After competing under the World Extreme Cagefighting banner for just a year and a half, lightweight title contender Anthony Pettis finds himself in an enviable position. The 23-year-old is only two victories away from being called the planet's top 155-pounder.
Before he can claim that title, however, he must defeat WEC lightweight champion Benson Henderson on Thursday in the main event of WEC 53 at the Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, Ariz. The winner of that clash will earn an automatic title shot at the UFC strap, which will be contested by Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard at UFC 125 on Jan. 1.
“Ben Henderson is the champ for a reason. He's a good fighter, and I’ve got to get past him before I can even think about fighting in the UFC,” said Pettis during last week's WEC conference call. “But I do always get asked how I would do against the UFC guys. How better to find out than to fight the [UFC] champ? It's crazy. Getting that opportunity is just a blessing.”
As the WEC enters its last-ever event before merging with the UFC, “Showtime” is grateful for the opportunities the organization has given him.
“The WEC, for me, was my home. It made me who I am today. I’m so thankful that the WEC gave me chance to show my skills on a huge level,” said Pettis. “I want the WEC's legacy to be great fights put on by great fighters. And I want the lightweight class to represent. We're going to be stacked up against UFC guys, and I want the WEC to be remembered for bringing over some great lightweights.”
Regarding his upcoming fight with Henderson, the Roufusport product believes he can't afford to make any mistakes if he's to conquer the champion.
“Ben is good everywhere. He's one of the most well-rounded lightweights in the world. To beat him, I’ve got to stick to my game plan and make his takedowns tough. I also have to be unpredictable standing,” said Pettis. “He's hard to submit. His submission defense is awesome. His wrestling is great, and so is his guillotine. I think it's going to be a great last fight for the WEC.”
Come fight night the Wisconsin native will be forced to contend not only with Henderson, but also with a partisan Arizona crowd. When asked about the home-field disadvantage, Pettis dismissed the idea, arguing that the fight will be decided by the fighters, not the crowd.
“I have a lot of support coming down to Arizona. I’m excited, because it's not going to be 19 degrees out. I get to go wear some shorts out there,” he said. “The crowd's going to boo me, but however it plays out, it's just me and Ben in that cage. The crowd doesn't fight with you. So I’m not going to let that get to my head.”
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