“That’s what I’m here for, take these opportunities and risk it to get the biscuit. I love bread.”
Sergio Pettis is set to enter enemy territory.
Unfortunately for the younger Pettis brother, Sergio’s Bellator bantamweight title reign came to an end in his last fight against Patchy Mix at Bellator 301 in November. Pettis, 30, enjoyed a three-fight stretch as the divisional kingpin, defending his throne successfully twice in big-time matchups against Kyoji Horiguchi and Patricio “Pitbull” Freire. The first of which was an all-time comeback with the type of knockout only a Pettis could pull off.
Tasked with former Bellator and RIZIN bantamweight champion Horiguchi, Pettis was forced to fight from behind in his first tilt as champion. Uncomfortably down on the scorecards entering the championship rounds, Pettis threw a missed head kick that he turned into a spinning back fist to shut the lights off for the all-time Japanese great. The pair will now run things back but this time inside the RIZIN ring at RIZIN 47 next weekend (Sun., June 9, 2024).
“I believe the pace will be higher, it’s gonna be a lot more tense,” Pettis told MMA Mania on BROADENED HORIZIN. “The ring in general is gonna be a little different. I don’t think he’ll be able to move as well as he did in the cage as in the ring. I feel we’re gonna be forced to fight a little more and I’m excited for that. I think that’s where I shine the most. When people try to fight me I’m really able to implement my gameplan and my style.
“The soccer kicks, the stomps, being able to hit him off my back in my guard and him doing the same thing to me. It’s pretty much a street fight inside of a ring in Japan. That sounds pretty awesome to me. That’s what I’m here for, take these opportunities and risk it to get the biscuit. I love bread.”
After Horiguchi parted ways with the UFC in late 2016, he went up from flyweight to have a large amount of success at 135 pounds. However, in late 2022, he returned to 125 pounds and pursued gold there, which he has since won in RIZIN as of last December (watch highlights).
Pettis was also a former flyweight in the UFC, so the option was presented to him about rematching Horiguchi for the title. The notice was just too short for Pettis, leading them to fight again at bantamweight. Ultimately, Pettis is always looking to add the trophies to his mantle so depending on how this fight goes, maybe a trilogy for the title could present itself.
“We’ll see how things go. I’d like to take his belt, that would be awesome,” Pettis said. “Getting the RIZIN belt, that’ll cement my legacy, and the Pettis last name in general will have damn near all the belts. UFC, WEC, Bellator, RIZIN, s—t, maybe PFL. There are some things that are in store these couple years for me.”
Regardless of the results, Pettis aims to be active in the remainder of 2024. It’s better to start late than not at all, and the former champion hopes by the time 2025 comes around, he’ll be back in title fight talks whether for the aforementioned flyweight belt or at bantamweight.
“My goal is three fights,” Pettis said. “Starting a little bit later in the year so getting to fight June 9 for the first time. I’m just planning on hopefully being healthy, taking care of my recovery, and staying active for these next legs, end of the year. Hopefully, I get something in like September then maybe fight again for RIZIN for that New Year’s Eve card, or maybe even getting back a title shot again. There’s always that option as well. I feel I’m like one or two fights from getting back to that belt if necessary.”
Watch the full episode in the video embedded above, or listen to it on Spotify.