UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Bellator bantamweight champion [autotag]Sergio Pettis[/autotag] continues to inch closer to a return – and has a pretty good idea whom he’ll be fighting when he’s back.
Pettis (22-5 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) won the 135-pound title in May 2021 against Juan Archuleta. A year ago, he had his first successful title defense with a dramatic fourth-round knockout of Kyoji Horiguchi.
But earlier this year, instead of putting his title on the line in Bellator’s bantamweight grand prix, he had to pull out with a torn ACL. Bellator made a fight between Raufeon Stots and Archuleta an interim title bout to open the tournament. Stots won that interim belt, then this past Friday beat Danny Sabatello to move into the final against Patchy Mix.
The winner of that fight eventually will meet Pettis to unify the belts. And Pettis thinks his former Roufusport teammate Stots will be the one standing across from him when he returns.
“I think it’s going to be me and my teammate, Raufeon Stots,” Pettis told MMA Junkie at Bellator 289 this past Friday in Uncasville, Conn. “… That’s what I’m prepping for.”
Pettis said he doesn’t think there will be any issues with him and Stots putting their past training relationship and friendship aside for the title fight.
When Stots was set to fight Pettis in the tournament before Pettis’ injury, he left Roufusport in Milwaukee to avoid the same teammate-vs.-teammate issues he’d have if he stayed at the gym.
“It does make it a lot easier now that I’m not in the same practice room as him,” Pettis said. “I was with him for about six and a half years every day, training each other to get better and better. Now we’re at this level where we have to fight each other. That’s OK with us because we’re reaching to be the best in the world.
“… I feel like there wouldn’t be any bad blood. Obviously, our job is competition and currency. That’s what we’re here for. We’re just here competing against each other trying to get that bread and may the best man win. I don’t think we’ll have any issues.”
Pettis said he started training earlier than doctors wanted him to, but that restlessness got the better of him. He said his appearance at Bellator 289 was the first Bellator show he had attended since his win over Horiguchi.
But he said his knee feels back to normal and thinks he’ll have no issues being ready for the Stots-Mix winner. A date hasn’t been announced for the final, but is not likely to be later than April or May. That still could put Pettis’ return several months after that, so summer 2023.
“It feels good to be able to move again,” Pettis said. “You don’t know how much you take for granted when you have it. I didn’t know how important the ACL was until I tore it and I’m like, ‘Damn.’ You’ve got to take care of your body for sure. As of right now, I’m thinking the end of this tournament. Next week will be eight months post-(operation). … I’m thinking after this tournament, I’ll be back to the job.
“Day to day, I feel like my knee’s gotten a lot better. I can do everything I used to be able to do – the spin kick, the jump knees, sprawls, wrestling. I’m still not 100 percent comfortable, but I’m close.”
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