Anthony Pettis is getting a lot of attention these days, ever since that Matrix-style kick that knocked Ben Henderson down at WEC 53.  Pettis seemed on the fast track to a UFC lightweight title after that fight, but the lightweight division is in a bit of turmoil right now.  Both the champ and the number one challenger are injured and there are many contenders deserving of a title shot.  Foremost among them, as Clay Guida said, is Jim Miller, who will be taking on Ben Henderson in August.

On yesterday's UFC conference call, Pettis talked about how he thought he'd get a title shot against Frankie Edgar after beating Ben Henderson:

 

For me, I’m not looking past Clay right now.  If I win the Clay fight, who knows what’s gonna happen.  I thought after I won the Henderson fight I thought I was gonna get a title shot, but that didn’t work.  So I’m gonna stay ready and whoever they throw at me next I’ll be ready to fight them as well.

 

Pettis feels that he's a complete fighter now and is coming into his own.  His victory over Shane Roller is the fight that put him in that frame of mind:

 

The Shane Roller fight, that was the fight where I think I became more of a complete fighter.  I was definitely a professional before that, but [in that fight] I got to actually implement my wrestling defense and use my overall MMA skills.  I think that’s the fight where I started feeling more comfortable in the cage.

 

Pettis's rise has been, to borrow a favorite Mike Goldberg word, metoric.  He's a fast ascending star in the sport, and feels fortunate to be where he is right now:

 

I think everything happens for a reason and I’m at where I’m at for a reason.  I train hard and I push myself to the limits every time I’m in the gym and it shows in my fights.  A year and a half ago nobody knew who Anthony Pettis was or cared about  Anthony Pettis-- to now fighting a guy like Clay Guida and headlining the TUF finale.  It’s amazing.  It’s a blessing and I’m gonna keep doing what it took to get me here.

 

Pettis grew up and still lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he trains with Duke Roufus at Roufusport Martial Arts Academy, which was voted "top MMA gym in America" by Versus.com.  Anthony attributes much of his success to Duke Roufus:

 

I was blessed to have  a gym like Duke Roufus and the Roufusport fight team in my home town.  Most guys have to move away to find a good gym to train at, or travel.  I have one in my own backyard.  So I was blessed to have that gym there and I wouldn’t want it anywhere else.  I’m getting everything I need to get out of that gym.  Duke’s been where I’m at in a different sport, in kickboxing, but he really relates to me on what to look out for and the ins and outs of the fight game.  It’s a blessing to have that gym in my backyard.

 

Duke has been in my shoes before.  He’s been a star in Milwaukee and all over the place kickboxing.  So he knows, in personal life, he knows everything that comes with the little bit of fame and the recognition you get.   So in my personal life he helps me tremendously just dealing with that and with how to balance everything.

 

As a multiple Fight of the Night winner, Pettis was asked on the call whether he felt any pressure to perform above and beyond what is normally expected of fighters:

 

I don’t feel any pressure at all to go out there to one-up myself or try to put on fight of the night.  We always bring exciting fights and when you put guys like us in the cage together it’s gonna be a great fight.  The fans can expect an awesome fight Saturday night.   And like Clay said the biggest thing is getting your hand raised at the end.  We’re both looking for wins and I think we’re gonna put on a good show doing it.

 

Since Clay Guida has also received multiple FOTN honors as well, people are already talking about this fight being a contender for Fight of the Year.  It's a sweet bit of matchmaking by Joe Silva and is a great main event for the TUF finale, which airs tomorrow night on Spike.

Now here a video of that amazing kick that Pettis landed on Ben Henderson.

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