UFC Champ Talks Club Incident With Nick Diaz, Jon Jones Return Update, Pettis Needs Surgery

- This weekend rumors spread through social media that UFC welterweight Nick Diaz and UFC lightweight champ Anthony Pettis had gotten into an altercation in a nightclub. According to Pettis, who spoke recently to gathered media (video above, courtesy MMA Fight Corner), the incident was overblown.

"I think Twitter made it bigger than what it really was," Pettis said. "One of Nick Diaz's friends — I was taking pictures with a fan — had something to say. My family don't play, their family don't play, drinks got thrown, security came. Me and Nick Diaz never had a confrontation together. I think Twitter blew it up a little more than it was. That's normal for me in Milwaukee — it's nothing big."

Since taking the title, Pettis has been the target of every lightweight in the promotion. That extends to Nate Diaz, who's had no problem calling out the champ so far. Pettis said that he's comfortable with a target on his back though, and has no intention on giving ground.

- UFC president Dana White revealed earlier this month that light heavyweight champ Jon Jones had determined that the leftover injuries from his brawl with Alexander Gustafsson were going to prevent a planned February return against Glover Teixeira. Citing a persistent foot injury, Jones felt that he wouldn't be able to prepare adequately enough to show up at his best for the briefly scheduled UFC 171 bout with Teixeira.

Fortunately, the injuries aren't bad enough to keep him out of the cage much longer than that, as a report given by Ariel Helwani for UFC Tonight has the champ eyeing a March or April return to action.

- Unfortunately for Anthony Pettis, his knee injury will require a much longer hiatus. Pettis, who pulled out of a scheduled bout with Jose Aldo this summer with a knee injury, tore his left post cruciate ligament in his title-winning fight with Benson Henderson. Ariel Helwani reported for UFC Tonight that Pettis will require surgery to mend the injury, and that the procedure could keep him out for six to nine months.

Pettis is confident he'll be able to return to action by next summer and is scheduled to undergo surgery in early December. He was slated to face Josh Thomson in his first title defense around the same time.