The UFC recently lost one of its most popular fighters and former champions when Anthony Pettis signed a contract last December to join the Professional Fighters League, citing the structured season of the promoter and a $1 million payday to each division’s winner.

Pettis, a 34-year-old, won his first MMA title in World Extreme Cagefighting, winning the lightweight championship back in December 2010 with one of the most iconic moments in the sports industry – the Showtime Kick, which knocked out Benson Henderson in the closing seconds of the match. After UFC and WEC merged, Anthony Pettis won the lightweight title again in July 2013, which he held until March 2015.

His first fight in the PFL will be the headliner against Clay Collard. The match is scheduled for April 23 in Las Vegas, where he will begin his great journey to unseat Natan Schulte, who is a two-time champion. The Milwaukee native remains active in the martial arts scene in the city, having recently started the Showtime Group, which is a fighters management company and owning Taekwondo academies

Anthony Pettis Moving From UFC to the PFL

Pettis shares that he was camping up to the last couple of fights on his UFC contract. Earlier this year, he just decided that he would fight it out and see where he wanted to go from there and go into free agency. He says that PFL then reached out to him with a great deal, a special approach that’s more like a partnership.

Evolution of Training

Anthony Pettis claims that training has been crazy and that back in the days when he first started, no one knew what they were doing. They were all kind of just making it up as they would go along. They were combining wrestling, combining Jiu-Jitsu, separating kickboxing, Muay Thai, Taekwondo, and kickboxing.

As his work is progressing, he is starting to get a method and the safest way to make it into a fight. Pettis also says that earlier in his career, it was very hard for him to make it to these fights because he was just training like crazy.

The Met Gala is undeniably the crown jewel of fashion, where bold concepts and intricate tailoring come together for a night like no other. In addition to the usual suspects, this year’s event attracted many athletes who walked off the court, field, track, and floor, and onto the red carpet at the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the 2021 Met Gala. Singer Billie Eilish and tennis player Naomi Osaka were among the co-hosts of this unforgettable night for fashion.

So, who are the athletes that had everyone talking about their marvelous outfits?

But First… What Was the Theme of the 2021 Met Gala?

Like every other year, this edition of the Met Gala too had a special theme that guests had to adapt in their outfits. The 2021 theme was “American independence,” where creators were encouraged to celebrate American design in all its glory and details. The triumphant return on September 13 didn’t fail to satiate the public’s hunger for glamorous looks, iconic photo moments, and most importantly — creative interpretations of the reigning theme. These five athletes definitely stole the spotlight.

1. Naomi Osaka

Tennis star Naomi Osaka co-hosted this year’s Met Gala and stunned everyone with a beautiful Louis Vuitton dress that she walked down the red carpet together with her boyfriend Cordae.

2. Simone Biles

One of the most stunning outfits at this year’s Met Gala definitely belongs to Olympic gymnast Simone Biles. The talented athlete wore a Swarovski crystal-covered AREA Couture x Athlete gown that was so heavy it required the help of six people for her to be able to walk around.

3. Serena Williams

The marvelous tennis star was joined by her husband, Alexis Ohanian. Serena is no stranger to high fashion, and her choice for the evening did not disappoint. She wore a silver lace catsuit with pink stars by Gucci which she paired with a statement-making ombre pink feather cape. Talk about making an entrance – right?

4. Lewis Hamilton

The F1 superstar graced the red carpet of the Met Gala wearing an eccentric Kenneth Nicholson outfit. When interviewed about the event, Hamilton called the night “pure magic.” His outfit certainly was!

5. Allyson Felix

While everyone was sad to learn Allyson Felix decided to finish her Olympic career in Tokyo, fans were happy to see her in a whole new light at the Gala. The athlete wore a beautifully tailored, billowing feathered dress by Fendi that had all eyes glued on her.