Anthony Pettis' next fight will end in the first round, according to "Showtime" himself, as the reigning UFC lightweight champion also plans to silence all his naysayers in the process.
Anthony Pettis' next fight, which will be his maiden title defense against the gritty Gilbert "El Niño" Melendez, is schedule for UFC 181 on December 6th, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
"Showtime" last saw action at UFC 164 in August 2013, against old rival and former UFC lightweight champion Benson "Smooth" Henderson. It was the second time both men were meeting after their first encounter at the now defunct World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) in 2010, where "Showtime" won by unanimous decision.
In their rematch, Pettis once again emerged victorious, this time, by first round submission.
Since then, he has been on the sidelines due to an injury, but he has coached against Gilbert Melendez for the twentieth season of The Ultimate Fighter reality series.
For Anthony Pettis' next fight, the champion promised a first round finish in his favor, to make up for lost time. "Showtime" made his intentions known through Brazilian media outlet Combate.
"The fans can expect me finishing this fight in the first round," Pettis said. "I've been out for a year and I'm excited to be back."
Prior to Anthony Pettis' next fight, a number of critics have criticized the champion for being inactive for a long period of time. While "Showtime" did admit that there is no bad blood between him and his challenger, he did reiterate that although he did want to make an immediate return, his injuries hindered him from doing so.
"I'm a fighter and I have a belt for a reason," he continued. "I got injured and couldn't train like I wished but I'm back."
After a year of rehabilitation, Pettis will be making his UFC return. Apart from retaining his title, "Showtime" also hopes to silence all of his doubters.
"I'm healthy, ready to fight and, unfortunately, Melendez will be my first opponent after my return," Pettis added. "I say unfortunately because I'm sure that I won't need more than one round. I have to shut up a lot of people and I have others to face."
