• UFC

Pettis hits back at 'jealous' Maynard over scrub comment

Anthony Pettis beat Ben Henderson in his last outing © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Pettis alerts ref to Guida's suffocation tactics
  
• News: Miller heading for collision with Henderson
  
• News: 'I'm not even 30% right now' - Edgar
  
• News: Edgar v Maynard scrapped from UFC 130
  
• News: Maynard belittles threat of Anthony Pettis
  

Anthony Pettis has responded to Gray Maynard's claim that he is yet to fight anybody in his MMA career, labelling the UFC lightweight division's No. 1 contender "jealous".

Right now, Maynard is where Pettis wants to be, top of the queue for a crack at 155lb champion Frankie Edgar. Maynard had been set for a title challenge at UFC 130, only for injuries to wipe him and Edgar off the card.

Pettis can ensure he is first in line to face the winner of Edgar v Maynard, by beating Clay Guida at the TUF 13 Finale. However, Maynard has questioned whether Pettis deserves such a promotion after just one UFC fight, insisting the former WEC champion has not fought anybody compared to UFC veterans such as Jim Miller.

"Let's look at who he's fought," Maynard told MMA FA.tv recently. "Ben Henderson is the best name. And I don't mind fighting him; I don't care if I win the belt and then I have to take him on.

"But for me, guys like Miller, [Gilbert] Melendez and all of these guys who have been on the f***ing grind, fighting the best competition for the past few years… that's what I look at.

"Who have you fought? I don't care about how good you looked when you fought a scrub. That doesn't matter. If a guy isn't good then you're not supposed to look good."

Pettis, who's UFC debut is eagerly anticipated following his Showtime kick against Ben Henderson, responded by accusing Maynard of jealousy.

"I feel bad for all the guys in the WEC, he's downgrading all the WEC fighters who are doing very well in the UFC," Pettis told Heavy.com.

"I feel like he might be a little jealous of my levels of success so fast. I'm probably the most popular UFC fighter that hasn't fought in the UFC yet."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.