WITH A BABY on the way and some financial issues to resolve with the UFC, the details of when Conor McGregor will return to the octagon are unclear.
But when he does eventually decide to fight again, Anthony Pettis wants to be the man standing in the opposing corner.
On Saturday night, McGregor made history by defeating Eddie Alvarez to win the UFC lightweight title — a belt Pettis was in possession of until March of last year when he was dethroned by Rafael Dos Anjos.
McGregor is now the UFC’s featherweight and lightweight champion, with a lengthy queue of eager challengers forming in both divisions for the opportunity to seal a lucrative bout against the biggest star in mixed martial arts.
“It was fucking crazy, man,” Pettis told TMZ Sports in New York after being impressed by McGregor’s performance as he defeated Alvarez via second-round TKO at UFC 205 at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night.
“Conor’s got a left hand from hell, I guess. He fucking whooped Eddie’s ass. I fought Eddie and I thought he had a good chin, but Conor put it on him and I’m excited to see what happens now.”
After suffering three consecutive losses in the lightweight [155lbs] division — against Dos Anjos, Alvarez and Edson Barboza — Pettis moved down to featherweight [145lbs] in August and scored a third-round submission win over Charles Oliveira. Pettis added:
If he [Conor McGregor] stays fighting, I’m coming for that 145-pound strap, and 155-pound.
Pettis will aim to take a big step forward in the featherweight division at UFC 206 on 10 December by preventing Max Holloway from picking up his 10th win in a row.
