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By: Rich Hansen, MMATorch Columnist
A question has been posed this week with Anthony Pettis hoping to return at UFC 164: if he's healthy, should the UFC give him the fight he wants against Ben Henderson?
Look. Even I, an unabashed acolyte for anything that has to do with the Roufusport team in Milwaukee finds this situation more than a little bit hinky. After defeating Henderson in the last ever WEC fight, winning their Lightweight Title in the process, Pettis was promised that his UFC debut would be a title fight with the sitting UFC Lightweight Champion. That never happened, because champion Frankie Edgar and challenger put on an epic, all-time great fight that ended in a draw. Maynard got a rematch, which was then delayed from May until August, and Pettis manned up and took on Clay Guida. Pettis got blanketed, and off went his title shot.
Pettis rebounded with wins over Jeremy Stephens, Joe Lauzon, and Donald Cerrone, the last two by jaw-dropping knockouts. Pettis was promised a title shot yet again, but only after Gilbert Melendez was slid in front of Pettis. At this point, Pettis had two options:
1.) Wait for the Henderson-Melendez winner, and hope that the loser didn't get an immediate rematch like what happened when he was in line for the winner of Edgar-Maynard.
2.) Take another fight to stay sharp, because that worked out so well for him when he fought Clay Guida.
Pettis wisely chose option π; None of the above - Drop down to featherweight and fight for that Title instead.
After being burned on more than one occasion, Pettis put his own interests first and got the next best thing, a title shot at a different division.
Fast forward to mid-April. Henderson beat Melendez by razor-thin decision, but Melendez was not granted an immediate title shot. Also, UFC 164 was soon announced, which would take place in Pettis' hometown of Milwaukee. On top of that, Ben Henderson was then announced to be in the main event against someone named T.J. Grant. Pettis then goes out and damages his knee, requiring somewhere between three to six weeks on the shelf, depending on who you ask. The amount of time between his fight with Aldo at UFC 163 and the UFC 164 show in Milwaukee is four weeks, leading Pettis to call out Henderson in an attempt to not only get on the Milwaukee card, but to get the title shot as well in the division that his been his home his entire career.
Of course, with hindsight being 20/20, Pettis could have waited for the title shot against Henderson or Melendez, and that shot would definitely been in Milwaukee. Instead he jumped down to a division that is in no way lacking for contenders and alienated half a dozen guys who think they already earned a title shot, as well as the reigning champ who negotiated himself a title shot at lightweight with a win over Pettis.
Of course, hindsight wasn't applicable in February, and we're left with the question of what should happen moving forward. Assuming Pettis is ready to fight at 164, should he get Henderson, or should be forced to wait because someone named T.J. Grant has been promised the shot against the guy who headlined the lowest selling UFC PPV in almost a decade (UFC 150 sold exactly 942 buys, give or take)?
In an ethical world, ruled by the conscience of Happenings for Children Magazine Mr. Gallant, someone named T.J. Grant gets his promised shot. After all, Dana White promised him the shot, and damn (sorry, Gallant would never say 'damn') darn the consequences. So what if it's a fluid situation; so what if no bout agreements have been signed, and so what if Henderson vs. Pettis would do 2x-3x the PPV sales. A man's word is his word, and gosh-darn-it-all, someone named T.J. Grant will get his shot.
In the real world, one ruled by Gallant's counterpart Mr. Goofus, one needs to realize that life isn't fair, money rules, and if Johny Hendricks, Carlos Condit, and even Chuck Liddell can be bent over a little bit, someone named T.J. Grant can be told to fight Josh Thomson and channel that rage.
That's right, I agree with Goofus, damnit (because Goofus would most certainly say 'damnit,' damnit), screw ethics. Get Pettis that shot.
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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