Anthony Pettis celebrates his first round victory over Donald Cerrone at UFC on FOX 6 – image via the UFC Facebook page
With a lightweight title shot waiting in the wings, former WEC champ Anthony ‘Showtime’ Pettis (16-2) has asked UFC president Dana White for a shot at Jose Aldo and the featherweight title.
White received a text from ‘Showtime’ on Saturday night for the fight following Aldo’s sixth straight featherweight title defense, defeating Frankie Edgar by decision at UFC 156.
“He just texted me 10 minutes ago. He’d go down, telling me he’d go to 145.”
After the post-fight press conference, White answered more questions about the possibility of Pettis moving down to featherweight.
“I had heard before this that people were saying that (Pettis) doesn’t even cut weight for 55′. Like doesn’t cut weight at all and that he could make 45′ easily. Which is shocking to me because he looks like a big kid to me in person. It’s interesting.”
Pettis fought last weekend in Chicago, picking up a third straight win after stopping dangerous striker Donald Cerrone at UFC on FOX 6. ‘Showtime’ is 7-1 over his last eight matches fighting in the lightweight division.
The question of who is linearly up next for Aldo is up in the air as fighters Ricardo Lamas, Cub Swanson and Chan Sung Jung are all near the top of the featherweight division but none of them has made a case for themselves as a clear cut contender.
Aldo meanwhile, stated that he’d be interested in facing Pettis but that it was ultimately up to the UFC and Dana White to determine his next opponent.