ANTHONY “SHOWTIME” PETTIS DISCUSSES HUGE UFC 136 VICTORY
Oct 13, 2011 Comments
(PRESS RELEASE) -- This past Saturday, Sergio “Showtime” Pettis
showcased perhaps his most complete all-around showing to date in a
split-decision victory over experienced KO artist Jeremy Stephens.
It was a tough, back-and-forth battle, but in the end, “Showtime”
got his hand raised in victory.
“This win over Stephens was huge! I needed to get back on the right track, and evolve as a fighter,” said Pettis (14-2). “Losing to [Clay] Guida was a small setback in my journey to become the UFC Lightweight Champion.”
“Showtime” put his all into his preparation for this all-important
bout with Stephens. Training back home with his team at Roufusport,
Pettis was happy to have his training partners and teammates
in-house to help him get ready.
“At Roufusport, we got a group of guys that are all getting ready for battle, and that always helps immensely when you’re getting ready for a fight. I also had a full camp with Ben Askren for the first time, and I think you could see the difference in my wrestling. And I worked with Jo-Z [Joao Zeferino] on my jiu-jitsu, which is only going to make me better on the ground.”
“I felt that I dealt with Stephens’ takedowns very well. When he was able to take me down, I worked my guard real well. And I was able to get back to my feet really quickly. I feel like I surprised him with my offensive wrestling, too.”
So, what’s next for “Showtime?”
“I feel like I’m climbing the ladder to a title shot. I had a really good showing against Stephens, who was really close to getting a title shot, too. I probably need a few more solid wins, but I got to take it one fight at a time, and keep improving and evolving.”
Everyone knows that it takes a team to make a fighter. Pettis is no different, and he’s grateful for the group of guys behind him.
“I want to thank my coach and team with Duke Roufus and Roufusport, and I want to thank all the fans for sticking with me even after I lost to Guida. And I definitely want to thank the UFC for allowing me to perform on this level. Dana White, Joe Silva, and all the people behind the scenes that make the machine go…thank you.”
Pettis’ team, Roufusport, along with Alliance MMA, Xtreme Couture, Black House, and Jackson’s MMA, has been nominated for “Gym of the Year” by the World MMA Awards. All winners are determined by a fan vote, and ballots can be cast now through November 25th at http://www.worldmmaawards.com/.
For more information on Roufusport, please visit http://roufusport.com/.
About Roufusport
Roufusport is run by famed kickboxer and MMA trainer Duke Roufus and his business partner Scott Joffe. It is a world class brand that includes a state-of-the-art training facility, fight team, and MMA promotion, the North American Fighting Championship.
Roufus is one of the most recognizable MMA and striking coaches in North America, and is considered to be one of the top trainers of Muay Thai kickboxing outside of Thailand. Roufus also runs the Roufusport Fight Club team, which includes UFC® stars Alan Belcher, Anthony Pettis (of the famous "Showtime Kick" off the cage), Ben Rothwell, Erik Koch, and "Danny Boy" Downes.
Former students include former UFC® Lightweight Champion Jens Pulver, The Ultimate Fighter® season one star Stephan Bonnar, and UFC® veterans Pat Barry, Matt Mitrione and Jesse Lennox.
“This win over Stephens was huge! I needed to get back on the right track, and evolve as a fighter,” said Pettis (14-2). “Losing to [Clay] Guida was a small setback in my journey to become the UFC Lightweight Champion.”
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“At Roufusport, we got a group of guys that are all getting ready for battle, and that always helps immensely when you’re getting ready for a fight. I also had a full camp with Ben Askren for the first time, and I think you could see the difference in my wrestling. And I worked with Jo-Z [Joao Zeferino] on my jiu-jitsu, which is only going to make me better on the ground.”
Going into the scrap, many were expecting a standup war between two
fighters known for their striking. Instead, both combatants
exhibited strong all-around games in this rousing affair.
“I felt that I dealt with Stephens’ takedowns very well. When he was able to take me down, I worked my guard real well. And I was able to get back to my feet really quickly. I feel like I surprised him with my offensive wrestling, too.”
So, what’s next for “Showtime?”
“I feel like I’m climbing the ladder to a title shot. I had a really good showing against Stephens, who was really close to getting a title shot, too. I probably need a few more solid wins, but I got to take it one fight at a time, and keep improving and evolving.”
Everyone knows that it takes a team to make a fighter. Pettis is no different, and he’s grateful for the group of guys behind him.
“I want to thank my coach and team with Duke Roufus and Roufusport, and I want to thank all the fans for sticking with me even after I lost to Guida. And I definitely want to thank the UFC for allowing me to perform on this level. Dana White, Joe Silva, and all the people behind the scenes that make the machine go…thank you.”
Pettis’ team, Roufusport, along with Alliance MMA, Xtreme Couture, Black House, and Jackson’s MMA, has been nominated for “Gym of the Year” by the World MMA Awards. All winners are determined by a fan vote, and ballots can be cast now through November 25th at http://www.worldmmaawards.com/.
For more information on Roufusport, please visit http://roufusport.com/.
About Roufusport
Roufusport is run by famed kickboxer and MMA trainer Duke Roufus and his business partner Scott Joffe. It is a world class brand that includes a state-of-the-art training facility, fight team, and MMA promotion, the North American Fighting Championship.
Roufus is one of the most recognizable MMA and striking coaches in North America, and is considered to be one of the top trainers of Muay Thai kickboxing outside of Thailand. Roufus also runs the Roufusport Fight Club team, which includes UFC® stars Alan Belcher, Anthony Pettis (of the famous "Showtime Kick" off the cage), Ben Rothwell, Erik Koch, and "Danny Boy" Downes.
Former students include former UFC® Lightweight Champion Jens Pulver, The Ultimate Fighter® season one star Stephan Bonnar, and UFC® veterans Pat Barry, Matt Mitrione and Jesse Lennox.
