Eight fights into his professional career, 20-year-old Sergio Pettis is no longer talking about taking it slow. He wants to follow his brother’s footsteps into the UFC.

“That’s what I’m hoping for, and I’m ready to step up to the next level,” Pettis told MMAjunkie.com Radio. “This is the time to do it. I’m young, and why waste my youth?”

Pettis’ older brother, Anthony Pettis, was 22 years old when he made his debut in the Zuffa-owned WEC. Following a setback in his second bout for the now-defunct promotion, he won four straight fights and captured the lightweight title from Benson Henderson. This past month, more than two years after a loss in his UFC debut, he beat Henderson again to win the UFC lightweight title.

“He’s at a very high level, and he’s very successful,” Sergio Pettis said. “I’m very happy for my brother, and one of these days, I’m going to be up there joining him.”

The younger Pettis (8-0) said he’s got a different style than his brother. He considers himself more of a technician than someone who leans heavily on flashy techniques. At the same time, though, he said he possesses the same ability to wow the crowd with high-flying techniques. One month prior to his next fight, which comes against James Porter (5-1) in a bantamweight title bout for regional promotion NAFC, Pettis is looking to show the UFC exactly what he can do in the cage.

NAFC “Battle in the Ballroom” takes place Saturday at Eagles Club Grand Ballroom in Milwaukee, the hometown of the Pettis clan.

“I’m working on my confidence and throwing stuff that I usually throw in the gym,” Pettis said. “I have these crazy moves that I usually hold back a little bit, but this fight I’m going to let loose and show everybody that I’m ready for the next step in my career.”

He’s received a morale boost from his older brother’s victory, which came this past month at UFC 164. It took just under five minutes for big bro to lock in an armbar for the win, which also earned him a “Submission of the Night” bonus.

“He made it look easy, so I’m definitely using that momentum,” Pettis said. “He’s helping me during training camps, telling me what to look out for.”

Already, the undefeated Pettis is aware of the expectations and comparisons as he attempts to build a career. He transitioned from amateur to pro at age 18 despite just four amateur bouts, and was thrust into the spotlight as a signee of Resurrection Fighting Alliance, which maintains itself as an unofficial feeder league for the UFC.

“There is pressure, and that’s good,” Pettis said. “I like the pressure. It makes me want to work harder and catch up to my brother.”

At 8-0, it seems only a matter of time before UFC matchmakers attempt to recruit him, and his willingness to compete at either flyweight or bantamweight makes him an even more attractive candidate, though he admits 125 is a tough weight cut.

“Plus, I’m only 20 years old,” Pettis said. “So I’m seeing how my body develops. Maybe 135 will be my home, or 125. We’ll see.”

In either case, Pettis could find a contract waiting in his inbox if victorious over Porter.

“He’s a jiu-jitsu guy, so he’s going to want to take me down and beat me up on the floor,” Pettis said of his opponent. “He keeps it standing a little bit. He switches stances a lot, from what I’ve seen.

“He’s trying to knock me out and end my career. He doesn’t want me to make it to the big show, so he’s coming to try to finish me, and I’m going to try to prevent that from happening.”

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