Sergio Pettis ex-coach Daniel Wanderley explains decision to train Patricio Pitbull for Bellator 297
Patricio Pitbull and Daniel Wanderley
Patricio Pitbull enlisted a special coach ahead of his quest for history at Bellator 297.
The Bellator featherweight king, who once held the company's lightweight belt, cuts down to bantamweight to challenge champion Sergio Pettis on Friday in Chicago. To prepare, he called jiu-jitsu coach Daniel Wanderley to join his camp. Wanderley worked at Roufusport MMA for many years, training the likes of Sergio and his brother Anthony Pettis.
"I have huge admiration and respect for Sergio - he's a great kid and great athlete," Wanderley said on MMA Fighting's Trocacão Franca podcast. "I had the pleasure of being part of his career for eight years, from 18 to 26, but unfortunately we took different paths."
Wanderley said he thinks Pettis is "very mature" and won't feel disrespected to see his former coach training his rival. In fact, Wanderley took Emmanuel Sanchez with him to Natal, Brazil, to help Pitbull prepare for Bellator 297. Sanchez fought the Brazilian twice, both times with Wanderley in his corner.
That said, Wanderley expects it to affect the Bellator champion.
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"I think he will be shocked to see me on the other side [of the cage]," Wanderley said. "I was behind him for eight years, in his corner, sharing hotel rooms for so many nights. We had a good connection, but it ended in a good way. It won't affect [the relationship]. Patricio is very professional and used this strategically. We're not insulting anyone, we haven't done anything.
"I'm glad he's treating this naturally, but I'm sure this will affect him a little bit. He lives 10 minutes away from my house, the fight is in Chicago, and I have two more students fighting on the same night, and our gyms have a healthy rivalry. I have a lot of people calling me names online, saying I'm a traitor, but I don't think I am. When I left Roufusport, they all had the option to continue training with me but chose not to come for personal reasons. Sergio has a new coach now, and I can't just stop."
Pettis hasn't fought since December 2021, when he knocked out Kyoji Horiguchi with a spinning backfist to defend his 135-pound crown and improve to 4-0 under the Bellator banner. Pitbull, on the other hand, won his past three by avenging a loss to A.J. McKee and then earning victories over Adam Borics and RIZIN champion Kleber Koike.
"I think Patricio will knock him down and end up submitting him with a guillotine or even a rear-naked choke," Wanderley said. "It happened with Emmanuel Sanchez the second time they fought. And having me here, a jiu-jitsu guy, I think Sergio Pettis will expect us to take him to the ground. I was impressed by Patricio's jiu-jitsu and he has great wrestling too. I saw things in training that he hasn't used in fights yet."
Sergio Pettis ex-coach Daniel Wanderley explains decision to train Patricio Pitbull for Bellator 297 originally appeared on NBC Sports
