Former UFC lightweight champ Anthony Pettis dropping to featherweight

By ADAM HILL LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

9 years ago

Anthony Pettis speaks with reporters ahead of UFC 197 at the MGM Grand hotel-casino in Las Vegas on Thursday, April 21, 2016. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) Follow @csstevensphoto

Edson Barboza, right, and Anthony Pettis trade punches during a lightweight bout in UFC 197 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, April 23, 2016. Barboza won by unanimous decision. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) Follow @csstevensphoto

Former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis has decided to drop to 145 pounds in order to compete in the featherweight division after three consecutive losses.

Pettis announced the move on his Instagram page on Wednesday with a simple hashtag.

“#145intheworks,” Pettis posted as part of a caption to a photo of a workout at Jackson-Wink MMA in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Pettis, 29, lost the title to Rafael dos Anjos by unanimous decision in March 2015. He followed that up with a split decision loss to Eddie Alvarez in January and a unanimous decision loss to Edson Barboza in April.

He is targeting a late summer bout at featherweight, according to a source close to Pettis.

Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow him on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj