Sergio Pettis is in the main event of Bellator’s return to action in a potential title eliminator.
Sergio Pettis is making his second appearance in Bellator shortly. This time as a headliner of the Bellator 242 card with Ricky Bandejas, as Bellator resumes action this Friday July 24. While the Bantamweight title for Bellator remains vacant since an injury to former champion and RIZIN star Kyoji Horiguchi, Pettis isn’t worrying about gold right now.
“I’m not worried about it man, I’m focused on Ricky Bandejas” Pettis told the media this week. “If it is a title eliminator it is, but I’m focused on getting a win and putting on a show this Friday.”
Pettis knows that he will have plenty of eyes on him in this bout, in a division without a clear cut title contender, or champion for that matter. To the former UFC mainstay, the pressure is nothing new. Pettis welcomes the pressure.
“I got a target on my back, I’ve always had a target on my back” Pettis stated. “Nothing new for me. I’m going to go out there and do what I do, he will do what he does and we will see what happens.”
Pettis has fighting in his blood. His brother Anthony Pettis is a UFC fan favorite and former champion in the promotion. COVID-19 may have halted the gym for the pair, but it has not stopped them from building their own home gym, which saw plenty of use in the last months of quarantine.
“I started up a basement gym” Pettis laughed. “I got my gym looking all good, there is a sauna down there. Then my brother had the Cerrone fight so we got a small group together and grinded in the gym to get ready for that.”
With the vacated title and Pettis on a two fight win streak this is a title eliminator whether Pettis admits it or not. Ricky Bandejas has also won two straight, both via stoppage. With a ton of contenders in the division, Pettis knows a win over the ever dangerous Bandejas is a big victory for his resume.
“Ricky is dangerous, very dangerous” Pettis explained. “He’s a good stand up fighter, good all around some good takedown defense. He’s skilled. He’s going to try to get the job done but I’ve been in the game a long time so I’ve seen it all.”
At only 26 years, Pettis has been in the fighting world for over nine years. The UFC veteran heads into Bellator 242 this Friday looking to add Bellator gold to his ever impressive resume.
Bellator 242 goes down Friday, July 24 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT. The main card airs live on Paramount Network and DAZN.
