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After calling out each other last month via Twitter, Anthony Pettis and Max Holloway are headed for a high level featherweight showdown at UFC 206.
The UFC announced the fight on October 26th:
BREAKING: @ShowtimePettis vs @BlessedMMA, @MitchGagnonUFC vs Matthew Lopez added to #UFC206 @AirCanadaCentre ➡️ https://t.co/AGQ4GseBWa pic.twitter.com/IA6WfuyykD
— UFC Canada (@UFC_CA) October 26, 2016
Moving Down To Featherweight
Pettis is coming off an impressive featherweight debut at UFC on Fox 21 last August, where he submitted submission master Charles Oliveira in three rounds. Prior to that, Showtime lost three fights in a row at lightweight. That losing skid forced the former UFC Lightweight champion to move down in weight and fight at 145 pounds.
The win over Oliveira moved Pettis from #5 in Lightweight to #6 in Featherweight. It also installed him as one of the favorite contenders in the weight class whose title belt has been held hostage by reigning champion, Conor McGregor.
On A Hot Streak
On a nine-fight winning streak, Max Holloway certainly deserves a crack at the featherweight title. Holloway is coming off a decision win over Top 5 featherweight Ricardo Lamas at UFC 199 and has beaten the likes of Jeremy Stephens, Charles Oliveira and Cub Swanson during his winning run. The last time Holloway lost was in 2013 and that was to Conor McGregor.
Holloway would have loved to avenge that loss but McGregor is busy fighting for the Lightweight belt at UFC 205. With interim champion Jose Aldo busy with his squabble with the UFC, ‘Blessed’ said that he was willing to settle for Anthony Pettis instead. Pettis responded to that challenge by alluding to a UFC 205 bout but while that was denied, the two are headed to the co-main event of UFC 206 in Toronto.
Who The Odds Are Picking
Holloway has opened as a slight -160 favorite over Pettis, who comes in at +125.
Blessed’s impressive winning run has certainly left a good impression on him. Also, Holloway is the more experienced guy in this weight class, having fought here throughout his UFC career. Though Pettis proved he can make weight and beat a contender like Oliveira, he remains untested against the regulars of his new weight class.
Betting odds at sites like Bovada are also giving this fight a -245 for going over 2.5 rounds and a +175 for ending in less than 2.5 rounds which means that Pettis and Holloway are likely to go the full route.
