Two of the best lightweights on the planet will face off next year.
Former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis will meet former Bellator champ Eddie Alvarez at UFC Fight Night: Dillashaw vs. Cruz on Jan. 17 in Boston, Alvarez confirmed Friday on Twitter. The UFC has yet to announce the fight officially.
it’s official , at first I just wanted the guy , now I got location too , thank you @ufc @danawhite , gonna blow the roof off Beantown!!
— Edward Alvarez (@Ealvarezfight) September 11, 2015
Pettis (18-3) has not fought since losing the belt to Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 185 back in March. “Showtime” has been recovering from elbow surgery. Before the loss to dos Anjos, the former WEC champ had not lost since 2011. Pettis, 28, has beaten the likes of Benson Henderson, Donald Cerrone and Gilbert Melendez in the UFC.
Alvarez (26-4) is coming off a split decision win over Melendez at UFC 188 in June. Prior to that, the Philadelphia native fell to Donald Cerrone in September 2014 in his UFC debut. Alvarez, 31, is a two-time former Bellator lightweight champion and left the promotion last year without losing the belt.
UFC Fight Night 81 will be headlined by a bantamweight title fight between champion T.J. Dillashaw and former champ Dominick Cruz. The event will air on FOX Sports 1 after the FOX broadcast of an NFL playoff game.