It’s an all too familiar feeling for ‘Showtime.’
On an upset-filled night at PFL 5, Stevie Ray over Anthony Pettis wasn’t really a major shock in terms of the betting lines. What was the shock was how it materialized.
Ray submitted the former UFC lightweight champion in the second round with a modified body triangle. You can see Pettis in pain as he tried to scramble out of the body triangle. It almost looks like a twister and while it isn’t quite that, it’s still incredibly painful to look at and surely to experience.
Stevie Ray submitted Anthony Pettis with a modified body lock #2022PFL5 pic.twitter.com/di9AmDLEet
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) June 25, 2022
This is yet another bad experience for Pettis and body triangles. You may recall back in 2017 he tapped to a Dustin Poirier body triangle, and it was revealed afterward that he suffered a fractured rib. When the fight was over, Pettis was holding his ribs so perhaps history has repeated itself. It’s the biggest win of Ray’s career and it clinches a playoff spot.
The good news for Pettis is that his win over Myles Price, which netted him 6 points through his first-round submission, was enough for him to secure both a playoff spot and the #1 overall seed. His semifinal matchup, should he be able to actually compete this August, will be against none other than… Stevie Ray.