Anthony Pettis doesn’t plan on being exclusive to the welterweight division, but he certainly isn’t treating his UFC Nashville main event as a one-off.
Pettis will meet Stephen Thompson on March 23 inside the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. This will headline a UFC on ESPN+ event. “Showtime” competed as a welterweight at least once early in his career, but he hasn’t done so against an elite 170-pounder. That’ll change next month as Thompson is a two-time UFC welterweight title challenger and is the fourth ranked 170-pounder.
Pettis Won’t Write Off 170 Pounds Beyond UFC Nashville
Pettis told MMAJunkie.com that he has his sights set on big fights. If more of those bouts happen to be at welterweight, then “Showtime” is ready to answer the call:
“It’s definitely not a one-off. This is just me trying out that division. I’ve been inactive in my career. This is a point where I want to be active. I don’t want to sit around and wait for the right fight at 155. If a 170 opportunity presents itself, I’ll find out right now if that’s what I want to do.”
“Showtime” has found more success recently than he had been after losing the UFC lightweight title. Since snapping a three-fight skid, Pettis has gone 3-3. While it isn’t quite a resurgence, Pettis has proven that he’s still a threat to high-level competition.
Stick with MMA News for updates on the UFC Nashville card as they become available. Of course when fight night rolls around, we’ll be providing live coverage of the event.
Do you think the move to welterweight will be too much for Anthony Pettis on March 23?
