Pettis accidentally punched Oliveira back into consciousness
Anthony Pettis accidentally punched Charles Oliveira back INTO consciousness
In boxing and kickboxing, fighters are given a 10 count – they are allowed to fight until they are really, really unconscious. There is no standing eight, no 10 count in MMA. If you are unable to defend yourself and are in danger, the fight is stopped. This is good – it results in less dain bramage, and a faster fight.
However, that tiny window of consciousness can be weird. Sometimes a fighter goes out from a hard right hand, and the impact of falling wakes him or her up.
Former UFC lightweight and current featherweight Anthony Pettis appeared on the UFC on FOX post-fight show after defeating Charles Oliveira at UFC on FOX 21. He told Daniel Cormier, Dominick Cruz, and John Anik that mid fight he accidentally punched Oliveira back into consciousness.
“We all know how it feels, you’re tired, you get out there and you just got to feel it out,” began Pettis, as transcribed by Adam Guillen Jr. for MMA Mania. “I knew he was tired, we were both tired. But in the second round, he exited out a little bit, I had to take a break. In the first round, I saw his eyes roll back, I punched him in the head, his eyes rolled back and I think I punched him back into consciousness. And I was like, ‘damn, I shouldn’t have done that.’ But, you just keep pushing. The corner is there to keep you motivated and that’s why they did and that’s why I have the corner that I have.”
Pettis said the cut to 145 needs to be tweaked so the does not have a repeat of the fatigue he felt in round 2. Still, Pettis handily defeated the #6 ranked fighter in the division. One more solid win, and Pettis could get a title shot at the winner of who ever wins Jose Aldo vs. TBA, which could even be Conor McGregor.
It would be very easy to market Anthony Pettis trying to become only the third man to hold a belt in two weight divisions. Above all it would be very easy to market it against McGregor, who is fervent about wanting to be two-division champion.
So can Pettis become a two division champ? Can McGregor?