Sergio Pettis

Sergio Pettis is a 32-year-old mixed martial artist from Milwaukee with one of the deepest resumes in modern combat sports. Since turning pro in 2011, he has competed in the UFC, Bellator, Rizin, and now the Professional Fighters League, accumulating 18 wins across a 23-fight career. He is the younger brother of former UFC Lightweight Champion Anthony Pettis and comes from a family with deep ties to martial arts in Wisconsin. After establishing himself as a reliable UFC competitor during a 14-bout stint from 2013 to 2019 (9-5 record, two Fight of the Night bonuses), Pettis signed with Bellator MMA in 2020 and captured the bantamweight title in 2021. He then successfully defended it twice, most memorably with a stunning spinning backfist knockout of Kyoji Horiguchi in the fourth round of their first encounter at Bellator 272 in December 2021, keeping the belt when all seemed lost.

Pettis is a cerebral, high-volume point fighter who has built his career on technical precision and intelligent distance management; 16 of his 25 career wins have come by decision. However, he is not merely a boring accumulator of points. He has submitted opponents with guillotine chokes, blindsided elite fighters with precisely timed strikes, and won split decisions over respected contemporaries like Joseph Benavidez and Brandon Moreno. His victories over notable opponents and his championship runs in two major organizations establish him as a crafty, resourceful competitor who thrives under pressure.

After losing his Bellator title to Patchy Mix in late 2023, Pettis moved to the PFL in 2025 and has won his first two fights, including a knockout of the Year contender over Magomed Magomedov in October 2025. As of April 2026, he is ranked #1 in the PFL bantamweight division. His career is marked by resilience: he has bounced back from defeats throughout his career and competed at the sport's highest levels across multiple organizations. Pettis remains hungry for another championship and is fighting with added motivation following the unexpected death of his mentor and longtime coach Duke Roufus in October 2025, channeling that grief into determination to recapture a belt.