Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight champion, Anthony Pettis, is already ranked ahead of 170-pound smashing machine, Santiago Ponzinibbio, thanks to a knockout win over Stephen Thompson at UFC Fight Night 148 back in March.
“Gente Boa,” as you might expect, has a problem with it.
That’s why the No. 8-ranked Argentinian wants the No. 7-ranked “Showtime” to step into the Octagon to prove that he is, in fact, the better fighter, something that apparently wasn’t established with his “lucky” win over “Wonderboy.”
“Showtime Pettis, there’s no way I’m going to allow you be ahead of me,” Ponzinibbio wrote on social media. “Come get this beating, you won’t get lucky like last time.”
Pettis (22-8) jumped up to the 170-pound weight class after a technical knockout loss to Tony Ferguson at UFC 229 last October. His ability to paste Thompson in such dramatic fashion clearly impressed the rankings panel, but at the same time left him with a target on his back.
As for Ponzinibbio (27-3), he remains stuck in a holding pattern following his destruction of Neil Magny last October (blame this guy). That victory marked his seventh straight (four of them knockouts) but not enough to earn a spot in the crowded welterweight title race.
Perhaps a win over Pettis would change that?