Shocking? Anthony Pettis leaves UFC after 12 years!

Overtime Heroics Editorial

1012 days ago

Today, Anthony Pettis announced he is testing free agency for the first time in his 12 years with the UFC! Most recently fighting just this last Saturday at UFC Vegas 17, ”Showtime” hung tough and got the decision over the fierce prospect, Alex Morono. After the fight, the former UFC lightweight champion revealed that his contract was now up with the company. However, he did not reveal much as to what his next move might be. That is until he released this statement today.

After 12 years I’ve decided to part ways with the UFC to explore free agency.

— Anthony Pettis (@Showtimepettis) December 23, 2020

Thank you @ufc @danawhite 🙏👊🤝 pic.twitter.com/pJtBo2Hpxc

— Anthony Pettis (@Showtimepettis) December 23, 2020

So What’s Next For Anthony Pettis?

Many might be wondering what’s next for “Showtime” now, but I believe this could be a pretty fast free-agency for the former champ. His younger brother Sergio Pettis signed with Bellator in October of 2019, funny enough it was after a unanimous decision win over an up and comer as well (Tyson Nam). Anyway, in my humble opinion; this seems pretty cut and dry. Why wouldn’t Scott Coker jump at the chance to get a big name like Anthony Pettis on the roster?

Let me guess what you’re wondering. I imagine it could be: “but, what if he (Scott Coker) doesn’t?” That could be a possibility. The numbers might not line up, the way they seemingly didn’t line up for Pettis and the UFC this time around.

What could be the other options? Well, in order of likelihood; PFL, ONE Championships, or Bare Knuckle FC. The last one is quite a stretch though, I will admit. Why would Pettis want to go from the world’s premier MMA organization into a fledgling sport such as BKFC? Well, simply put: it’s all about the dollars. Now, I’m not trying to insinuate that Anthony Pettis is money hungry, or anything like that, but BKFC has been known to make plays on the bigger names in the free agency market.

We all know they offered Mike Tyson an estimated 10 million dollars to sign with them. They actually succeeded in signing Paige Vanzant, and so who’s to say they couldn’t possibly persuade Pettis?

All in all, If I were forced to bet, I’d say Bellator signs the former champ. One possibility I haven’t mentioned so far is a potential re-sign with the UFC. Athletes test the free-agent market all the time, as a way to test their value. Maybe this is the tactic Anthony Pettis has decided to use, to see if he’s potentially getting low-balled by Dana and the UFC. No matter what though, 2021 is already shaping up to be an exciting year! Stay tuned fight fans.

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