High level fighters are nothing if not brimming with confidence, entering the cage with near certainty that they are going to win on any given night.
For Bellator bantamweight champ Sergio Pettis (23-5), who returned from an extended layoff at Bellator 297 on Friday to defeat on of the best fighters in company history, Patricio Pitbull, the mindset was just the opposite.
“I thought I was going to lose this fight, I ain’t going to lie. I was telling my girl, ‘hey if I lose to anybody, it’s okay to lose to Patricio Pitbull, he’s a legend,'” Pettis told media outlets in person and online, including Cageside Press, following the decision victory that same him retain his 135lb title.
“I didn’t think I was going to lose, I just had battles with my mind,” Pettis then corrected. “I was kind of nervous, scared, all the above, 14 months, 18 months off from competing. Kind of forgot how all this felt. And I’m surprised. I am surprised. That’s the opposite of Nate Diaz. I am surprised, motherf*ckers.”
Whether he surprised himself or not, thought he would lose or not, Pettis put on a stunningly good performance against a fighter who held gold at lightweight and still reigns as Bellator MMA’s featherweight champion. And overall, Pettis is happy with his performance.
“I feel good man. It’s been 18 months off, and to come back and have a performance like that— I didn’t get to watch it yet, but in my head it looked kind of good,” Pettis stated. “So I hope it looked good for everybody else.”
“Everybody’s talking about ring rust and all this crazy stuff, and everybody’s talking about Pitbull and kind of forgot about me. So glad to be back, and showed champ’s home. Champ’s back.
Being overlooked is nothing new for the former UFC flyweight, however. “I think my career is like that,” said Pettis. “A lot of people overlook me. Now it’s good to be seen. I feel like this fight made me be seen, and we’ll see. I have to keep on going, keep on going. I’m motivated.”
Watch the full Bellator 297 post-fight press conference appearance by Sergio Pettis above.
