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Anthony Pettis vs. Clay Guida set, tapped headliner of TUF 13 Finale
Although promised a title shot, final WEC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis (13-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) instead will make his UFC debut against standout Clay Guida (28-11 MMA, 8-5 UFC) in the headliner of The Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale, MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has confirmed with event sources.
This past week UFC president Dana White mentioned the fight as a possibility, and today during a Q&A session ahead of UFC Fight Night 23, he said the fight is good to go.
Although White didn't mention a specific date for the fight, MMAjunkie.com has confirmed with sources it'll serve as the TUF 13 Finale headliner.
The event takes place June 4 at The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas and airs live on Spike TV.
"TUF 13," which begins production this month in Las Vegas, is a welterweights-only season of a reality series that first debuted in 2005. Junior Dos Santos and Brock Lesnar serve as head coaches of the show, which debuts March 30 on Spike TV. Non-cast members often headline the show's live finale.
Earlier this month, Mike Roberts, Pettis' manager, told MMAjunkie.com that the lightweight will not wait for a crack at the winner of a third fight between UFC lightweight champ Frankie Edgar and challenger Gray Maynard following a draw in their second meeting, which took place at UFC 125. Pettis was guaranteed the winner of the fight, though none emerged after the anticlimactic draw. He had the option to sit on the sidelines and await the winner of their third meeting, which comes at UFC 130, but he instead opted for a top-contender's fight.
Pettis earned his shot at UFC gold this past month with a show-stopping victory over then-champ Ben Henderson at WEC 53 that earned him the final WEC lightweight title. It marked his fourth consecutive win, and a fifth-round knockdown from a wall-walk kick proved one of the year's most popular highlights.
"It's unfortunate he doesn't get the title shot, but Anthony is confident, and we as a team are confident in his skills," Pettis' trainer, Duke Roufus, said. "He's got a golden opportunity even with this situation. We're very fortunate that he's been put in the contender position, let alone a shot at the title.
"He's going to take advantage of the opportunity and run with it."
Guida, meanwhile, is back in action after tapping out former PRIDE lightweight champion Takanori Gomi at UFC 125. The win earned him a $60,000 "Submission of the Night" bonus. Following the win, the shaggy-haired fighter, who's won three consecutive fights, said he's gunning for a title shot by the end of the year.
For the latest on The Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.