With Aldo, Grant possible, Pettis knee injury leaves post-UFC 164 move unclear

MILWAUKEE – As relatively quick as Anthony Pettis‘ second win was over Benson Henderson, it wasn’t exactly painless.

Following UFC 164, UFC President Dana White told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that Pettis popped his knee during the fight. The new lightweight champion said it wasn’t the knee that he previously injured, however.

Still, it’s unclear whether Pettis (17-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC) will for now be kept from the match he requested following his first-round submission of Henderson (19-3 MMA, 7-1 UFC).

“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” White said. “No sense in even talking about another fight right now.”

UFC 164 took place Saturday at Milwaukee’s Bradley Center. The event’s main card aired live on pay-per-view following prelims on FOX Sports 1 and Facebook.

That other fight White is talking about is, of course, featherweight champ Jose Aldo, who Pettis was scheduled to meet at UFC 163 before a knee injury forced him to withdraw.

Pettis sustained a tear to his right lateral collateral ligament (LCL) in training for the Aug. 3 pay-per-view fight, and featherweight Chan Sung Jung stepped in to take his place. But his injury was not severe enough to keep him from being a fill-in when T.J. Grant, who in May earned a title shot, was forced to withdraw due to a concussion suffered in training.

With Pettis’ victory over Henderson, Grant might have seemed to be his next logical fight. But the new champ told UFC commentator Joe Rogan that he wanted Aldo.

“We have unfinished business,” said Pettis, who didn’t mention his knee during his post-fight interview.

At the post-event press conference, Pettis said an MRI would determine what’s next for him.

“I’m not sure yet,” he said. “Henderson threw a kick and I went to check with my left leg, and he hit right in the crook of the knee, so I felt it go back and forth.

“So I don’t know what happened. I stepped on it, and it was hurting a little bit, so when he had me on the cage, it was starting to lock up a bit. I’m not sure what happened. We’ll find out pretty soon.”

Regardless of injury, Pettis said he still wants to beat Aldo. He didn’t specify whether he would like the fight at featherweight or lightweight.

“I’m here to prove I’m the best in the world,” he said. “Anybody around my weight class that’s contemplating coming to 155 or even at 145 – his coach said I faked an injury. I would never fake an injury. I’m not afraid to fight anybody, and that’s what that was all about. If he wants to fight me, let’s make it happen. I’m ready.”

For complete coverage of UFC 164, stay tuned to the UFC Events section of the site.

(Pictured: Anthony Pettis)