Jose Aldo vs. Anthony Pettis Booked for Featherweight Title Fight on August 3rd
(An off-the-cage superman punch? Huh. I wonder how he came up with that one… / Photo via Esther Lin @ MMAFighting.com)
Following Jose Aldo‘s unanimous decision victory over Frankie Edgar at UFC 156, top lightweight contender Anthony Pettis reportedly sent a text message to UFC president Dana White saying that he’d like to drop to 145 and challenge for Aldo’s belt — and that was all it took to set up the UFC’s next featherweight title fight. White confirmed to USA Today Sports/MMAJunkie that Aldo will indeed make his next title defense against Pettis at an event on August 3rd.
“Aldo is a tremendous fighter,” said the stunt-kicking Roufusport product. “I have all the respect in the world for his skills. I just want to be one of the best in the world, and the only way to do that is to beat the best…I wouldn’t call him out if I didn’t really feel confident I could beat him…It’s a superfight, and I want to be a part of these fights.”
Of course, timing was clearly another consideration in requesting the matchup
Of course, timing was clearly another consideration in requesting the matchup. Though Pettis’s recent destruction of Donald Cerrone at UFC on FOX 6 arguably made him the rightful #1 contender in the lightweight division, Gilbert Melendez already has dibs on the next shot at Benson Henderson’s 155-pound belt. And given how prone the lightweight division is to immediate rematches, Pettis could be waiting a long time for his opportunity. One title fight is just as good as another, right?
“Showtime” has won his last three-fights in the UFC, and will be the second fighter (after Edgar) to drop from lightweight directly into a featherweight title shot — a trend that probably doesn’t sit too well with 145-pound contenders like Ricardo Lamas and Chan Sung Jung. But again, timing is everything in the UFC, and Aldo vs. Pettis is a fan-friendly matchup that can be set up and promoted right now.
Aldo is currently riding a 15-fight win streak, with his last four earned in the Octagon. No other fights have been booked for the yet-unnumbered 8/3 show; we’ll keep you posted. In the meantime, please shoot us your early predictions for Aldo vs. Pettis.