With a victory at UFC 225, Sergio Pettis could be the needed spark for flyweight division
Looking to bounce back from his last outing, Sergio Pettis has quite the opportunity at UFC 225 when he takes on Joseph Benavidez in what should be viewed as a title eliminator on Saturday. Although he didn’t get the victory in his last fight against Henry Cejudo at UFC 218, Pettis took Cejudo the full distance and that certainly could be viewed as a moral victory, but that’s not what he’s here for.
Pettis comes from a championship bloodline as his older brother Anthony is the former lightweight champion and now Sergio has an opportunity to jump to the top of the division where one of the greatest championship fighters holds the belt, Demetrious Johnson.
While Benavidez is making his return to the Octagon for the first time since he last fought in 2016. Benavidez will enter the fight still riding a six-fight win streak and remains one of the very best in the flyweight division. His last loss came to the current champion back in 2013 and a win would certainly restart the conversation for a healthy Benavidez to get his rematch.
The comeback story is one that everyone loves, but Pettis doesn’t want to be the return for Benavidez, not when he has the opportunity to jump to the top of the division and prove that he deserves the next title shot in the flyweight division.
With rumors that there is an upcoming title fight between Demetrious Johnson and Henry Cejudo at UFC 227 in August, it only makes sense that the winner of Pettis and Benavidez would likely be in line for the next title shot if the fight at 227 does take place.
One recent loss won’t hurt the status of Sergio Pettis looking to make the leap inside the flyweight division but he’s got a tough challenger ahead of him in Benavidez. In Pettis, there’s a fighter who is out to show that Demetrious Johnson hasn’t cleaned out the flyweight division, and an opportunity to face the champion could also become the opportunity to make history. In Benavidez, just returning to the Octagon is a win in itself, but he’s out to show why he’s the top ranked challenger inside the division.
Demetrious Johnson has made history in the division but with the possibility of being a fresh and new challenger, Sergio Pettis can take out one of the best challengers in the division and prove he deserves next with a win at UFC 225.
