PFL Champions Series: ‘Road to Dubai’ is quickly shaping up to be a scintillating affair. On the main card, Sergio Pettis, the brother of former UFC champion Anthony Pettis, will butt heads with Dagestan export Magomed Magomedov this Friday in Dubai. On the surface, it seems like Pettis has an easy shot at getting the win here. Magomed Magomedov has indeed struggled to maintain consistency in his last few fights—he’s 4-3 in his last seven outings. However, it doesn’t mean that Sergio Pettis is taking the Dagestan native lightly; a slip up and there goes the title shot.

During a recent exclusive interview with EssentiallySports, the former Bellator bantamweight champion not only doubled down on his goal to become champion but also shared some insight into his mentality going into the fight. Hoping the 33-year-old brings the fight to him, Sergio Pettis said, “I’m expecting a war, man. Magomedov’s a beast full around, you know. He’s an all-around athlete. He’s got a wrestling game, he’s got grappling, he’s got striking,” Pettis told Andrew Whitelaw during the interview. “100 percent, I do [think I’ll be champion].”

Despite the confidence, Pettis’ career hasn’t been a smooth ride, and, interestingly, he knew that was going to be the case well before he stepped inside an MMA cage. He may not have progressed as far in the UFC as his brother did, but the fight community recognized him for his resilience and discipline. While recalling the seven losses he’s suffered over his professional career, the 32-year-old admitted that he embraces the struggles that come with being an MMA fighter.

It helps him strengthen his mental fortitude and learn something from every new experience. “It’s [the mental aspect] just part of life, you know. I always knew I wasn’t going to be a perfect athlete, you know. I was young when I took my first loss. I got seven losses now,” the PFL star confessed.

“So, I haven’t had the perfect journey. I’ve had some great times in my journey. I’ve had some low times in my journey. But through it all, it’s a journey, and I have learned so much that I could apply to my life and teach my kid, and teach people in my life through this sport,” Sergio Pettis continued. ‘The Phenom’ explained that the lessons he’s learned throughout his MMA career have helped him evolve outside of the cage, and that is what true growth entails. Pettis praised mixed martial arts for teaching him valuable life lessons. Now, his focus is on attaining his long-term goals.

“You learn so much valuable information through the sport. Hard work, discipline, being present, obviously diet, cutting weight, you know. You learn a lot of good things that you could apply to your whole life,” Pettis said. “I’m in it for the long haul. I know that there’s going to be a bigger picture, and sometimes the pictures add up. But when it’s all going to be said and done, I’m going to look back at all this and be happy that I tried my best.”

Well, there is no doubt that this mentality will play a crucial role in his fight against Magomed Magomedov this Friday. The odds for the fight, meanwhile, are already out, and it appears that ‘The Phenom’ is not the pick of the oddsmakers because they have pitted him as the underdog.

Sergio Pettis pegged as the underdog against Magomed Magomedov

Although the Dagestan native’s recent run has been rocky and inconsistent, he has shown that he possesses strong submission skills. We can even take a look at his record, where he’s shown a knack for finishing his opponents, amassing 3 knockouts and 11 submission victories in 21 wins. As per the numbers on DraftKings Sportsbook, Magomedov has been placed as the favorite to beat the former Bellator champion.

To be precise, Sergio Pettis is the underdog at approximately +200, while his opponent stands at -245. Not only has Magomed Magomedov been tipped to win the fight, but some people also believe that he’s adding another finish to his resume, as they envision him tapping Pettis out or maybe putting him to sleep. But this isn’t the first time ‘The Phenom’ has been in this spot. In past instances, Pettis has found a way to outperform his opponent, as he will look to do here. Well, there are only a few hours to go for the PFL Champions Series, and we will see how these predictions turn out.

Sergio Pettis has spent more than a dozen years in the sport, but he’s only 32 years old. There is a lot of fighting left for him to do, but the goal remains the same, which is to capture gold once again. After hearing what he had to say during the exclusive interview with EssentiallySports about the mentality he’s had since he started fighting, what do you think? Does he have a shot? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.