WEC
WEC NEWS: Anthony Pettis discusses "Showtime Off the Wall kick" on ESPN's First Take
Dec 17, 2010 - 12:58:16 PM WEC NEWS: Anthony Pettis discusses "Showtime Off the Wall kick" on ESPN's First Take

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

"I want to call that the 'Showtime Off the Wall kick.'"

And with that, the most insane move pulled off in an MMA bout has an official name, as newly crowned WEC Lightweight Champion Anthony Pettis gave his springboard kick to Ben Henderson's jaw that name while calling in to ESPN2's "First Take" on Friday morning.

"I don't think anybody's done it in a fight yet, but it's something I practice in the training room" Pettis explained, when asked if he had ever done it before. "I couldn't kick this guy in the head and I thought 'man, I've got to do something off-the-wall,' and I literally did something off the wall."

When the kick landed and sent Henderson to the mat, Pettis was in shock over the fact that it not only landed, but that Henderson wasn't completely out.

"I was real surprised," Pettis said. "It was one of those moves that lands once in a million times. Luckily for me it hit him right on the chin. I'm he surprised he didn't get knocked out by it, but it was a little bit with the foot. It was one of those kicks where I was like, 'the fight's over' and he survived it.

"I was like 'man this guy's got a chin.' It was at the end of the [fight] it was the fifth round. It was one of those pivotal moments of the fight where anything could happen and that kick just secured that round for me and secured the win."

Resident contrarian Skip Bayless apparently was skeptical that the kick actually landed on Henderson, but Pettis explained what connected with what on the kick.

"If you watch the replay my foot hits him right on the chin/cheek area," he said. "If it was a little bit lower on my shin it would have been a guaranteed knockout.

"But jumping off the cage with the same foot you kick with? No one does that."

Penick's Analysis: ESPN has been running a 30 second spot on the kick throughout Sportscenter's multiple broadcasts this morning, and with this call-in interview, Pettis continues to increase his status. It's furthering the point I was making with this morning's article, as this exposure, because of how awesome the highlight is, will help the UFC sell him easily as a lightweight contender, and he'll have a chance to be a superstar in the sport in 2011.