Anthony Pettis will chase million-dollar prize at PFL after UFC exit
Anthony Pettis will chase the million-dollar prize at PFL (Professional Fighters League) after his exit from the UFC.
The former UFC lightweight champion parted ways with the UFC and had stated that he’s looking forward to testing the waters as a free agent in the MMA market.
It has now been confirmed by Anthony Pettis as well as the PFL via their official social media accounts that he has indeed joined the organization.
Anthony Pettis parted ways with the UFC after an impressive win against Alex Morono
Widely regarded as one of the most talented and innovative strikers to have ever competed in the sport of MMA, Anthony Pettis impressed one and all with his performances in the WEC and, later, in the UFC for more than a decade.
During his run with the UFC, Pettis managed to capture the UFC lightweight title and eventually moved up to the welterweight division. Pettis’ last fight in the UFC transpired earlier this month. It was contested at welterweight and saw him defeat Alex Morono via unanimous decision.
The fight against Morono was close to being stopped in round three, as Pettis had badly rocked Morono with a spectacular spinning heel kick. Morono survived until the final bell, but Pettis was awarded the win on the judges’ scorecards.
The aforementioned matchup against Morono was the final fight on Pettis’ UFC contract. Instead of re-signing with the UFC, Pettis chose to enter free agency in hopes of signing with an MMA promotion offering him a deal that is to his liking.
Anthony Pettis will compete in PFL and return to the lightweight division
As reported by Ariel Helwani, Anthony Pettis has agreed to a new deal with the PFL. Helwani also noted that Pettis will participate in PFL’s 2021 season and compete in the PFL lightweight (155 pounds) division.
As noted, Pettis’ last fight took place in the welterweight (170 pounds) division. Fondly referred to by his fans as ‘Showtime’, the striking savant will now return to the division where he experienced tremendous success during his UFC run.
The 2021 season of the PFL is set to commence in April. Anthony Pettis and PFL have sent out tweets about his signing. The tweets contain a video featuring Pettis, with the video highlighting towards the end that he’s set to arrive in April 2021.
The PFL is well-known for operating differently than other MMA promotions, in the sense that it utilizes a season format like the NFL, MLB, and NBA.
Should Anthony Pettis manage to win the PFL 2021 lightweight tournament, he would receive a million dollars as the prize money for the feat.