Sergio Pettis
Active 2014–present · rated in 2 editions · peak overall 81.0
Scouting report
Sergio "The Phenom" Pettis later won the Bellator Bantamweight World Championship, knocking out Kyoji Horiguchi with a spinning back-fist. Born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin under Duke Roufus at Roufusport, Pettis defeated Joseph Benavidez and Brandon Moreno in the UFC using Taekwondo-based kickboxing, reflected in an 86 Kickboxing and 88 Cardio.
Peak ratings
By edition
Pettis put together a four-fight winning streak from late 2015 to 2017, outpointing Chris Cariaso, Chris Kelades, John Moraga and Brandon Moreno in a UFC Fight Night 114 main event in Mexico City. His boxing, footwork, and counter-striking across these matchups are reflected in an 84 Boxing and 88 Cardio.
In June 2018 at UFC 225 in Chicago, Pettis defeated Joseph Benavidez by split decision before dropping decisions to Jussier Formiga and bantamweight contender Rob Font in Milwaukee. His counter-striking and defensive reactions against top-ranked opposition across both weight classes are reflected in his 84 Boxing and 83 Fight IQ.
Sergio Pettis, a Roufusport kicker with a family name
Sergio Pettis, younger brother of Anthony, grew up in Milwaukee and trained under Duke Roufus at Roufusport. He beat Joseph Benavidez and Brandon Moreno in the top promotion, later won the Bellator bantamweight title with a decision over Juan Archuleta in 2021, and knocked out Kyoji Horiguchi with a spinning backfist. His taekwondo-based kicking made him a flashy flyweight. He is a good pick for players who value volume and movement over one big shot.
The Pettis ratings, explained
Boxing. Good. Crisp jabs and combinations behind his kicks.
Kickboxing. His second best number. Taekwondo-style kicks, spinning strikes and clean timing.
Wrestling. Below his striking. He prefers to stay on his feet.
BJJ. Fair. He can survive but does not chase submissions.
Strength. His lowest rating. He is a light, quick fighter.
Durability. Decent. He takes some punishment but avoids the worst.
Cardio. His best rating. He keeps a busy pace for the whole fight.
Fight IQ. Good. He reads angles and uses feints to set up strikes.
Cardio at 88 drives his volume
Pettis stays busy, and his cardio is the top number on the card. He throws kicks and jabs for the whole fight. If a match goes to the scorecards, his output often makes the difference. Kickboxing at 86 sits close behind, so the extra rounds are spent doing damage and not just moving.
Strength is the soft spot
At 70, Strength is his lowest attribute, well below everything else. A stronger opponent can bully him into the cage and neutralise his kicking. Team him with someone who handles those situations, or expect the fight to turn into a clinch battle he does not want.
Keep exploring
Closest flyweight profiles to Sergio Pettis, measured by how near their peak attribute ratings sit across all eight categories.
- Kyoji Horiguchibest cardio 90 · weakest strength 73
- Matheus Nicolaubest cardio 86 · weakest strength 71
- David Dvorakbest cardio 85 · weakest strength 71
- Manel Kapebest boxing 88 · weakest strength 75
- Flyweight division guide: how the whole division rates and who to draft from it.
- Protecting your streak: a guide that fits Sergio Pettis's strongest attribute, Cardio.
Draft Sergio Pettis into your build
Sergio Pettis enters the pool on any spin landing on flyweight between 2016 and 2019. Spin, draft eight attributes, then simulate 25 fights.
Ratings shown are my own estimates, made with AI assistance and informed by how Sergio Pettis is regarded by the MMA community. They are unofficial and do not constitute an assessment of Sergio Pettis's real-world abilities. How the ratings are made. See the disclaimer below. Ratings and write-ups by Haaris A. Last reviewed 2026-09-30; spot an error? Tell us. Read our editorial standards.