By Hunter Homistek

Anthony Pettis is making the drop to 145 pounds.

The former UFC lightweight champion announced his intent to move to featherweight in an Instagram post Tuesday evening.

The news is exciting. While Pettis has lost three straight—two of which were absolute blowouts—he still brings a dynamic attacking style to the cage, and his ground game is mighty. It won him the UFC title and led to one successful defense, causing many to wonder, "Who can possibly beat this guy?"

But after his recent skid, the question turned into "Who can this guy beat?" 

Will a drop to 145 be the switch Pettis needs? Only time will tell, but for now, let's take a look at some of the match-ups available for him at 145.

Here are three worthy candidates to face Pettis in his featherweight debut.



1. Renan Barao

Tell me if this sounds familiar: UFC champion looks unbeatable, loses, then can't re-establish his groove inside the cage. That's Pettis, right?

That's also Renan Barao.

The former UFC bantamweight champ was considered by some a pound-for- pound great in the sport before T.J. Dillashaw knocked him out at UFC 173. Then, Dillashaw did it a second time at UFC on Fox 16, and many wondered how Barao would rebound.

In response, Barao moved 10 pounds north to featherweight, where he lost to Jeremy Stephens in his divisional debut. Despite the loss, Barao showed some improvements. He's not done just yet, and a matchup against Pettis would reveal which man is ready to get back on track.

It's worth noting that Barao, despite competing at 135 in the past, did not appear significantly smaller than Stephens—who is a former lightweight—at UFC Fight Night 88. 



2. Ricardo Lamas

Ricardo Lamas, unfortunately, has become a gatekeeper at 145 pounds.

After losing to Jose Aldo at UFC 169 in a bid for the featherweight strap, Lamas rattled off two victories before losing again, this time to another featherweight title challenger in Chad Mendes.

Again, Lamas bounced back with a win, defeating Diego Sanchez via unanimous decision. Then, he ran into Max Holloway, the red-hot Hawaiian who has now won nine straight. Holloway defeated Lamas via decision at UFC 199, throwing his own name into contention at 145.

If Pettis wants to reach the top at featherweight, he'll almost certainly need to get through Lamas to get there. "The Bully" is no easy out for anyone, and Pettis can immediately prove he belongs by defeating him inside the Octagon.



3. Chad Mendes

Chad Mendes has competed for UFC featherweight gold three times.

The Team Alpha Male product is unquestionably one of the best in the game, but he hasn't cleared that final hurdle. Like Lamas, Mendes is a well-rounded, powerful fighter with excellent instincts and experience against the finest in the world.

Mendes, like Pettis, is currently riding the worst streak of his career. He's lost back-to-back bouts for the first time as a pro, both via knockout—one to Conor McGregor and one to Frankie Edgar. His wrestling could be the difference against Pettis, who has shown an inability to fight effectively when pressured in the past.

Mendes would not only help us gauge where Pettis stands at featherweight, he'd prove that Pettis has—or hasn't—improved one of the most glaring holes in his game.

Both guys need a win, and the matchup is an interesting one. Pettis vs. Mendes makes all kinds of sense moving forward.