Anthony Pettis has had a lot of success in the UFC, but he wants other MMA fighters to know that there are many other paths they can take to achieve their greatness in the sport. I would like to.
The current PFL fighter and former UFC lightweight champion announced in December 2020 that he would enter the management and promotion space with the formation of his own company called Showtime Sports Entertainment Group. At the time, Pettis was both actively involved in the sport of mixed martial arts and focused on nurturing the potential of up-and-coming fighters.
In a recent MMA Hour interview, Pettis lamented the short-sighted view some fighters have early in their careers, especially when it comes to reaching the UFC.
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“From a management perspective, it’s sad to see them make the decisions they make,” Pettis said. “I’ve been there, and some of these guys are going to give up some big contracts in hopes of getting into a fight in the Contender series. Even saw it and said, ‘Man, look at your career. Look at how old you are. Look at the time left. It’s that they want to be in the Tender Series battle, and they’ll risk not making money to take that chance.
“Okay, they look at me and see what the UFC has done for my name. Seeing PFL gain momentum like Bellator ONE, there are so many organizations out there, these guys are stuck in one place, but that’s the hard part of managing. You can’t really control them, you can give them advice, but in the end it’s their decision.”
Pettis made his professional debut aged just 20 and set an unbeaten record of 8-0 before signing for the WEC in 2009. After its sister organization was incorporated into it. Pettis regained his championship in 2020 after completing his second straight win and receiving significant marketing support. In 2014, Pettis became the first mixed martial artist to win the Wheaties Box.
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