Pettis fires back at Thomson: 'I don't even know how he got the title shot'
Josh Thomson said Anthony Pettis should be able to fight with a torn PCL in November, calling surgery "pointless". The UFC lightweight champion is now firing back, saying Thomson's words are pointless.
"He's gonna talk, whatever," Pettis told FOX Sports. "I don't even know how he got the title shot to begin with."
Pettis and Thomson were supposed to meet last month at FOX UFC Saturday, but Pettis pulled out due to the PCL tear. 'Showtime' said he had a partial tear leading into his fight with Benson Henderson at UFC 164 in August. But when he started training for Thomson, it got worse and became a full tear.
"Initially, they said the injury would heal itself," Pettis said.
He said he doesn't regret the decision to have surgery at all, especially after hearing about Dominick Cruz withdrawing from next month's bantamweight title fight against Renan Barao. Cruz has been out more than two years after a pair of ACL surgeries and now he has a torn groin.
"I'm not gonna fight injured," Pettis said. "I'm 26 years old. I have a long career ahead of me."
Pettis said he still wants to fight twice in 2014 and targeted July or August for a return. He's a month out of surgery and said is leg is still a little sore because of all the promotional work he's doing. Pettis is the brand ambassador for Monster Products' Octagon headphones line and is in Las Vegas this week for the Consumer Electronic Show.
"I'm right on track," Pettis said of his return timetable.
When he returns, Pettis could end up getting Thomson after all. Thomson and Henderson fight Jan. 25 at FOX UFC Saturday in Chicago in what will likely amount to a No. 1 contender bout.
Pettis said part of him wants to see Thomson in the Octagon and not because he wants to shut him up -- because he knows he can beat him.
"I don't care, because that fight is good for me anyway," Pettis said.
