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Jose Aldo vs. Anthony Pettis : “This Is a Fight for the Fans”

The UFC wasted no time in deciding that Jose Aldo vs. Anthony Pettis was the fight to make in the featherweight division. Just two days after the end of UFC 156, where Aldo successfully defended his title against former lightweight champion Frankie Edg…

The UFC wasted no time in deciding that Jose Aldo vs. Anthony Pettis was the fight to make in the featherweight division.

Just two days after the end of UFC 156, where Aldo successfully defended his title against former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar, the promotion opted to give Anthony Pettis the next crack at the belt after sending UFC President Dana White a text message asking for the opportunity.

Pettis will move down to 145 lbs after earning the next shot at the lightweight title following his blistering performance, knocking out Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone at UFC on Fox 6 in January.

The waiting really was the hardest part for Pettis, who sat out most of 2012 due to shoulder surgery—after a great win to kick off the year, he didn’t want to sit out hoping to face the winner of Benson Henderson and Gilbert Melendez, who battle on April 20 at UFC on Fox 7.

Instead he’ll drop weight classes and challenge Aldo in August with high hopes of coming away victorious, then returning to the lightweight division to face either Henderson or Melendez by the end of the year.

According to Pettis‘ manager Mike Roberts of MMA Inc who spoke to Bleacher Report on Tuesday, the deal to get the fight with Aldo happened in rapid fashion with all parties finally coming to an agreement around 11:30 p.m. PT on Monday night. This was just hours after Pettis spoke to Bleacher Report about his desire to land the featherweight title fight.

It appears the UFC was listening and wanted to make Pettis‘ dream fight a reality.

Roberts says the UFC was all about putting Pettis in the fight with Aldo, and they expect big returns on the August 3 showdown because this matchup was made specifically for the fans.

“This is a fight for the fans,” Roberts told Bleacher Report on Tuesday. “Anthony is all about challenges and what better way to challenge himself than to take a fight like this.”

The fight between Pettis and Aldo will be part of a card landing on Saturday, August 3—while the UFC has made no official announcement, it’s expected to be a pay-per-view showing.

The week prior to the Aldo vs. Pettis fight is a July 27 card currently scheduled as a UFC on Fox show. The UFC has routinely placed UFC on Fox shows ahead of major pay-per-view cards to help build momentum into those events.

UFC on Fox 6 took place just a week away from UFC 156, and UFC on Fox 7 happens seven days prior to UFC 159 featuring Ultimate Fighter coaches Jon Jones and Chael Sonnen in the main event.

It’s unclear at this time where the Aldo and Pettis fight will take place, but several locations are possible. A venue will likely be announced in the coming weeks, along with supporting fights for the card.

Damon Martin is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained first hand unless otherwise noted.

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Bellator Reality Show Coaches Include Couture, Shamrock, Warren and Greg Jackson

Bellator and Spike TV are pulling out all the stops for their new reality show titled Fight Master: Bellator MMA that debuts later this year. It was first announced last week that UFC Hall of Famer and two-weight class champion Randy Couture had signed…

Bellator and Spike TV are pulling out all the stops for their new reality show titled Fight Master: Bellator MMA that debuts later this year.

It was first announced last week that UFC Hall of Famer and two-weight class champion Randy Couture had signed on to be a coach on the new Bellator reality show.

He was the first confirmed coach, but now three more very well known names in the MMA industry have been announced to join Couture on the new reality show.

MMA legend and former UFC and Strikeforce champion Frank Shamrock, MMA coach and guru Greg Jackson and former Bellator champion Joe Warren will serve as the other three coaches working with a group of 32 up and coming athletes hoping to make their way to the Bellator cage later this year.

The Hollywood Reporter first announced the news on Tuesday, with representatives for both Frank Shamrock and Greg Jackson confirming their respective roles on the new reality show to Bleacher Report on Tuesday.

The new show is produced by Amazing Race creator and producer Bertram Van Munster and is expected to debut in the spring or summer of 2013. The fighters will compete in a tournament style format similar to the Ultimate Fighter, where athletes look to earn their way into the promotion via the reality show.

Couture’s signing came as a shock last week after appearing on UFC television in early December as part of the UFC on Fox analyst team. He then opted to sign a deal with Spike TV that has now ended in his exile from the UFC in every way, shape and form.

“Randy Couture can’t buy a ticket to this motherf—king event,” said UFC President Dana White when speaking to reporters following the end of the UFC 156 post fight press conference.

It’s no secret why Frank Shamrock would sign on to work with Bellator and Spike TV due to his well-known and well documented grudge with the UFC, particularly with president Dana White.

Shamrock and White have a long-standing feud that reaches back several years, and this latest move will only strengthen that rivalry.

It is also no shock that former Bellator champion Joe Warren will serve as coach with both his ties to the promotion and his history as a coach and mentor to many fighters throughout the MMA industry.

The one very interesting addition is famous coach and teacher Greg Jackson, who will join Couture, Shamrock and Warren on the show. Jackson is a mainstay among UFC circles, working with several high profile fighters including UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, Carlos Condit and Diego Sanchez.

It’s unclear at this time if Jackson’s involvement with the new Bellator reality show will hurt his relationship with the UFC, or if it ultimately matters at all.

More details for the new Bellator reality show will be released today during a 2pm ET conference call with Randy Couture and Spike TV officials. Bleacher Report will have additional information following the end of the call.

Damon Martin is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes obtained first hand unless otherwise noted.

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Anthony Pettis Wants Jose Aldo and Benson Henderson in Back to Back Fights

Anthony Pettis is on a mission to be considered one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the sport, and he’s willing to do two consecutive title fights to prove it. On Saturday night just moments after Jose Aldo defeated Frankie Edgar at UFC 156, UF…

Anthony Pettis is on a mission to be considered one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the sport, and he’s willing to do two consecutive title fights to prove it.

On Saturday night just moments after Jose Aldo defeated Frankie Edgar at UFC 156, UFC President Dana White announced that he received a text message from Pettis asking to face Aldo next for the featherweight title.

It was an interesting moment, because Pettis is already in line for the next crack at the UFC lightweight title, but instead of waiting until current champion Benson Henderson battles Gilbert Melendez in April at UFC on Fox 7, he wants to keep busy and challenge a fighter of the caliber of Jose Aldo.

“Aldo is a great fighter, pound-for-pound one of the best fighters in the world, and I want to be on that list. The only way for me to be on that list is to beat somebody out of my weight class, and I think me and Aldo makes sense, cause I’m stuck waiting for the lightweight belt,” Pettis told Bleacher Report on Monday.

“I wouldn‘t drop down to featherweight and try to stay down there and keep the belt, I just want to fight Aldo, and it makes sense for me to drop down and try to fight him for his belt.”

There was a brief time in 2012 when Pettis was stuck waiting for a fight where he contemplated a move to 145 pounds, but because his teammate, Erik Koch was already in line to face Aldo, he opted against it out of respect for his friend and teammate.

“The thought crossed my mind, but I wouldn’t do it before because of Erik Koch,” said Pettis. “I wouldn‘t disrespect a teammate like that, and I didn’t even want to entertain the thought, I would have to disrespect my training partner. After the fight with (Ricardo) Lamas, it’s going to be a couple more fights before he’s there for a title shot, and it works for me, cause I’m stuck waiting for Gilbert Melendez and Benson Henderson, and I just fought, and I think the timing’s perfect for a super fight.”

The other major factor for Pettis‘ decision to ask for Jose Aldo comes down to his body being ready to fight. The former WEC champion was forced to sit out the biggest part of the last year because of shoulder surgery.

Now that he’s healthy, Pettis is hungry to stay busy and active, and maybe even add a couple of titles to his resume by the end of 2013.

“While I’m waiting, let me get the super fight. My biggest thing is I’m healthy. Last year I was stuck waiting, I had one fight last year, and I want to fight three or four times, and I want big fights. I think the world wants to see that fight. It has the makings for fight of the year or fight of the decade, and you put two guys like us in there, it’s going to be nothing but fireworks,” Pettis stated.

“I don’t want to leave my division, this is my home, I’ve been making a name for myself in the 155-pound division, I feel like I’m the No. 1 contender, but while I’m stuck waiting, why not do this super fight.”

Regardless of the potential fight with Aldo, Pettis isn’t giving up on facing UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson later this year either. He feels there is some unfinished business to handle there, so that’s not escaping his to-do list.

Pettis defeated Henderson in the final WEC fight ever in 2010, but now his former foe has the UFC lightweight title around his waist, so he’d love the chance to face him and beat him again.

“For sure I want to fight Ben Henderson. Ben Henderson is a guy that’s on my list, but he already had a bout contract signed, he’s fighting Gilbert Melendez, and unfortunately for me it’s a couple of months away. I’ve been here before, you never know what happens in these situations. Somebody gets hurt, somebody else makes a name for themselves. I’m going to try to make something happen before somebody gets in my way again,” said Pettis.

If Pettis really does want to end up as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in MMA, there may not be a faster path than beating the featherweight and lightweight champions inside of one year.

He’s ready for the challenge, and Pettis is excited to silence any critics left out there that don’t think he can pull it off. Give him the chance, and Anthony Pettis is ready to prove it.

“I’m the No. 1 contender at 155, but I’m just that guy, I want to fight. I don’t want to be chained to the sidelines. I hate sitting around watching everybody else get to fight. I’m healthy right now, my last fight was like two minutes long and I want to continue. That’s what I set out to do, I had a rough last two years, and I know my potential.

“Everybody’s had their opinions—Pettis is overrated, Pettis is this, Pettis is that—and what better way to shut everybody up and prove everybody wrong [than] by fighting for both these titles.”

Damon Martin is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes obtained first hand by Bleacher Report MMA unless otherwise noted.

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Anthony Johnson vs. Andrei Arlovski Verbally Agreed for World Series of Fighting

On Monday, World Series of Fighting announced a new three-year TV deal to land on NBC Sports Network as well as their second show slated to take place on March 23 from the Revel Resort and Casino in Atlantic City. Now that card has a main event. Former…

Now that card has a main event.

Former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski is expected to meet Anthony “Rumble” Johnson in a special heavyweight attraction on the card.

World Series of Fighting Vice President and Matchmaker Ali Abdel-Aziz confirmed to Bleacher Report that verbal agreements are in place for the main event bout, with contracts expected back at any time.

Both Arlovski and Johnson fought on the inaugural World Series of Fighting card last November, and following the show Johnson mentioned the possibility of moving to heavyweight for the chance to face the former UFC champ when speaking to MMAWeekly.com last year:

I’d take it if they offered it to me. I was actually thinking about it today. I was thinking about it today whenever I watched the fights, I watched the whole card today, and I was like it would be crazy if I got to fight Andrei Arlovski

If it happened, I would accept it. Andrei’s a great athlete. I remember when he won the title, I remember when he lost the title, I’ve followed his career. He’s a great fighter, a real athlete, a real fighter too, so it would be an honor to fight him. If it happens it happens, if it doesn’t it doesn’t. That’s just something that popped in my head this morning, what if it did happen? That would be crazy.

It looks like Johnson will get his wish, although don’t expect the former welterweight to stick around heavyweight outside of this one-fight deal. Johnson is expected to face Arlovski for this main event fight and then return to the light heavyweight division where he’s gone 3-0 thus far in his career.

Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report MMA. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained firsthand.

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