Anthony Pettis vs. Justin Gaethje in works for early 2019 UFC event

anthony-pettis-flexes-during-ufc-weigh-ins

Anthony Pettis seen here posing during the ceremonial weigh-ins before UFC 229. (John Locher/AP)

A matchup between two of the most entertaining lightweights of their era is in the works.

According to multiple reports, former 155-pound champion Anthony Pettis and fan favourite Justin Gaethje will meet at an early 2019 UFC event.

Pettis (21-8) has alternated wins and losses over his past six fights, most recently losing to Tony Ferguson at UFC 229 in October. Pettis was doing well in a thrilling tilt with Ferguson, but he sustained a broken hand and his corner stopped the bout in between the second and third round resulting in a TKO loss.

Gaethje (19-2) bounced back from the first two losses of his MMA career with a first-round knockout victory over James Vick in August. Gaethje is known for his brawling style and it has resulted in him receiving five post-fight bonuses (three Fight of the Night, two Performance of the Night) in his first four UFC bouts.

The bout has yet to be made official by the UFC and the fight date is unclear. The UFC has two events scheduled for January and another four scheduled to take place in February.

[relatedlinks]

When submitting content, please abide by our submission guidelines, and avoid posting profanity, personal attacks or harassment. Should you violate our submissions guidelines, we reserve the right to remove your comments and block your account. Sportsnet reserves the right to close a story’s comment section at any time.