Anthony “Showtime” Pettis v. Michael Chiesa added to UFC 223

The lightweights are taking over Brooklyn. Another big match has been added to UFC 223 in Anthony Pettis v. Michael Chiesa. A verbal agreement was first confirmed by ESPN.

After a few days of speculation, the UFC made an official announcement on Twitter.

httpss://twitter.com/ufc/status/959135548215619584

This is another one of those must-win fights for both athletes. Pettis (20-7) has a 2-5 record since 2015. His last fight was against Dustin Poirier at UFC Fight Night 120 in November, where he lost via submission. A former UFC Lightweight Champion, “Showtime” was considered one of the best fighters in the sport today. Now, he is out of the top ten rankings and continues to take a dip.

Pettis faces a challenger currently in the lightweight top ten in Chiesa (14-3). After winning three fights in a row, “Maverick” lost to Kevin Lee via submission at UFC Fight Night 112 back in June. He had a big break between Lee and Beneil Dariush, who he fought much earlier in April of 2016. Currently 7-3 in the UFC, Chiesa will be a huge test for the struggling Pettis.

In a card full of lightweights (four), this bout is intriguing, based off the talent involved. Will “Showtime” shine once again or will the “Maverick” reign supreme?

UFC 223 takes place on April 7th inside the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. The main event features a Lightweight Championship bout between Tony Ferguson and challenger Khabib Nurmagomedov. The co-main event features Rose Namajunas defending her Strawweight Title against Joanna Jedrzejczyk. Tickets go on sale next week!