Anthony Pettis: “Nate Diaz Is A Perfect Fight For Me”
This past weekend UFC announced an intriguing welterweight showdown between former UFC and WEC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis and Nate Diaz at UFC 241 on Aug. 17 from inside Honda Center in Anaheim, California.
Pettis recently moved up to 170-pounds and pulled a highlight-reel KO win over two-time title challenger Stephen Thompson in March. Diaz meanwhile had fought five times at welterweight in the UFC and has gone 2-3.
Pettis told ESPN’s Ariel Helwani that fight supposed to happen long ago as the animosity between two stars has long-running. Back in 2013 members of both camps threw drinks at a nightclub in Las Vegas before a UFC 167 fight weekend. (h/t MMAMania)
“It’s a perfect fight for me. You know me and Nate. We have had beef and drama for a long time, so this is something that was supposed to happen a long time ago and it’s finally happening.
“I don’t even remember where it started, what event. I was the champion, but we have always had drama. And every time we saw each other it’s like something was going to happen,” he said. “It was just one of those things that he may have been jealous that I was the champ, he wanted a shot at me.”
“Then he got his McGregor fight and went MIA. That chapter never closed in my life, so for me it was something that had to happen.”
Pettis also revealed that UFC head honcho Dana White offered him Conor Mcgregor fight for August showdown however it didn’t work out. Later promotion set “Showtime” up with Nate Diaz fight.
“There were some big names thrown my way. Conor McGregor was thrown my way from Dana in August but then that didn’t happen. So I just pulled back, hung out and was training and then Nate Diaz popped up. It’s perfect.”
Pettis says a fight with Mcgregor, of course, brings on a lucrative payday, but Nate Diaz fight is personal.
“Diaz, 100 percent. I just don’t like the guy. That’s just how it is, I am not that dude, but this is just one guy I do not like,” he said, while revealing he will start his training camp as early as next week out of pure eagerness and desire to get prepared to inflict damage on Nate.
“I am going straight to work, I can’t wait to hurt this guy. This is personal fight for me, I am going to work right away. No weight cut, simply training for a fight.”
UFC 241, headlined by a heavyweight title rematch between Daniel Cormier and Stipe Miocic.
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