Former UFC and Strikeforce lightweight champion Anthony Pettis doesn’t have any ill-will towards the UFC ahead of his potential run to a PFL title.
Pettis is set to face Stevie Ray in a highly anticipated PFL Playoff rematch this Saturday in New York. In their last fight during the regular season, Ray rallied after a tough opening round to pull off a twister submission on Pettis for the upset.
Pettis has made the concept of revenge the theme of his 2022 season with the PFL. This comes after his first season last year ended with disappointing losses to Clay Collard and Raush Manfio despite being the league’s biggest signing in years.
Before making the move to the PFL, Pettis enjoyed a long tenure with the UFC which featured a run as the promotion’s lightweight champion. From garnering the cover of a Wheaties cereal box to his unbelievable highlights in the Octagon, Pettis was one of the most exciting UFC fighters during the prime of his career.
But Pettis is looking to prove that the prime of his combat sports run is still intact. As he gets ready to potentially clinch a spot in the 2022 PFL Championships, Pettis isn’t making his UFC leave in 2020 a motivating factor.
Anthony Pettis Isn’t Looking To Prove A Point To The UFC
During his PFL Playoffs pre-fight press conference, Pettis was asked if a PFL title win could be seen as an indirect “f**k you” to his former MMA home.
“Nah, Dana White is actually a good friend of mine,” Pettis said. “He bought my mom a house, I’m forever grateful to Dana White. I’m still in Vegas so I see him all the time. It’s more of an addition to my legacy for me.”
Pettis began the 2022 PFL season with a first-round finish of Myles Price. Before joining the league in 2021, he earned back-to-back wins in the UFC over Alex Morono and Donald Cerrone.
Some MMA fans and pundits have written off Pettis’ standing in the sport and feel his best days are behind him. But with different energy and attitude in his preparation for the 2022 season, he’s looking to cap it off with another title to add to his incredible legacy in the sport.
Will Anthony Pettis win a PFL title this season?
