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Two of the best striking mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters are set to collide at UFC 163 on Aug. 3, 2013 as Anthony Pettis challenges Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo.
Known for his laser-like accuracy and powerful punching, "Scarface" has dominated the 145-pound weight class for the last four years, dating back to his reign in the now-defunct World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) organization.
It's that very reputation that convinced Pettis to make the drop down from the 155-pound division, because according to "Showtime," he wanted to test himself against a fellow striker after spending the majority of his career facing wrestlers.
And when the two meet in the center of the Octagon in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Pettis is confident Aldo will bear witness to striking the likes of which he has never seen.
The Roufusport-trained fighter breaks to down to Bleacher Report:
"My whole career I've been fighting wrestlers. If you look back, all of my fights have been against wrestlers. Give me some strikers in front of me and you see how I perform. Another great reason why I chose to fight Aldo: He's a great fighter, he's a stand-up guy and he's going to test me. I feel like my stand-up's something he's never seen. He's not going to be able to find training partners that can do what I do. I'm used to the leg kicks. I've been kicked there since I was five, so I feel like my range is longer than him. I'm bigger than him, I can match him in speed and power and I've got a style like nobody else's."
Known for his flashy and innovative striking techniques, Pettis has dropped more than a few jaws with his creative and risk-taking techniques including the "Showtime kick" seen around the world that floored current UFC lightweight champ Ben Henderson back at WEC 53.
Anthony's elite-level striking was on full display in his last outing as he proceeded to walk right through Donald Cerrone at UFC on FOX 6 last January, finishing "Cowboy" in the very first round with an impressive "Knockout of the Night" winning kick to the body.
Riding a three-fight winning streak and seemingly on the brink of receiving his much-desired title shot in the lightweight division, "Showtime" requested a shot at "Scarface" at 145 pounds which, to the disappointment of some, he received.
Aldo, on the other hand, hasn't tasted defeat in over eight years, riding a 15-fight winning streak which includes victories over Urijah Faber, Cub Swanson, Frankie Edgar, Chad Mendes and Kenny Florian.
Will he add Pettis to that list? Or will "Showtime's" unique striking put an end to the Brazilian's title reign?
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