Anthony Pettis on Nate Diaz: 'I definitely want to kick his ass'

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis ended up hearing after the fact that Nate Diaz wants a piece of him.

Diaz was an assistant coach on Gilbert Melendez's team on The Ultimate Fighter 20 opposite Pettis.

After the filming finished, Diaz, who has been sitting out for the past year, unhappy with his contract, began popping off about the champ.

As far as Pettis is concerned, if Diaz wanted a piece of him, he should have said something during the filming of the show.

"I definitely want to kick his ass," Pettis said at Friday's Fan Club Q & A at Sleep Train Arena. "Anyone in my weight class, I want to kick his ass. But, he had his chance. I was on that show with him seven weeks, and I've seen him every day and every day he didn't say anything. Once the show's over, he wanted to talk afterwards, that doesn't matter. He could have said something, he didn't say anything."

Pettis has been out of action for a year since he won the title from Benson Henderson at UFC 164 in Milwaukee, first due to a knee injury, and then in order to film TUF. He'll return on Dec. 6 in Las Vegas to meet Melendez in his first title defense.

But one long-rumored opponent is still on Pettis's radar: Jose Aldo Jr., the current featherweight champion, pending the outcome of Aldo's rematch with Chad Mendes in October.

"That fight's going to happen, man," Pettis said of Aldo. "I think if Chad beats Aldo, [And Aldo] goes to 155, we'll have that fight. I think if vice versa happens, all the more reason we fight."