Another fan-friendly Justin Gaethje thriller is reportedly in the works, with several sources informing Brett Okamoto of ESPN that the UFC is looking to book Justin Gaethje vs. Anthony Pettis for 2019. There is no date disclosed in the report. MMA News’s very own Damon Martin has confirmed that the bout is indeed on the table for the two lightweights.
Justin Gaethje’s Octagon affairs have never left the UFC audience disappointed, becoming the performance bonus king upon his arrival in the promotion. A bout with Anthony Pettis, who recently just took home Fight of the Night honors himself in a war with Tony Ferguson, could add another Fight of the Night accolade to Gaethje’s resume. Most recently, Justin Gaethje took a hitatus from hogging the Fight of the Night award and decided instead to make it a one-man Highlight reel with his first-round destruction of James Vick at UFC Fight Night 135.
Justin Gaethje is 2-2 in his four UFC outings, and if finalized, a bout with Anthony Pettis will provide him an opportunity to break the deadlock at the expense of a former world champion. Coincidentally, Anthony Pettis is also 2-2 in his last four: losses to Dustin Poirier and Tony Ferguson, and his most recent victories coming at the hands of Michael Chiesa and Jim Miller. Pettis is no stranger to Fight of the Night honors himself, with two of his last three bouts (Ferguson and Poirier) earning the honor as well. The odds of Pettis making it a third FOTN bonus against Justin Gaethje seems far from unlikely to the knowledgeable spectator.
What are your thoughts? Is Justin Gaethje vs. Anthony “Showtime” Pettis the right fight to make?
