Sometimes all it takes is one conversation for cooler heads to prevail.
Just two days after UFC president Dana White revealed that featherweight champion Jose Aldo was resistant to meet Anthony Pettis for his next title defense, a deal has been struck.
On Monday during a MetroPCS chat with fans, some technical difficulties took down the broadcast, so White took advantage of the downtime and spoke to Aldo’s coach and manager Andre Pederneiras.
It obviously didn’t take long because just a few moments later the chat was back up and White had good news about the title fight August 3 .
“I just got off the phone with Andre Pederneiras and the Aldo fight is on, so it’s done,” White revealed. “The fight’s done, Pettis vs. Aldo in August; that was quick.”
Aldo and his management team had strongly disagreed with the UFC matching him up against Pettis, saying he didn’t deserve the shot at the title.
Needless to say, White was none too pleased at that stance and planned on having another conversation with his featherweight champion on Monday.
One call and one talk is all it took, and now Aldo is back on board to face Pettis for the UFC featherweight title on August 3 at an event that has yet to be named, as well as the location where it will take place.
Pettis was given the shot at Aldo after sending a text message to UFC president Dana White just moments after the champion defeated Frankie Edgar in the main event of UFC 156.
Already atop the lightweight division’s contender race, Pettis decided to seize the opportunity and offer to drop down to 145 pounds and fight Aldo.
The UFC jumped at making the fight, and two days later they announced Aldo vs. Pettis for August 3. For whatever reason, Aldo decided against the fight after the initial announcement, but now the two fighters are back on the same page and will meet later this year with the featherweight title on the line.
A new added wrinkle to the fight includes not only a title up for grabs at 145 pounds but quite possibly the next contender at 155 pounds. UFC president Dana White confirmed that if Aldo gets past Pettis, he will be able to move to lightweight and face the champion there as well
Damon Martin is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report and all quotes were obtained first hand unless otherwise noted.
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