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UFC on FOX 6’s Anthony Pettis: “It Sucks Where I Ended Up”

Anthony Pettis was once guaranteed a title shot, now he’s coming off a one-year layoff and there’s no chance at UFC gold in the foreseeable future. He’s not too thrilled about that. “I mean it sucks where I ended up after the loss [to Clay Gu…

Anthony Pettis was once guaranteed a title shot, now he’s coming off a one-year layoff and there’s no chance at UFC gold in the foreseeable future.

He’s not too thrilled about that.

“I mean it sucks where I ended up after the loss [to Clay Guida],” Pettis told the media at a conference call at which Bleacher Report was present. Pettis was referring to a lopsided decision loss to Clay Guida at The Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale in 2011.

Pettis had just come in from the WEC, where he was the lightweight champion. He was offered an immediate title shot against the winner of Frankie Edgar-Gray Maynard II, but the fight was a draw.

Unwilling to rot on the sidelines until after Edgar-Maynard III, Pettis took a fight against Clay Guida. He lost, and his career has yet to fully recover.

“I didn’t get the title shot. Here I am two years [later] still working my way up. But I think everything happens for a reason. Guida exposed a hole in my game. He made me work harder, made me a better fighter,” said Pettis.

However, losing to Guida was only minor setback. A shoulder injury that Pettis suffered in 2012 was the real culprit that stunted his the growth of his career, keeping him out of action for almost an entire year.

That’s in the past now.

“I feel ready. I had to get a surgery done. I took the proper long time off, and I’m feeling good,” Pettis said.

Not all people in MMA responded kindly to Pettis‘ injury and long absence from the sport. His UFC on FOX 6 opponent Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone was one of these people. Cerrone called out Pettis‘ “b*tch ass” and made other taunts towards Pettis.

The Wisconsin native was undeterred by Cerrone‘s provocations, and fervently denied that he was ducking Cerrone or anyone else.

“For him to be calling me out while I’m injured, it sucks,” he said. “I couldn’t really take fights. I had a surgery, took a while to recover. I want to fight. I come here to fight. I took a fight when I didn’t have to against Guida. I’m not a guy that runs—ever. I’m not afraid of anybody in the division. I’m gonna fight everybody in the division.”

Believe Pettis when he says that he’ll fight everyone in the division; he believes that he’s still the best there is at 155 pounds, despite the numerous changes that have happened at lightweight since he last fought in February 2012.

“The division has advanced so much…You got guys advancing, guys losing. I do feel like I am one of the best in the lightweight division. Come January 26, that question will be answered, if I’m at the top of the division,” he said.

Pettis will have a chance to prove this on national television, on the UFC’s sixth outing on Fox against Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone.

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Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson: ‘The UFC Doesn’t Know How to Treat Their Athletes’

The last time Quinton “Rampage” Jackson fought in the UFC he came in overweight and delivered a lackluster performance, dropping a unanimous decision to Ryan Bader in the co-main event of UFC 144. Shortly after the fight Jackson took to twitter to announce that his next fight for the UFC would be the last on his contract and that after that fight he would move on from the organization.

That fight, will take place on January 26 on the UFC on Fox 6 card and if you think Jackson has softened his stance over the past ten months you would be dead wrong.

If anything Jackson’s resolve to move on has seemingly grown stronger as he has added a new addition to the list of grievances he has with his employer, “I’m sponsored by Reebok now and the UFC says I’m not allowed to wear Reebok in the cage. When I see other fighters sponsored by Nike and stuff, why can’t I wear Reebok, just stupid stuff like that.”

Jackson made it clear that money was not the root of his problems with the UFC, “It’s not just about money; it’s about respect. When I step into the Octagon I put my life on the line and I try and be an exciting fighter, I just don’t feel appreciated. I’d rather take a money cut and go to another show and feel appreciated. It has nothing to do with money.”

For those hoping that Jackson and UFC president Dana White can resolve their issues and play nice, Jackson doesn’t seem all that interested in continuing the relationship, “They offered to renegotiate, but I didn’t like it, I didn’t want it. I think the UFC doesn’t know how to treat their athletes. I feel like we’re just not taking care of well enough. I feel like they’re getting rich off all of us. Some of these guys can’t even afford to pay sparing partners. Some guys fight for $10,000 or $20,000, that ain’t right. I want to go somewhere where they take care of their fighters and treat us like human beings.”

It should be noted that Jackson’s last fight, the one where he came in overweight and put on a less than memorable performance earned him $200,00 and that was after $50,000 came off the top for missing weight.

While Jackson spent most of Tuesday’s media call speaking about his upcoming free agency, he did have a few choice words for the man he is set to face on January 26, Glover Teixeira and if the words seemed familiar it is because we have heard Jackson offer similar takes on his previous opponents, “He’s a guy that says he wants to try and knock me out and stand with me while he’s concentrating on mostly taking me down and fighting me on the ground, just like the other guys I fought.”

Jackson has never been a fan of ground fighting, even though he does come from a wrestling background and he feels he is onto Teixeira’s plan for the Fox card, “They try and get me to focus somewhere else so they can concentrate on a false game plan and have me training on other areas, but I’m smarter than that now. I’ve pretty much found out through snitches on the internet that he’s basically just going to try and wrestle me. I kind of lost respect for him, I used to respect him a lot as a fighter, but I’m looking forward to a good fight.”

As for what January 27 and beyond hold for Jackson, he’s trying to stay positive and move forward, “No matter what the outcome on January 26 I am going to be happy, because I’ve trained very hard, I’ve trained to destroy Glover and I plan on leaving the UFC on a positive note and go on with my life and let the UFC be my past.”

**all quotes obtained first hand by BR MMA

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John Dodson Wants Fight of the Night Bonus at UFC on Fox 6

John Dodson is set to challenge UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson at UFC on Fox 6, scheduled for Jan. 26. But he wants to leave Chicago with more than the belt.He wants a little extra spending money too.”I want to get that Fight of the Night bo…

John Dodson is set to challenge UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson at UFC on Fox 6, scheduled for Jan. 26. But he wants to leave Chicago with more than the belt.

He wants a little extra spending money too.

“I want to get that Fight of the Night bonus for sure, and whatever else I can get on the back end,” Dodson said during a UFC on Fox media conference call held Tuesday and covered by Bleacher Report MMA.

Despite Dodson’s desire to put on the evening’s best fight, taking home the bonus may be a tall order. The odds-on favorites to garner the honor are lightweights Anthony Pettis and Dodson teammate Donald Cerrone. Crowd-pleasing knockout artists Quinton Jackson and Glover Teixeira also face off on the card.

But if any flyweight can break though, it’s Dodson. Dodson (14-5, 3-0 UFC) dropped to flyweight after winning the bantamweight competition during the 14th season of The Ultimate Fighter. In his last bout, Dodson, 28, earned a TKO over highly regarded submission artist Jussier Formiga at UFC on FX 5 to earn the title shot with Johnson.

Dodson has great striking power for a flyweight and is known for his elite athleticism. In his only previous career title fight, Dodson lost a bid for the Ultimate Warrior Challenge flyweight belt.

UFC on Fox 6 marks the first time flyweights will headline a major UFC card. Given this, and the fact that fans have not historically preferred lighter-weight fighters over their heavier, knockout-happy colleagues, it would be reasonable to expect Dodson and Johnson to feel extra motivation to perform. Dodson, at least, appeared to embrace that position.

“It’s only my third fight in the UFC,” Dodson said on the conference call. “I’ve only been in there for a year. It’s a great feeling and I want to put on a good show. I’m fighting for flyweights across the world right now.”

Scott Harris is a featured columnist at Bleacher Report. All quotes obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

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Demetrious Johnson Keeping It Simple in Advance of 1st Title Defense

Spotlight? What spotlight? If Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson is feeling the glare, he sure isn’t letting it show. Johnson (16-2-1, 2-1-1 UFC), the UFC’s first and reigning flyweight champion, appears to be staying quite cool ahead of his f…

Spotlight? What spotlight? If Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson is feeling the glare, he sure isn’t letting it show.

Johnson (16-2-1, 2-1-1 UFC), the UFC’s first and reigning flyweight champion, appears to be staying quite cool ahead of his first career title defense. Johnson and challenger John Dodson will fight for the strap Jan. 26 in the main event at UFC on Fox 6.

“No, not at all,” Johnson said when asked about pressure during a UFC on Fox media conference call held Tuesday and covered by Bleacher Report MMA. “I think every fight’s the same.”

Johnson’s calm is noteworthy amid the runup to what is unquestionably a high-profile and high-stakes event. In addition to being Johnson’s first defense, it is the first time flyweights will headline a major UFC card.

Historically, MMA’s lightest weight classes have struggled to earn appreciation and attention from fans, who gravitate toward the heavy artillery at the top of the divisional food chain. What’s more, UFC on Fox 6 has a tough act to follow, as it comes on the heels of a Fox event that delivered the goods both in action and ratings.

Does Johnson worry about expectations, or that his weight class sometimes gets lost in the shuffle?

“I think the UFC has done a great job promoting the lighter weight divisions and giving us this stage on Fox,” Johnson said during the media conference call. “It doesn’t matter. I’m getting in there to fight.”

Fighting and training seem to be the only things on Johnson’s mind these days. Trappings and reflection can wait for another day and time.

“I’m just focused on staying healthy and getting better,” Johnson said. “Five, six years down the road, I still plan on being dominant. I hope everyone looks at me as one of the best fighters.”

Scott Harris is a featured columnist at Bleacher Report. All quotes obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

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Donald Cerrone vs. Anthony Pettis: Why This Is the Fight to See in Early 2013

Last week, I got all hot and bothered over the UFC’s upcoming slate of events in early 2013. I’m sorry about that; I still get excited from time to time, and these stacked events make the old mixed martial arts fan in me wish, if only for a brief time,…

If I had to take all of the excellent fights from all of those pitch-perfect cards and pick just one favorite, I’d probably stress out and begin losing even more hair than I already have.

The very idea is preposterous. There are at least 15 fights that I’m looking forward to over the next four months, and you’re telling me I can only take one of them to my desert island for repeated viewing?

That just doesn’t seem fair.

And yet, I think it can be done. Because if I have one desert-island fight for early 2013, it’s Donald Cerrone vs. Anthony Pettis—a fight with a heavy dose of lightweight title implications, lots of bad blood and two guys who have been itching to face off for a long time.

Before we get started, here are the particulars:

What: Donald Cerrone (19-4) vs. Anthony Pettis (15-2)

When: Jan. 26, 2013

Where: Chicago

How to watch: Fox

Why is this fight so important? Because the winner will likely be in line for a title shot after Benson Henderson and Gilbert Melendez finish their business in a few months.

Dana White has already gone on record as saying that Melendez is getting the shot, and depending on how the Eddie Alvarez/Bellator contract-matching snafu ultimately plays out, Alvarez could also be “in the mix” for a championship shot.

In fact, Zuffa’s contract offer to Alvarez—the one that Bellator said they matched while Alvarez claimed they didn’t, leading both parties to file acrimonious lawsuits against each other—included a shot at Henderson’s title in March.

If it feels to you like the winner of Cerrone vs. Pettis will have to wait awhile before getting his promised title shot, well, you’re probably right. But they’re in the mix, which means something as long as it means nothing; just ask Pettis about guaranteed title shots and how quickly they can become not guaranteed.

Cerrone vs. Pettis is still a fight of some importance, but mostly it’s a fight where the old “styles make fights” adage has never been more true, because the styles here are going to make this an awesome fight. I don’t know if you’re the wagering type, or if you like prop bets, but I’m telling you right now that the smart play on this Fox card is betting on Cerrone vs. Pettis to end up as fight of the night.

Yes, you can bet on that kind of thing. More on that some other time.

Neither of these guys have boring fights; the last terrible Pettis fight I can remember was the one where Clay Guida held him down for nearly the entire fight, and still Pettis managed to make that one at least a little bit entertaining.

And I think you’d forgive me if I wait with bated breath for Pettis to do something as mind-blowing as the jumping-off-the-cage kick to the face—forever dubbed the “The Showtime Kick” on countless ESPN year-end specials—he executed on Benson Henderson to capture the WEC lightweight belt in that promotion’s swan song.

Cerrone also delivers the goods each time he steps in the cage; since making his debut at UFC 126, Cerrone has won six “of the night” bonus awards, including three fight of the night bonuses. In fact, Cerrone has won some type of bonus award in five of his seven UFC fights.

That’s impressive stuff.

You can see why I’m so excited for this fight. If you still don’t feel the fire in your belly, I recommend going back and watching tape of Cerrone and Pettis in, oh, each of their last five or six fights. You’ll see what I see, which is two fighters, both in the primes of their careers and with much upward trajectory still to come, facing off on free television.

What’s not to love?

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UFC: Early Odds and Predictions for January’s Biggest Fights

The UFC brings two free cards to the table in January. Things kick off on Jan. 19 with UFC on FX 7: Belfort vs. Bisping, and return one week later on FOX with the UFC’s sixth network television event.Michael Bisping takes on Vitor Belfort in a crucial …

Michael Bisping takes on Vitor Belfort in a crucial middleweight fight. Should Bisping win, he will be the next challenger to Anderson Silva‘s middleweight crown.

One week later, the UFC flyweight championship will be on the line on FOX. Champion Demetrious Johnson defends the title against John Dodson.

The two main events are not the only interesting fights lined up, but they are most certainly where the focus is. UFC matchmakers Joe Silva and Sean Shelby have put together two strong cards to open the year, and the UFC is giving them away on free television.

Here is an early look at the odds and predictions for the five biggest fights of the month.

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