Pettis Defends Bantamweight Championship Title | Bellator 272

Pettis fired back with an upkick from the ground in Round 2, opening a cut below his challenger’s right eye. But for the majority of the fight, Horiguchi dominated and looked poised for a decision victory, leading in striking totals by a massive margin of 73-19. The dominance ended when the fight’s key scene unfolded in Round 4: After Pettis closely missed a high kick to Horiguchi’s head, the reigning champ swiftly fired a spinning back fist with his left that knocked his opponent out cold.

At 3:24 minutes, referee Todd Anderson stopped the main event fight with Pettis retaining his Bellator MMA Bantamweight Championship title. Already counted as a contender for ‘knockout of the year’, the brutal finish ended the season with a spectacular come-from-behind victory.

“I was just like, ‘Man, I’m losing this fight. I’ve got to do something spectacular.’ And it came out at the right time,” said Monster Energy’s Pettis upon defending his 135-pound division title at Bellator 272 on Friday night. “I needed to face some adversity and tonight, Horiguchi gave me all of that.”

What’s next for Pettis? In his post-fight interview, the champion shared plans to return to training immediately: “I had a tough time picking up his timing and rhythm. I’m only 28 and this fight showed me that I still have a lot to work on. I will be back in the gym soon.”

Looking ahead, Pettis will compete in the eight-man Bellator MMA Bantamweight World Grand Prix in 2022 for the 135-pound title and a $1 million prize.