Anthony Pettis had multiple reasons for joining the PFL upon the completion of his UFC contract.

Pettis (24-10), a former UFC and WEC lightweight champion, fought out the final bout on his contract at UFC Fight Night 183 in December, earning a unanimous decision win over Alex Morono.

Not long after the fight, Pettis announced he was not going to re-sign with UFC, and would instead test free agency. Just hours after that, it was revealed he had put pen to paper on a new deal with PFL.

Pettis’ primary motivations for joining the organization was two-fold, he said. He didn’t want to go to Bellator because he would be putting his younger brother Sergio Pettis back in his shadow, and he’s highly intriguing by the season-based format of PFL, and how he can end the year with a lightweight belt from a third fight promotion.

“There’s a couple reasons behind the PFL deal,” Pettis told MMA Junkie. “My little brother at Bellator, seeing him go over there, I like that he has his own home. I feel like he kind of had an identity by me (in the UFC). He was Anthony Pettis’ little brother and he was fighting these tough fights and these guys were coming at him hard. Now he’s in Bellator and he’s one fight away from becoming a world champion. I’m really happy where he’s at.

“The PFL deal and their format is kind of what drew me toward making that signature happen fast. I thought their offering was very fair and I guarantee four fights next year – I’ve got to earn that last one – but I have four fights on the schedule for 2021 and it’s a season. The format was huge or me. Being able to go in there and know when my fights are. In my previous career in the UFC, I had to take a lot of last-minute fights. I was fighting on four weeks’ notice, three weeks’ notice and cutting crazy weight. Now, this year, I know what my fights are, I know what weight I have to be at. So a little more structure for me.”

After 20 fights in the UFC, Pettis had seen and done it all inside the octagon. He fought everything from champions to surging contenders, picked up finishes in three weight classes and provided some unforgettable highlights.

The idea of putting a fresh coat of paint on his career was a major attraction for “Showtime.” He likes the concept of starting new and having to earn his keep, and given the fact he instantly became the most high-profile name in the division upon signing, he said he relishes that everyone is going to be coming for his head.

“I’ve got to start at a new job (and prove myself),” Pettis said. “Everything I’ve done in my past, we all know in the fight world, you’re only as good as your last fight. Going into a new organization and having that target on my back. I know these guys are looking at me like – when I was fighting in the UFC, I fought the best version of every fighter. When they heard my name they were like, ‘Oh, I’m fighting Anthony Pettis.’ They were the best version of themselves, so they know what a fight against me does for them. I think the same thing for the PFL. I’ve got a target on my back. I’ve already seen it. When I announce the signing a lot of their fighter were like, ‘I look forward to meeting you in the octagon.’ I’m excited about a new journey, a whole new path of my career and a new chapter.”

Pettis’ departure from the UFC might give some fans the impression that his career is winding down. At 33, though, Pettis said that’s absolutely not the case. He doesn’t know exactly what the future will look like with PFL – or how many seasons he’ll be there for – but Pettis knows he’s got a lot of gas in the tank.

“I think it’s just another chapter in my career,” Pettis said. “I don’t feel really close to retirement age, I don’t feel like my body is giving up on me or my mindset, if anything it’s getting stronger. Dealing with he sports physiologist has opened up my mind to that sides of sports training. I’m excited to keep continuing that journey.”

Article source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2021/01/pfl-news-anthony-pettis-explains-signing-reslishes-target-season

Let’s see if the old “third time’s a charm” saying holds true. That’s what everyone has to be thinking when it comes to UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman defending his belt opposite Gilbert Burns at UFC 258.

The bout has been verbally agreed to as the UFC 258 headliner on Feb. 13. The booking was first reported by ESPN. It marks the third attempt at booking the bout.

Usman was originally slated to defend against Burns at UFC 251 on July 12, 2020. Burns had to withdraw after testing positive for COVID-19. He was replaced by Jorge Masvidal, whom Usman defeated by unanimous decision.

The bout was then being considered for the UFC 256 headliner on Dec. 12, the promotion’s final pay-per-view event of the year. Usman, however, pulled out of the bout citing the need for more time to recover from undisclosed injuries.

UFC 256 was eventually headlined by flyweight champion Deveison Figueiredo putting his belt on the line for the third time in three weeks. He fought Brandon Moreno to a majority draw, retaining his title.

With Usman and Burns ready to compete, officials have penciled in the bout as the UFC 258 headliner on Feb. 13, which will likely take place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Usman’s record currently sits at 17-1. The Nigerian-born U.S. citizen is undefeated in his 12 UFC bouts, including winning the welterweight championship and defending it twice.

Burns (19-3) is currently on a five-fight winning streak that includes victories over the likes of Tyron Woodley, Demian Maia, and Gunnar Nelson.

The UFC kicks off its 2021 schedule with three events over the course of an eight-day span on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi. UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs. Kattar is the first event of the stint on Jan. 16. That is followed by UFC Fight Night: Magny vs. Chiesa on Jan. 20, a rare Wednesday event. The third round on Fight Island culminates with UFC 257: Poirier vs. McGregor 2, Conor McGregor’s return in a rematch opposite Dustin Poirier.

TRENDING Michael Chandler finally books first UFC bout on ‘the biggest stage’ possible

Article source: https://www.mmaweekly.com/ufc-258-to-feature-kamaru-usman-vs-gilbert-burns-welterweight-title-fight

Khabib Nurmagomedov returned at UFC 254 in October with his undefeated record on the line to face interim lightweight champion Justin Gaethje in an emotional performance.

“The Eagle” logged one of his best career performances, finishing Gaethje early in the second round. Following the fight, Nurmagomedov announced his retirement from fighting.

Will he ever return to the Octagon? UFC president Dana White thinks the answer is ‘yes.’

(Courtesy of UFC)

TRENDING Khabib would likely return to fight Georges St-Pierre; turned down Floyd Mayweather

Dana White thinks Khabib Nurmagomedov will fight again

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Article source: https://www.mmaweekly.com/watch-khabib-nurmagomedov-take-out-justin-gaethje-in-retirement-fight

A pair of women’s bantamweights will look to rebound at UFC Fight Night on March 20.

Julia Avila (8-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) faces Julija Stoliarenko (9-4-2 MMA, 0-2 UFC) in an event that does not yet have a venue or location. A person with knowledge of the situation confirmed the news to MMA Junkie following a report from MMA Fighting.

After going 2-0 to start her UFC tenure with wins over Pannie Kianzad and Gina Mazany, Avila saw her four-fight winning streak snapped at the hands of Sijara Eubanks at UFC on ESPN+ 35 in September.

In her return to the UFC, Season 28 “The Ultimate Fighter” alum Stoliarenko fell short against Yana Kunitskaya at UFC on ESPN+ 32, which snapped her five-fight winning streak. Prior to that, Stoliarenko captured the vacant Invicta FC bantamweight title by edging out Lisa Verzosa in an absolute bloodbath.

With the addition, the UFC Fight Night on March 20 lineup includes:

• Derek Brunson vs. Kevin Holland
• Cheyanne Buys vs. Kay Hansen
• Julia Avila vs. Julija Stoliarenko

Article source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2021/01/ufc-fight-night-julia-avila-vs-julija-stoliarenko-booked-march-20

The coronavirus pandemic, and its resulting restrictions, hit gym owners and teams hard in 2020. But, despite the challenges arriving from the onset of COVID-19, MMA’s elite gyms still managed to help fine-tune their fighters to deliver memorable performances throughout the year.

One gym, in particular, enjoyed an excellent year, with Colorado’s Elevation Fight Team delivering an impressive series of results as the Denver-based gym led its big names to a positive 2020.

The gym added a new championship belt to its honor roll when Justin Gaethje stepped in on short notice and finished Tony Ferguson to capture the interim lightweight title at UFC 249. Unfortunately for Gaethje and his team, “The Highlight” wasn’t able to upgrade to the undisputed title when he lost to Khabib Nurmagmedov later in the year, but following Nurmagomedov’s subsequent retirement, Gaethje looks well placed to challenge for undisputed gold once again in 2021.

Elsewhere, the gym’s two star heavyweights went undefeated, as Alistair Overeem and Curtis Blaydes both were 2-0 for the year, with all four victories coming in UFC main events.

Overeem’s back-to-back TKO finishes of Walt Harris and Augusto Sakai gave him his first unbeaten calendar year since 2015, while Blaydes followed up a 2-0 year in 2019 with another in 2020, with victories over former UFC heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos and ex-Bellator champ Alexander Volkov. A four-fight winning streak sends Blaydes into 2021 with real momentum.

It was also a big year for evergreen welterweight Neil Magny, who returned to his prolific fighting ways in 2020 by fighting, and winning, three times. Magny picked up a trio of unanimous decisions over Li Jingliang, Rocco Martin and former welterweight champion Robbie Lawler to put him in a solid position heading into the new year.

While its established stars cemented its elite credentials, Elevation’s emerging talent also enjoyed successes. Most notably, lightweight Drew Dober continued his impressive rise toward the lightweight elite by adding two significant victories to his record. Dober’s back-to-back finishes of fellow highly rated prospects Nasrat Haqparast and Alexander Hernandez saw him end 2020 with an honorable mention in the MMA Junkie/USA TODAY Sports lightweight rankings.

Elevation’s Shana Dobson produced one of the biggest upsets of the year when she defeated Mariya Agapova at UFC on ESPN 15, while bantamweight contender Cory Sandhagen bounced back from a submission loss to Aljamain Sterling at UFC 250 with a second-round TKO finish of Marlon Moraes in his first UFC main event at UFC Fight Night 179 in October.

It all added up to a positive year for the Colorado collective, which deservedly earns our accolade as MMA Junkie’s “Gym of the Year” for 2020.

Honorable mention

New England Cartel

Fronted by head coach and joint-winner of MMA Junkie’s 2020 “Coach of the Year” Tyson Chartier, the New England Cartel enjoyed something of a breakout year in 2020, with both Calvin Kattar and Rob Font enjoying significant success as they both edged their way toward title contention at featherweight and bantamweight respectively.

Kattar lived up to his nickname “The Boston Finisher” with a second-round TKO of Jeremy Stephens at UFC 249, then followed up with a hard-earned unanimous decision win to halt the two-year, six-fight winning streak of Dan Ige at UFC on ESPN 13.

Font, meanwhile, picked up a huge win in December when he returned from a one-year layoff to finish Marlon Moraes and force himself into the title conversation at 135 pounds.

Jackson Wink MMA

Albuquerque-based Jackson Wink MMA gym maintained its reputation for excellence with another strong year in 2020.

Jon Jones defeated Dominick Reyes to retain the UFC light heavyweight title before relinquishing the belt later in the year in preparation for his move up to heavyweight in 2021, while former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm earned back-to-back decision wins over Raquel Pennington and Irene Aldana to put her firmly on a path toward a rematch with Amanda Nunes in 2021. Strawweight contender Michelle Waterson also produced a “Fight of the Year” contender with Angela Hill at UFC Fight Night 177 in December.

Elsewhere on their sizable roster, former interim welterweight champ Carlos Condit snapped a five-fight skid in his first appearance since 2018 with victory over Court McGee, while, a year to the day after he tore his knee at the Quintet Ultra grappling event in December  2019, Cub Swanson returned to score a big TKO victory over Daniel Pineda at UFC 256.

But perhaps the biggest success story for the gym in 2020 was the development of Aaron Pico. The Bellator featherweight reeled off a hat-trick of stoppage victories in 2020, with a submission of Solo Hatley Jr. sandwiching TKO finishes of Daniel Carey and John De Jesus as he continues to evolve under the tutelage of coaches Greg Jackson and Mike Winkeljohn.

Article source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2021/01/mma-2020-gym-of-the-year-elevation-fight-team