to me.... Good fighter though for sure.
I really wouldnt want Pettis to fight Aldo at his first fight at 145 ... His maybe not so big lightweight maybe 170 but because his not a wrestler he hasn't use to do big cuts and it could be a factor in a 5 round fight...
Both guys would beat him, frankly, i think melendez would really hurt pettis. Pettis is a top contender tho, and his striking is DIRTY. But melendez is so complete, he needs to be fighting for that ufc strap.