The great thing about so many fighters being active on social media is that you really can see matchups come together at any and all times.
Recent featherweight winner Anthony Pettis views himself as a top contender at 145 pounds.
So doesn’t Max Holloway.
Pettis decided to pop the question regarding a fight with Holloway later this year in New York City at UFC 205.
Is this a bout that interests you as a fight fan? “Showtime” is a former UFC lightweight champion who submitted Charles Oliveira in his featherweight debut.
Holloway, meanwhile, has won nine consecutive fights since a loss to UFC champion Conor McGregor via decision.
Prior to last night’s (Sat., August 27, 2016) UFC on FOX 21 from the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, former UFC lightweight champion Anthony ‘Showtime’s Pettis’ ornately tattooed back was up against the wall, and in no small manner. In 2015, Pettis was one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the sport – and also one
Prior to last night’s (Sat., August 27, 2016) UFC on FOX 21 from the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, former UFC lightweight champion Anthony ‘Showtime’s Pettis’ ornately tattooed back was up against the wall, and in no small manner.
In 2015, Pettis was one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the sport – and also one of its most marketable figures – following two finishes over Benson Henderson and Gilbert Melendez, who were then thought to be the cream of the talented lightweight crop. But as the fight game has been known to do, Pettis was somewhat exposed in his next three bouts, all three losses to Rafael dos Anjos, Eddie Alvarez, and Edson Barboza.
Dos Anjos and, to a lesser extent, Alvarez, found that implementing a pressure-heavy wrestling game left ‘Showtime’ no space to unleash his fancy finishing moves, and he was then, his confidence potentially reeling, simply outstruck by quite possibly the best pure kickboxer at 155 pounds in Edson Barboza. The surprising downswing lead Pettis to reinvent himself in two ways; the first being switching his camp up a bit by attending Albuquerque’s Jackson-Wink Academy part-time, the second a decision to cut down to 145 pounds, a weight class Pettis has long been rumored to compete in.
He was scheduled to meet current interim featherweight champion Jose Aldo in the main event of August 2013’s UFC 163, but a knee injury, which some deemed auspicious given that ‘Showtime’ fought and submitted Henderson exactly four weeks later at UFC 164, saw the dream match called off. But that was when he was in prime bargaining position as one of MMA’s most coveted future stars; his move down to featherweight last night was now out of necessity.
And he was given no easy welcome mat to the featherweight arena; no, he was immediately matched against ultra-tricky Brazilian jiu-jitsu whiz Charles Oliveira, a competitor who had submitted four out of his previous six opponents. “Showtime” found a home for his vicious kicks early as many expected (highlights here), bludgeoning “Do Bronx” with his trademark body work to drop the Brazilian early on and dangerously follow with punches on the ground. While he was no doubt playing with fire, Pettis later said he punched Oliveira unconscious and the strikes that followed woke him up.
But it was how Pettis responded to that adversity that proves he may be a contender at 145 pounds. “Do Bronx” came back in a big way in the second round, hitting Pettis with varied Muay Thai strikes and taking his back on several occasions. Pettis showed jaw-dropping poise when put in bad positions in his opponent’s glaring strong point, surviving dire positions from a fighter who is one of the more lethal submission threats in the sport.
Turning the tables on more than one occasion, Pettis scored a crucial statement win with a third round guillotine, ironically the move that Oliveira had secured his last two wins with. “Showtime” had finally won a dogfight, and he dug deep to persevere despite admitting he was tired from throwing heavy punches in the first. The performance was indicative of a champion’s heart, something that was clearly lacking in his recent downswing at lightweight, and he did it versus the No. 6-ranked competitor.
“Showtime” is back in the mix in a new division, and indeed there are some huge fights available. That’s not to say he’ll be unstoppable, because he won’t – Oliveira took him down much easier as he got tired in the late second and third rounds, but truly blockbuster bouts with fighters like Conor McGregor, Aldo, and Max Holloway would be just what Pettis needs to start “Showtime” back up again.
Of course Pettis will have to continue to shore up the deficiencies in his game, namely wrestling an dealing with pressure, yet there could be man better for helping him do that than Greg Jackson. But the fact that he submitted a top contender known for well, submitting everyone else, bodes well for his future at 145 overall.
He’ll probably always have a problem with the most accomplished wrestlers, but luckily for him, the top three of his new home (excluding a match-up against Frankie Edgar) is populated with big names who are predominantly strikers. Pettis could find himself in a fight with Cub Swanson before he is granted a bout against one of the top three, especially while the muddy featherweight title scene is sorted out.
No matter what fight Pettis gets next, however, the future is bright for him at 145 pounds. Who do you think he should fight next?
Holloway, who many view as the top contender in the UFC’s featherweight division on the heels of nine consecutive wins, feels “The Answer” is just that to his quest.
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Jeremy Stephens is asking for Frankie Edgar.
And now so is Max Holloway.
Holloway, who many view as the top contender in the UFC’s featherweight division on the heels of nine consecutive wins, feels “The Answer” is just that to his quest.
Max Holloway has worked his way into the talk for a shot at the UFC featherweight champion.
And he isn’t about to let UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz jump him.
Holloway responded to Cruz on Twitter recently, telling “The Dominator” to get…
Max Holloway has worked his way into the talk for a shot at the UFC featherweight champion.
And he isn’t about to let UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz jump him.
Holloway responded to Cruz on Twitter recently, telling “The Dominator” to get in line – or go through him – if he wants to challenge either Conor McGregor or interim champion Jose Aldo.
The 24-year-old Holloway (16-3) has scored nine consecutive wins since a decision loss to McGregor back in 2013. That includes victories over Ricardo Lamas, Jeremy Stephens and Cub Swanson.
The UFC featherweight division was altered once again at UFC 200. After being knocked out cold by Conor McGregor at UFC 194, Jose Aldo returned to action on July 9 to rematch his old rival Frankie Edgar. Although many felt ‘The Answer’ should have been getting a shot at the undisputed belt, McGregor’s exploits at
The UFC featherweight division was altered once again at UFC 200. After being knocked out cold by Conor McGregor at UFC 194, Jose Aldo returned to action on July 9 to rematch his old rival Frankie Edgar. Although many felt ‘The Answer’ should have been getting a shot at the undisputed belt, McGregor’s exploits at welterweight meant the fight with ‘Scarface’ was the best option. The interim belt was introduced for the second time in three fights for the division, and once again the Brazilian felt gold around his waist after five rounds.
This opened the door to a rematch with ‘The Notorious,’ although no solid time has been placed on that do-over, but could there be another potentially pivotal bout brewing in the meantime? UFC bantamweight boss Dominick Cruz spoke up yesterday with a rather interesting challenge. Claiming he wanted to fight Jose Aldo and Conor McGregor, ‘The Dominator’ made clear his intentions to greatly further his status in the promotion.
After numerous injuries and surgeries saw Cruz vacate the bantamweight belt and fight just once in the space of nearly five years, he made a fairy tale comeback against TJ Dillashaw this past January. Winning back the title and defending it against Urijah Faber at UFC 199, ‘The Dominator’ said he’s now eyeing fights with McGregor or Aldo. His comments have struck a nerve with streaking featherweight Max Holloway though, as he voiced his displeasure on Twitter:
Currently on a nine fight winning streak which includes victories over Cub Swanson, Jeremy Stephens and Ricardo Lamas, ‘Blessed’ may have a point here. What’s important to consider in this argument though is the attraction of a super fight. Those extremely rare bouts where champions take on fellow champions, something that the promotion places very high in their monetary prioritisation.
Although Max Holloway is clearly quite deserving of a title fight, it’s also apparent that Aldo probably wants McGregor or bust. Now factor in that Dominick Cruz could potentially jump the queue, could we see another streaking featherweight contender snubbed by champions changing divisions?
Conor McGregor is slated to rematch Nate Diaz, who submitted him last March, in the main event of August’s UFC 202 in a welterweight bout, once again putting the featherweight division on hold by opting not to defend his title. There has been speculation that McGregor may never return to 145-pounds, and his long-time head
Conor McGregor is slated to rematch Nate Diaz, who submitted him last March, in the main event of August’s UFC 202 in a welterweight bout, once again putting the featherweight division on hold by opting not to defend his title.
There has been speculation that McGregor may never return to 145-pounds, and his long-time head coach John Kavanagh isn’t sure either, although he would like to see McGregor defend the strap against former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar:
“The short answer is I don’t know,” Kavanagh told Jonathan Shrager of the MMAUnderground when asked about McGregor’s return to 145. “I’m very intrigued to see the Aldo and Edgar fight.”
Edgar will face off with Aldo for the second time at UFC 200 next month with the interim featherweight strap hanging in the balance. Aldo is coming off of a brutal 13 second knockout loss to McGregor last December, and Kavanagh hopes he took the time to recover properly:
“I hope Aldo is fully recovered from the bad knockout. I thought (Chad) Mendes went back in there really quick after the knockout against Conor,” Kavanagh said. “People don’t realize the damage it does — it takes a long time to recover, and I think Mendes went down quicker in that fight because of that. Maybe if he’d let himself rest a bit more he might have had more fight for Edgar. I hope that’s not the case for Aldo, (I hope) we get to see a solid version of Aldo and a new kind of improved Edgar, and see what different from the first fight. So yea, let’s see that, and assess after the rematch. It’s kind of those two names and (Max) Holloway kind of in the mix, so it’s an interesting time.”
Holloway is indeed another name in the title discussion, as he’s won a division best nine straight since dropping a decision loss to the “Notorious” one in 2013. Kavanagh thinks quite highly of “Blessed”, and a rematch between him and McGregor is another possibility for the future if the Irishman indeed drops back down to featherweight:
“I thought Holloway looked fantastic the other night [at UFC 199]. I’ve said it ever since Conor fought Max, I had him as the second best 145er in the division,” Kavanagh said. “I think he’s the best of them all. That’s just my own personal opinion. And he looked very, very good against Lamas — I was actually surprised he didn’t stop him, but Lamas is a tough guy, so, it went the distance. Holloway really stood out in that fight for me.”
After his rematch with Diaz, what do you see the lying ahead for McGregor?
