A ridiculously exciting lightweight bout has been confirmed for UFC 197, as former champ Anthony Pettis will take on Edson Barboza at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Pettis finds himself in a difficult position after being beaten by Eddie Alvarez on the back of losing his title to Rafael Dos Anjos, and must get a win against Barbosa to keep himself in the hunt at 155. Barboza is also coming off a loss, as he was dispatched by the impressive Tony Ferguson in the second round at The Ultimate Fighter finale back in December, but a win over Pettis could see him rise much higher than his current divisional ranking of 13.
Pettis vs Barboza is sure to be a highly entertaining bout as both fighters not only heavily favour the standup game, but they like to do so with a very flashy style that will surely get the much maligned Las Vegas crowd on their feet.
Here's a quick look at some of Barboza's handywork:
Anthony Pettis vs. Edson Barboza set April 23rd at UFC 197. pic.twitter.com/TkClp41VEt
— Bookie Insiders MMA (@UFCInsiders) February 18, 2016
And of course one of Pettis' likes to catch the eye too:
Anthony Pettis vs Benson Henderson pic.twitter.com/CZ3McnjnXC
— Best of UFC (@BestOfUFC) January 26, 2016
This should be a cracker.
UFC 197 takes place on April 23rd, and with Daniel Cormier vs Jon Jones as the headliner, it should be another very big night for MMA fans.
