Fans were caught off guard when former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis decided to jump to 170 pounds and face Stephen Thompson. But for Pettis himself, a matchup against a fighter like “Wonderboy” is something he has been looking for his entire career.

“‘Wonderboy’ it’s just he is one of those guys I need to fight before I’m done,” Pettis told BJPenn.com. “Before I retire I want to fight in the fights I want, and personally, that was one of the fights I wanted. I like his style, I come from a Tae-Kwon Do background he comes from a Karate background. It is an entertaining fight. He is just one of those guys who will come to fight.”

“I talked to my team about it a long time ago and we knew ‘Wonderboy’ was available. There are a lot of wrestlers in 170. Like if it came down to a title fight it would make sense, but Thompson for me is a striking match. Traditional martial artist vs traditional martial artist, so it is a good matchup for me.”

Pettis did drop to 145 pounds to take on two fights, but returned to lightweight after the beating he took from current champion Max Holloway. He does recognize that there would be a size disparity from his end when he makes the jump to 170, but seems to be unbothered by it.

“I know I’m undersized. He is a natural 170, he has to cut down to 170,” Pettis said of Thompson. “I will not have to cut any weight at all. He is not the guy who will hold me down so the size is not that big of a deal. If a clean punch hits you it doesn’t matter if the guy weighs 155 pounds or 170 pounds, if it is clean, it is clean. I spar big guys all the time, so I’m not worried about it.”

As for competing in his third weight class in the UFC, the 31-year-old Pettis feels it would be a sensible decision at this point in his career.

“Honestly, at 155 I practically fought the entire division. There are a couple guys who I have fought that I want some rematches,” Pettis said. “The division is in a pause right now. Of course, some things need to be figured out, but I also thought of going to welterweight. I actually fought at welterweight early in my career in Wisconsin.

“I think if I go in there and I feel the way I feel, like the ’55 cut is getting harder, it takes away my energy and I think my performances have been hindered because my weight cuts are hard,” he added.

Pettis and Thompson are scheduled to square off inside the Octagon as the headliner fight for UFC Fight Night on ESPN+ 6 on March 23rd in Nashville.