UFC Report: Lightweight Champion Anthony Pettis Injured, but Still Expected to Fight

UFC lightweight champion Anthony “Showtime” Pettis has reportedly suffered a knee, although it doesn’t appear serious enough to force him out of the first scheduled defense of his title.

Pettis is slated to put his belt on the line against Josh Thomson at UFC on Fox 9 on Dec. 14 in Sacramento, Calif.

UFC president Dana White told Fox Sports on Saturday night that Pettis has a knee injury, but is expected to be ready by fight time a month from now. He explained to Fox’s Mike Chiappetta that Pettis has spent the last two days in Las Vegas with Dr. Steven Sanders, an orthopedist at Bone & Joint Specialists.

“He’s going to fight,” White said. “For sure.”

Pettis won the belt by submitting Benson Henderson at UFC 164 in August. It marked the second time that Pettis had taken a belt from Henderson, whom he defeated for the WEC lightweight championship on that promotion’s final event before Zuffa – the parent company of the UFC – shut it down.

Thomson is a former Strikeforce lightweight champion, another promotion that Zuffa purchased and eventually shuttered.

Pettis is not expected to need surgery to be ready for UFC on Fox 9.