The “Ultimate Fighter 13” Finale this Saturday night is going to be an important event for many fighters. Some fighters are trying to make an impact on the UFC’s matchmakers, while others are fighting for roster spots. However, none have more pressure on their shoulders than Anthony “Showtime” Pettis.
Pettis gained a rather meager following during his first five fights as a part of the World Extreme Cagefighting organization. But it was on December 16 of 2010 when he won his way into the hearts of many mixed martial arts fans, both hardcore and casual. On that night, Pettis fought in what was considered the best fight of 2010, defeating Benson Henderson for the WEC lightweight championship. We all remember our reaction to the kick that has since been named the “Showtime Kick,” and has garnered more than a million views on YouTube. Yet before that, Pettis and Henderson fought memorable round after memorable round in their title fight.
Once the dust settled, Pettis had both a new belt around his waist and an opportunity to unify that belt with the UFC lightweight championship. Since then things have changed, as the rivalry between Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard has spawned a pending third showdown. And rather than sit around and wait for his shot, Pettis signed to face the always game Clay Guida during this Saturday’s event. Guida is a dangerous matchup for any fighter to take, let alone someone who is making his debut in the UFC.
Looking back, we have seen how some of MMA’s biggest names have fared during their first steps into the Octagon. Fighters like Shogun Rua, Mirko Filipovic and Takanori Gomi have all struggled while trying to make the jump to the big stage. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson is a rare exception to the rule. Now Pettis is trying to do the same without a resume that boasts wins over the big names in his weight class. The pressure is already there, but to make matters more interesting, he will be standing across the cage from an opponent who is also fighting for a title shot, and is a huge crowd favorite to boot.
While it is commendable that Pettis took this fight instead of waiting around the better part of a year for a title shot, this is not a favorable matchup. Guida is a tough opponent whose style has given many fighters fits. Pettis is like a younger Diego Sanchez, and we all remember how the Guida-Sanchez fight went a few years ago. The big difference here is that Pettis does not have the experience against big names like Sanchez did at that point in his career. Experience plays a big part in the cage, and this fight will show just that.
A lot of eyes will be watching Pettis this weekend hoping that he wins and puts on the show that has become expected of him. Still, he’s in for a very tough challenge, and by the end of the evening we will all have a better idea of what we really have in Anthony Pettis.
