Anthony Pettis is 9-8 in the UFC

[Jpenwell14]

He also hasn't won more than one fight in a row since he went on his five fight title run. He's 1-1 at both FW and WW. I am not making this thread to shit on Pettis because he is clearly a good fighter and quite an entertaining one too. But I am wondering what he has left in this sport as an athlete. He doesn't seem to be anywhere near a title shot in any of the three weight classes he's fought in and he's not getting any younger(turns 33 in January).

Where should he go from here both short term in the sense of his next fight and long term in the sense of realistic goals for the future? Looks like he has a tough time finding an easy fight, dude is always fighting the best but he's stuck winning one then losing one. I wouldn't say he should hang his gloves up just yet but maybe he should stick to looking for money fights for now. Guida is coming off a loss, maybe he'd like to get that one back.

He's getting up there near Jeremy Stephens level of gate keeper status

 

[Islam Imamate]

He's always been horribly overrated and deluded. He likes to make excuses for his every loss by saying to himself "he wasn't really there" when the truth is obvious: he has a wrestling deficit which renders him vulnerable to pressure fighters. Rather than to make that his #1 priority he weaves a narrative about how he needs to "get it back", as if there was some undefeated Pettis that once was and never did lose lurking beneath the flawed fighter that keeps showing up.

Him beating Bendo and Giblert made me think he had shored up that weakness but obviously I was wrong.

 

[Only Here for Attachments]

Bellator.

He can join his bro! Pitbulls vs. Pettis', make it happen @ScottCoker!

 

[qw3rty]

He has the hardest schedule of anyone in the UFC I think for their careers. He’s faced nothing but absolute killers in all of his fights.

He’s reached the pinnacle of the sport, he won’t get there again, but he has interesting fights.

I’ll always want to watch Pettis vs Conor, and Pettis vs any striker honestly.

WW Pettis vs BW Aldo.

 

[Hardkore]

He's about to be 10-8 tho if they are serious about him fighting diego sanchez

Diego got cut

 

[Hardkore]

He's always been horribly overrated and deluded. He likes to make excuses for his every loss by saying to himself "he wasn't really there" when the truth is obvious: he has a wrestling deficit which renders him vulnerable to pressure fighters. Rather than to make that his #1 priority he weaves a narrative about how he needs to "get it back", as if there was some undefeated Pettis that once was and never did lose lurking beneath the flawed fighter that keeps showing up.

He's improved his wrestling, but it's still a glaring weakness. Not to mention he doesnt like to be pressured against the cage with wrestler/boxers, and his cardio is McGregoresque

 

[Cpt Migraine]

That's what happens when you only face killers.. he's also a killer.. beatable, absolutely.. but i'm pretty sure wonderboy didn't expect to wake up on the canvas.. don't think oliviera expected to tap either..

It is what it is.. he'll beat some top guys and lose to some..

 

[RogerD]

I watched Pettis did alot things right early in his career and became a established marquee fighter for the UFC.

1. Became champ in WEC, Showtime Kick.

2. Became a Company Man for UFC, takes on fights even if its risky. When UFC bought out WEC, IIRC the UFC Champ was injured, so he opted to fight Clay Guida and got smothered to decision and had to work his way up to UFC titleshot while showcasing his fancy kicks.

3. Gets rewarded with titleshot against the guy he won WEC Belt off; Ben Henderson.. proceeds to become UFC Champ.

He's always fought top competition in the UFC and is basically 50-50. This makes fights exciting for the fans, we dont know who will win. Its not a foregone conclusion like a Jon Jones fight. Did anybody expect Pettis to KO Till? He is a solid marquee fighter.

Hell, UFC utilized him to pump up Nate Diaz's comeback & it led to the BMF shengians.

Pettis has alot to offer the UFC. Im sure they pay him well.

 

[Huligani]

It's a tough business and sport. The only people who do better against that level of competition are GOAT contenders.

 

[Erocthadon]

Fuck Wheaties, and their box, for cursing him

 

[Max_P]

he is also approaching 98 year age in Fight Years...

 

[FlyingDeathKick]

I believed it at the time too. Him tapping Bendo and Gil is what cemented it to me. He's the first guy to tap Giblert and at the time and Bendo isn't exactly easy to submit either. In fact Bendo had just gotten his black belt in BJJ going into the Pettis fight.

Obviously way off in hindsight.

I don't think its that, he looks fine when he's on its just that his style is beatable if you have the right skills and he runs into guys with those skills every other fight.

Yeah Pettis is very beatable, I don't think it's just bad style matchups though. I don't think he's been the same mentally since the RDA fight.

 

[legkicktko]

He's faced a murderers' row to be fair. His mindset is not the same one that won him the belt.

I think that Duke has a lot to answer for, his guys have been getting badly exposed recently.

Luke Thomas said fighting top guys wore on the mind of Pettis. I think he’s right.

 

[Vendettax]

Guy's been unlucky. One of his hands seems to break every fight

 

[snugglecakes]

Roufusport Is a boarderline mcdojo doesn’t do him any favors

 

[Pancake Sprawl]

He IS looking for money fights. That's why he's 9-8. Pettis is the reason Pettis isn't getting easy matchups. He refuses to face guys outside the top 10. Weidman is the same way.

this. people are like "he's faced a murderer's row!" but in reality he was getting gifted those fights. how many people go 9-8 and still are able to get ranked opponents?

 

[Islam Imamate]

Roufusport Is a boarderline mcdojo doesn’t do him any favors

What makes you say that?

 

[Natural Order]

He has the hardest schedule of anyone in the UFC I think for their careers. He’s faced nothing but absolute killers in all of his fights.

He’s reached the pinnacle of the sport, he won’t get there again, but he has interesting fights.

I’ll always want to watch Pettis vs Conor, and Pettis vs any striker honestly.

Roy Nelson gives him a run.....but Pettis has only fought high ranked fighters and certainly has one of the deepest resumes in the sport.

 

[Islam Imamate]

this. people are like "he's faced a murderer's row!" but in reality he was getting gifted those fights. how many people go 9-8 and still are able to get ranked opponents?

He's like Diaz, because he's exciting he gets gifted these crazy opportunities. Its a win-win for the UFC; if he wins they can get back to promoting him as a top fighter and if he loses he most likely put up a good fight and made the other guy look good.

 

[Natural Order]

this. people are like "he's faced a murderer's row!" but in reality he was getting gifted those fights. how many people go 9-8 and still are able to get ranked opponents?

Because the fights aren't made off the fact that he's 9-8. If he's going 1 and 1, he's still going to sit close to his original ranking and still be given guys in the vicinity.