Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC

Anthony Pettis was just starting to find his swagger.

Well, it’s not like he’s ever lacked swagger, but he was really hitting his stride. His fade was getting tighter, his bling bigger and more blindingly reflective under the bright lights of the Octagon. He’s even on the Wheaties box. After winning the belt from Benson Henderson, and defending it ever-so-impressively against Gilbert Melendez, Anthony Pettis was in the zone. Talking the talk and walking the walk, he was the perfect blend of technique and confidence. He was a superstar waiting to happen.

Then, at UFC 185, it all came crashing down. It began with a veritable falcon punch from underdog challenger Rafael Dos Anjos, and ended with the UFC lightweight belt falling from Pettis’ waist. In just 25 minutes, the Pettis swagger had diminished to a bruised hobble. He was the champion no more.

In defeat, Pettis enters fairly unfamiliar territory. Yes, he had lost before UFC 185—two times, actually—but the loss to Dos Anjos marks the first real beating of his career, severe enough to bypass any talk of the kind of immediate rematches that are often afforded to champions after being upset by underdog challengers. And so, for the moment, Pettis returns to the shark-filled waters of lightweight contendership, forced to work his way back to the top the hard way.

The good news is that, at just 28 years old, and as one of the most exciting fighters in the game, Pettis has got plenty of exciting options ahead of him, many of which will point him right back in the direction of UFC gold. Let’s examine them.

The first and most obvious next-step for Pettis is a fight Nate Diaz, the younger of MMA’s most famous brothers. The two have traded barbs before; most recently when Diaz took to twitter express his thoughts on Pettis’ title loss with hashtags like “#Destroyed” and “#Rookie.” It’s not the stuff of epic grudge matches, but the two fighters have got some history, and more importantly, a matchup between them all but guarantees fireworks. A collision of Pettis’ versatile striking arsenal, and Diaz’s never-say-die grit couldn’t possibly fall short of awesome. And because Diaz remains a tough out for any fighter on the UFC’s lightweight roster, if Pettis can defeat him, he’ll be right back in the win column, back on the trail of gold.

The possibilities for Pettis don’t end there, either. As a lightweight, he’s got dozens of exciting choices. A matchup with surging contender Michael Johnson would be one hell of a gunfight, while a clash with fellow striking dynamo Edson Barboza would probably look like something out of Tekken or Street Fighter. Then there are fights with the likes of Bobby Green, Josh Thomson or former Bellator champ Eddie Alvarez. A win over any of these men would send Pettis rocketing right back into the lightweight title conversation.

The great thing about a fighter like Anthony Pettis, however, is that his options extend beyond lightweight. A quick glance at the big book of MMA history reminds us that, less than two years ago, Pettis was actually scheduled for a drop to featherweight, where he would challenge reigning champion Jose Aldo for the title. And while the former lightweight champion’s stock has taken a small hit since losing to Dos Anjos, Pettis vs. Aldo holds no less water today than it did back in 2013. It’d still be a scrap for the ages.

Now, of course, Jose Aldo is scheduled to fight Conor McGregor in July and may well lose his crown in that outing. But really, would a Pettis vs. McGregor fight be any less awesome than one pairing Pettis with Aldo? We’ve got two highlight reels, packed with spinning strikes and wicked knockouts that say that fight would be absolutely awesome too.

Of course, some might argue that having lost his last fight, Pettis doesn’t deserve a hypothetical shot at the winner of Aldo vs. McGregor. Perhaps this is true, but it’s not like the precedent for such things isn’t there. It was an identical situation, after all, that sent former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar careening into a fight with Aldo back in early 2013. And even if Pettis weren’t given an immediate shot at featherweight gold, he’s still got plenty of options at that weight. Imagine Pettis against the winner of Cub Swanson vs. Max Holloway or Chad Mendes vs. Ricardo Lamas. Either of those pairings would be awesome, and victory over any of the aforementioned men would unquestionably elevate Pettis to featherweight challenger status.

So, while it’s true that after UFC 185—one concussion and seven stitches later—Anthony Pettis finds himself at a new career low, he’s got ample opportunity to bounce back. The former champion has youth on his side, and more importantly, he’s helped by his ownership of one of MMA’s most exciting offensive toolboxes, and the ability to compete at two weight classes. It’ll take some hard work, but with options abound, Anthony Pettis can, and very well will wear UFC gold again.

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