Following a successful 2021 campaign in which he won both of his fights, Bellator welterweight champion Sergio Pettis ended up sitting out all of 2022 due to a torn ACL.
Eighteen months since his last fight, Pettis is finally healthy and ready to return to action. When he does, he’ll be a rejuvenated fighter, as the time off was ultimately a good thing for him.
“It was quite the journey,” Pettis told MMAWeekly.com. “(The Bellator welterweight grand prix) was one of the biggest opportunities of last year that I missed out on a million dollars, missed out on the possibility of having three fights.
“It was definitely humbling last year. I learned a lot. I learned to enjoy my life again without fighting and to be happy. It had been a while since I got to just sit back and not worry about the next fight or weight cut. I definitely took advantage of the situation and got to knock out a lot of stuff that I had been pushing off because of competition.”
During the time off, Pettis was able to unwind a bit and will return to action much more relaxed than he was when he fighting at a more breakneck pace earlier in his career.
“The difference was just how alive I got from that injury,” said Pettis. “I learned how to take care of myself outside of the gym. I actually sobered up, got into recovery, got my body back to normal.
“The stress as a fighter is a lot; the weight cut, missing out on a lot of family events, going and fighting another human being. It’s a scary job. To sit back and not have that anymore I definitely feel refreshed and motivated again.”
Sergio Pettis defends against Patricio ‘Pitbull’ Freire at Bellator 297
This Friday in Chicago, Illinois, Pettis (22-5) will defend his bantamweight title when he takes on featherweight champion Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (35-5) in the 135-pound co-main event of Bellator 297.
“I’m actually nervous as we speak. I’ve been nervous ever since I signed the contract to fight Patricio,” Pettis said. “He’s been a guy I’ve been watching for years. His record speaks for itself. He’s one of Bellator’s GOATs, so it’s a huge fight for me. I like the fights that give me a reason to get up, to run, and train. It’s very motivating.
“I feel for me to be successful out there I just have to go out there and fight like I do every other fight. Not put too much respect and treat him like another fighter, work, have fun, and just throw it out there. I feel like once I go out there and let loose, it will be a great fight for me.”
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Though he’s back in action, Pettis isn’t thinking about the remainder of his year, but rather what’s directly in front of him on Friday night.
“I’m a guy who doesn’t look too far ahead. I feel like when you look too far ahead there’s a chance you can screw things up, so I’m taking things day by day,” said Pettis. “I have a big task in fighting Patricio, so I’m not looking past that.”
Sergio Pettis: ‘I’m actually nervous’ ahead of Patricio Pitbull fight at Bellator 297
