Iconic Fights: Anthony Pettis
Tudor LeonteJun 20, 2022
Anthony Pettis is of the finest examples of a fighter who likes to put the “art” into mixed martial arts. Over the years, the former Ultimate Fighting Championship and World Extreme Cagefighting lightweight titleholder has built a reputation for himself as an innovator of the game, thanks to many entertaining performances. In advance of Pettis’ (25–12, 1-2 PFL) upcoming clash with Steven Ray at PFL 5, let us revisit five of the fights that earned the Wisconsin-born fighter the nickname “Showtime.”
There was magic in the air for the WEC 53 headliner, a lightweight championship affair between defending titleholder Henderson and Pettis. People attending the final WEC card at the Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, Arizona, on Dec. 16, 2010, were not disappointed. For five rounds, the two contestants performed nonstop action, including flashy strikes and submission attempts. The highlight-reel moment of the fight was a never-seen-before kick that Pettis landed after launching himself off the cage with his right leg, a highly technical and innovative strike that knocked down his foe. The “Showtime kick” is still one of the most appreciated moments in mixed martial arts history. Ultimately, Pettis took home a unanimous decision victory with 48-47, 48-47 and 49-46 nods from the judges. Pettis and Henderson collided again with the UFC title on the line at UFC 164 in Aug. 2013, when Pettis quickly submitted his longtime rival via first-round armbar.
In 2013, Pettis and Cerrone were the most highly touted up-and-coming fighters in the UFC lightweight division, considering their results and exciting fighting style. The pair locked horns at UFC on Fox 6 on Jan. 26. The fight lasted a little more than half a round, but it was enough to be remembered as one of Pettis’ most dominant performances. “Showtime” scored with combinations right out of the gate, while Cerrone retaliated with knees to the body. After a wild cartwheel kick attempt, Pettis stung his foe with a straight left before attacking with a kick to the body. Cerrone backed away against the fence and Pettis made the most out of the favorable situation to partially land a “Showtime knee.” Pettis then threw a left round kick which landed on the liver of Cerrone, who immediately collapsed on the canvas. The official time indicated the 2:35 mark of Round 1 as referee Robert Madrigal stopped the action. The speedy finish was rewarded with a “Knockout of the Night” bonus. Pettis would defeat Cerrone once more, when they rematched at UFC 249 in May 2020.
One of Pettis’ most entertaining fights coincides with one of his most stinging defeats. After his unfortunate foray at featherweight, “Showtime” returned to the 155-pound division to face Poirier in the UFC Fight Night 120 headliner. Under the watchful eye of referee Keith Peterson, Pettis and Poirier put on a hard-fought contest that won “Fight of the Night” honors. “The Diamond” dictated the fight's pace as he kept Pettis with his back on the mat, hitting his adversary with sharp elbows that opened several cuts on Pettis’ forehead and nose. In turn, Pettis showcased a stoic resistance to the shots, fighting through a river of blood to deliver a submission that never came. When the occasion arose, Pettis retaliated with some nasty elbow shots of his own. The end of the clash wasn’t as thrilling as the rest of the fight. Poirier secured a body triangle from the back while attempting a rear-naked choke but ultimately ended in full mount. Somewhere in the process of spinning, Pettis injured a rib and was forced to tap due to the pain at the 2:08 mark of Round 3.
The UFC 229 co-main event mixed Pettis’ creativity and Ferguson’s unpredictability in an epic battle for the ages and a “Fight of the Night” bonus winner. After taking some nasty kicks, “El Cucuy” forced Pettis to fight off of his back foot with his combinations. Ferguson only found his range in the second half of the round, roughing up Pettis with clean boxing. Before the end of the first stanza, Ferguson even gave Pettis a taste of his own medicine as he went for a “Showtime punch.” In Round 2, Ferguson rushed forward but was met by Pettis’ educated punches, which knocked down Ferguson twice. In turns, Ferguson fired back sharp punches from his back that opened deep cuts on Pettis’ hairline and eyes, transforming both contenders’ faces into bloody masks. During one of the frantic exchanges that followed, Pettis injured his hand. The fighter informed his corner about his condition at the end of Round 2, and Pettis’ corner opted to throw in the towel.
Ahead of his match with Bellator MMA alum Price, Pettis was looking for his first victory under the PFL banner. The two fighters met at PFL 3, where Pettis put on a vintage “Showtime” performance by quickly submitting his opponent. Pettis quickly hurt Price with some punches before his adversary shot for an improbable single-leg takedown. After preventing the takedown attempt, Pettis softened up Price with more punches on the mat. At the right moment, Pettis also displayed all his grappling finesse by taking advance of a wild scramble to make his opponent fall into a tight triangle choke maneuver. Price looked for a way out of the sticky situation, but Pettis rolled to mount. Once Pettis was in high mount and applied heavy pressure, the tap came within seconds. Referee Gary Copeland stopped the contest at the 4:17 mark of Round 1. The masterful submission earned Pettis six points and his first victory since December 2020.