Anthony Pettis arrived in Paris late Tuesday night time for one goal — to arrange a future combat in opposition to former GLORY kickboxing champion Cedric Doumbe.
With a boxing match already booked in opposition to Chris Avila for July, Pettis obtained a name from PFL to gauge his curiosity in combating Doumbe. It wasn’t lengthy after that dialog that Pettis boarded a flight certain for France, the place he’ll now sit cageside to look at Doumbe conflict with Jaleel Willis within the Bellator Paris co-main occasion on Friday.
“[PFL] need me to combat Doumbe,” Pettis instructed MMA Combating on Wednesday, “if he has efficiency this Friday, which I’m up for as effectively. The place I’m at in my profession, with regards to blended martial arts, I’m searching for thrilling, enjoyable fights. The man has to have a reputation and one thing behind him. Cedric checks most of these packing containers, in addition to his final combat.
“That was the one factor I instructed PFL. His final combat, I didn’t like the end result of that. He has to do one thing spectacular for me to need to combat this man and make it make sense.”
In Doumbe’s earlier outing, he suffered his first skilled MMA loss after complaining to referee Marc Goddard a couple of splinter in his foot. When Goddard commanded him to maintain combating, Doumbe primarily requested for a timeout to handle the splinter reasonably than have interaction together with his opponent.
A second later, Goddard waved off the combat and Doumbe suffered a loss in consequence.
“He nonetheless has rather a lot to be taught with regards to blended martial arts,” Pettis stated of Doumbe. “He doesn’t just like the ahead strain and combating off his again foot, and the extent adjustments gave him issues. They didn’t give him a straightforward combat. His final opponent was a tricky man. That dude was good. He was an excellent check at that time in his profession, nevertheless it confirmed the holes in his blended martial arts recreation. Nice striker, however you set him on that again foot and you alter ranges, he second-guesses himself. He doesn’t need to be in there. We noticed with the splinter.
“If he wished to combat and win that combat, it was one spherical to 1 spherical, that was his f*cking combat to go, and he didn’t do it. That’s what I instructed PFL. My curiosity fell again slightly after that final one, however then they set him up with this one, which needs to be an excellent KO, an excellent end.”
Greater than anything, Pettis says that’s what he has to see out of Doumbe on Friday to maintain him within the combat.
After beating legendary boxer Roy Jones Jr. in April 2023, Pettis has alternatives out there to him just like the combat with Avila on the Jorge Masvidal vs. Nate Diaz card in July. Pettis has no downside sticking to boxing for now if Doumbe doesn’t get the job executed at Bellator Paris.
“He must be spectacular,” Pettis stated. “I’m right here to see him catch a knockout. That is his hometown. I do know he’s obtained an enormous fan base out right here. That’s what I’m searching for. Someone with a reputation. He checks quite a lot of these packing containers however he’s nonetheless younger in his profession, he’s an up-and-coming man.
“If he goes on the market and shits the mattress on Friday, I’ll most likely stick with boxing and do one other boxing combat earlier than we do one other MMA combat. But when he goes on the market and impresses and does what he’s purported to do, we’ll arrange a match on the finish of the 12 months.”
Pettis is “very acquainted” with Doumbe’s profession going again to his dominant kickboxing run, however a combat between them would happen underneath MMA guidelines — and that’s very completely different.
There’s an extended record of kickboxers who transitioned to MMA and struggled to search out success. Pettis is aware of he would serve a large step up in competitors for Doumbe, and it could be sink or swim for the previous GLORY standout in solely his seventh professional combat.
“I used to be very shocked [PFL wanted this fight], however not together with his kickboxing pedigree,” Pettis stated. “I feel what the PFL wants is thrilling fights. When that final combat occurred, they’d an excellent viewers, Paris was packed out and the ending form of f*cks up that complete factor they constructed up. So I feel they’re attempting to rebound from that and so they know his combating model and my combating model matches for a enjoyable, nice combat. I’m not coming again to attempt to combat for a title in PFL or Bellator proper now. I’m solely coming again to MMA for enjoyable fights, ones that make sense, and ones I do know I can go on the market and carry out effectively.
“You noticed it in his final combat. Each time that dude modified ranges and he was on his entrance foot, Doumbe was on his again foot and retreating and didn’t look as harmful. He seemed very human. The combat earlier than that, he obtained to get off slightly bit and extra ahead and also you noticed that outcome. I do know his energy is coming ahead and attempting to be kickboxing, however it is a blended martial arts combat. My jiu-jitsu is night time and day completely different than him, Hanging for blended martial arts, I’ve far more expertise than him. I’ve fought more durable guys. First he’s obtained to look spectacular, after which I’ll break down what I’ve obtained to do to beat this man.”
