If you're one of the many mixed martial arts (MMA) fans calling for Anthony Pettis to fight Jose Aldo in a champion vs. champion "super fight," you're not alone.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight T.J. Grant is right there with you.
But that doesn't mean he's ready to hand over the next shot at "Showtime," something he believes he's earned (in spite of this), to a guy who doesn't even compete in the same weight class.
Grant sounds off (via MMA Fighting):
"My opinion -- I'm a fan, and I love watching UFC fights. I watch all of them, whether they're people I'm potentially fighting or not, I enjoy it. Pettis against Aldo is an exciting fight. But, hey, I just won my last fight in two minutes. I knocked [Gray Maynard] out. I knocked the guy out before that. I feel like I've earned it. I feel like I'm the guy. I've been in the UFC a long time. I've never really gotten the push that I feel like I need but I've also built a lot of experience in fighting and haven't been in the spotlight, which is nice too. But I'm ready to be there and I'm ready to go out there. Give me the opportunity man. I feel like I've earned it... Let's go out there and do it. I'm not trying to sound like a 'Rampage' Jackson, but why do you need five rounds when you can sort it out in the first two or three minutes?"
He's already had one title shot stolen by way of dirty disrespect.
Pettis won the promotion's 155-pound strap by submitting Ben Henderson in the UFC 164 main event (video replay here), which took place last Saturday night (Aug. 31, 2013) at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Following his first-round finish over "Smooth," the champ put Aldo on blast.
And now "Junior" looks scared, according to UFC President Dana White.
When and where Pettis fights next remains to be seen. "Showtime" is nursing his temperamental knee, while Aldo is taking time off to heal a bum foot. That means neither belt could be on the line for the remainder of 2013, unless UFC matchmaker Joe Silva makes them an offer they can't refuse.
Time will tell.
For complete UFC 164 results and blow-by-blow coverage of all the night's action click here. To follow our story stream, including recaps, highlights, fallout and more, click here.