Report | Bellator signs Sergio Pettis

Bellator MMA has reportedly signed former UFC flyweight and bantamweight contender Sergio Pettis to a multi-fight contract.

Sergio Pettis recently became a free agent when his UFC contract ran out. He decided to test the free-agent market, and evidently Bellator came up with the best offer for his services.

According to ESPN’s Ariel Helwani, Sergio Pettis has agreed to a deal with Bellator, though he has yet to officially put pen to paper. The contract should be finalized soon, according to the report. Pettis’ Bellator debut date and opponent have yet to be decided.

Sergio Pettis, the younger brother of UFC star Anthony Pettis, is just 26-years-old, making him one of the younger free agents to change promotions. Pettis holds an excellent 18-5 record in mixed martial arts, including a solid 9-5 record in the UFC.

During his UFC run from 2013 to 2019, Pettis defeated the likes of Joseph Benavidez, Brandon Moreno, John Moraga, Chris Cariaso and, in his most recent outing at UFC Mexico City, he defeated Tyson Nam by decision.

However, the one big knock against Pettis was that he never finished a fight in the UFC. 14 fights with no wins by knockout or submission is not something the UFC matchmakers were likely not thrilled about. In fact, only two of the 14 UFC fights Pettis had ended in a stoppage either way.

That being said, Sergio Pettis still had a great record in the Octagon with some big wins, including his victory over Benavidez which put him in the top-five at 125lbs. In Bellator he will likely be competing at 135lbs since they don’t have a flyweight division, though perhaps the promotion could introduce one now that Pettis has been signed.

Are you excited to see Sergio Pettis fight for Bellator?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 10/23/2019.