MMA fans have waited four long years for a superfight, and there is no reason to keep them waiting any longer, especially when it involves a potential blockbuster between Anthony Pettis and Jose Aldo.
After defeating Benson Henderson and winning the lightweight title, Pettis wasted little time in challenging Aldo to a champion vs. champion superfight.
“Jose Aldo we’ve got some unfinished business. Your belt or my belt,” Pettis said during his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan on Saturday night at UFC 164.
Initially, Pettis was slated to challenge Aldo for the featherweight title at UFC 163, but plans fell through when he suffered a knee injury in training that forced him to withdraw from the bout.
As fate would have it, he healed up in time to step in for an injured TJ Grant against Henderson for the lightweight title in front of his hometown fans in Milwaukee.
Once again, UFC president Dana White finds himself in a tough position between doing what’s fair or giving the fans what they want.
Grant deserves the next lightweight title shot, and there is simply no way around it. He is on a five-fight win streak and coming off a shocking first-round knockout win over perennial contender Gray Maynard.
With that said, there have been far too many failed promises of superfights to let another one slip through the cracks. Along with Grant, there are some serious contenders at lightweight and featherweight. It would be disappointing if either Aldo or Pettis lost, flushing another potential champion vs. champion clash down the drain.
There hasn’t been a legitimate superfight in the UFC since BJ Penn ruled over the lightweight division and moved up to challenge welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre.
It isn’t just about the idea of champion vs. champion. Stylistically, Pettis vs. Aldo on paper is one of the most exciting fights in recent memory. Who wouldn’t want to see a potential five-round battle between two of MMA’s most creative and dangerous stand-up artists?
There is still the question of whether or not Aldo feels ready to make the move to 155 pounds. Plenty of talent still remains at featherweight, and he may decide to linger and clean out the division.
As for UFC matchmaker Joe Silva, Pettis just made his job a lot easier.
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