Anthony Pettis certainly made some waves in his UFC welterweight debut.
The former lightweight champion of the world and two-time featherweight (though he missed weight on one of those occasions) took to his new home at 170-pounds swimmingly in March, knocking out former title contender Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson with five seconds remaining in the second round of their UFC Nashville main event.
As such Pettis’ ranking at 170-pounds soared to 8th position — directly into the firing line of some of the division’s best regarded competitors.
One of those is Santiago Ponzinibbio. The Argentine hasn’t fought since a November KO against Neil Magny and remains without a future engagement on his schedule but, if he gets his way, Anthony Pettis fits the bill.
Writing on Instagram, Ponzinibbio declared that he wouldn’t allow Pettis — who is now ranked one place about the 27-3 South American — to be ranked ahead of him.
“There’s no way I’m going to allow you be ahead of me, come get this beating, you won’t get lucky like last time,” Ponzinibbio wrote.
A clash between two of the best pure strikers at 170 seems a good way forward for all concerned but it remains to be seen if Dana White and the UFC matchmakers remain on board. Darren Till has spoken in the past about his interest in facing Ponzinibbio, while a match with Stephen Thompson, in spite of his defeat to Pettis, would also be fireworks.
