Can a big win next Sunday get Anthony Pettis a shot at the title?

These days the lightweight division is looking very intriguing, especially now that Conor McGregor has thrown his hat into the race as a title challenger. Many lightweight contenders may be pretty peeved about the brash Irishman jumping the line to get an immediate title shot, but in reality it could be the best thing for the lightweight division, likely to give the weight class the most exposure its had in years. So many intriguing match ups open up if McGregor manages to pull the upset and defeat current lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos. Perhaps even more intriguing than the match up between McGregor and dos Anjos is undoubtedly a battle between the winner of the title and the man who last held the lightweight strap, Anthony Pettis. Ever since falling to dos Anjos last March in a failed title defense, many have been writing off Pettis calling him an overrated paper champion in some cases. The criticism is a bit harsh, especially when you consider the performances that the man nicknamed “Showtime” has been able to pull off in the cage. I invite you to try and find another person who has ran off the side of cage, fly through the air, and kick another trained professional fighter in the face. Don’t worry, I’ll wait. What? Couldn’t find anything? Well that shouldn’t be too surprising. Anthony Pettis is a pretty special athlete who still has tons of potential to grow into an even more dangerous mixed martial artist than he already is. He has shown how impressive he is with finishes of Donald Cerrone, Ben Henderson, and Gilbert Melendez, all three men who have either challenged or held the UFC lightweight title. With his fight against Eddie Alvarez looming at next Sunday’s UFC Fight Night 81 event all eyes will be on the former lightweight champion. Alvarez himself is coming off of a victory of Gilbert Melendez that has rocketed the former Bellator lightweight champion into UFC contender. If Pettis is able to dispatch Alvarez in spectacular fashion then there’s no doubt that he’ll deserve the next shot at the title. No offense to Alvarez, but here’s hoping we see some flying ninja action come Sunday night. Do you think Anthony Pettis will get the next title shot? Let us know in the comments and forums. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron MMA on Facebook and Twitter. Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Boost his ego and follow him on Twitter.