UFC News: Anthony Pettis' coach says UFC shot down rematch against Donald Cerone

2019 was a mixed-bag for Anthony 'Showtime' Pettis as he fought twice this year, getting his hand raised in one fight and tasted defeat in the other. After scoring a spectacular superman punch KO against Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson at the main event of UFC Fight Night 148, he lost out to Nate Diaz at UFC 241 via unanimous decision.

According to Pettis' coach Duke Roufus, Showtime is in great shape ahead of his rumored match-up against Diego Ferreira which is reportedly set to co-headline UFC 246 where Conor McGregor goes up against Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone. Pettis was earlier linked with a rematch with Cerrone but with the McGregor-Cerrone match-up announced, that goes out of the window.

Speaking to MMA Fighting, Roufus claimed that the UFC didn't want to book the fight between Cerrone and Pettis for the second time.

“They wanted to fight each other, they both accepted the fight, the UFC just doesn’t want to do it. It’s definitely not Cowboy. They both were down to do it, it’s just the UFC didn’t want to do the fight.”

Roufus said that he doesn't see a problem in Pettis frequently shifting between lightweight and welterweight for his bouts because the ultimate goal is to beat the person put in front of him.

“We’re taking everything one fight at a time. I think that’s where we can complicate the life sometimes, when you make all sorts of plans. you get caught up in the big plan, really the minor plan is where they want to be, but the major plan is winning the fight ahead of you. That’s our mindset coming into 2020. Win the fight that’s ahead of us. That was the mentality when he faced Wonderboy and I’m just excited. There’s still a lot of fight left in him.”