Former UFC Lightweight Champion Anthony Pettis has had a rough year, losing that title to Rafael dos Anjos and then dropping consecutive decisions to Eddie Alvarez and Edson Barboza in 2016. He’s now looking at a change, saying on Instagram on Wednesday that a move down to featherweight is next for him.
It’s the second time Pettis has entertained a drop to featherweight in the UFC, as he was slated to face Jose Aldo for that division’s title in 2013 before injury delayed him. He then got his shot at the UFC Lightweight Title that same summer, capturing it with a submission win over Benson Henderson. He defended the belt with a submission win over Gilbert Melendez before the loss to dos Anjos.
Penick’s Analysis: There are tons of new and interesting matchups for Pettis if he drops down, and if the weight cut doesn’t hurt him he could have a lot of success at 145 lbs. Of course, that’s going to entail stepping up to perform, because passivity has killed him in three straight fights. He’s allowed himself to get controlled, out-worked, and beat up, and he needs to figure out quickly what needs to be fixed in order to rebound here.
[Photo (c) Joe Camporeale via USA Today Sports]
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