UFC Quick Quote: Anthony Pettis would fight Nate Diaz as an ‘easy payday’

"I heard his interview and it just makes me laugh. I mean, the guy just got head kick knocked out by a pretty good striker, but for him to call me out it's funny to me because my striking is one of the best in the lightweight division. I think he's trying to keep his name relevant and trying to stay in the mix, but I mean after losing like that it's - there's not much more you can do in the lightweight division. I think he's going to be moving back to welterweight and again, the comments are funny to me and if he does want to fight I'll take an easy payday."

-- Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) duel-division competitor Anthony Pettis replies to a recent challenge made by former lightweight title challenger Nate Diaz. In a lengthy and revealing interview with BJPenn.com, Diaz expressed interest in a fight with "Showtime," even though Pettis is currently booked for a fight against featherweight champion Jose Aldo this summer and in the very same interview Diaz stated a return to the welterweight division was likely in his future. While he is currently at the top of not one-but two divisions and Diaz is on a two-fight losing streak, Pettis would be willing to scrap The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) season five winner merely for an "easy payday." The Duke Roufus trained fighter seems to believe that if Diaz couldn't handle the striking of Josh Thomson in their UFC on FOX 7 match up last month, there is no way Diaz could handle Pettis -- a man many believe to have the best striking not just in his weight class, but in all of mixed martial arts (MMA).