Anthony Pettis vs. Alex Morono in the works for Dec. 19 Fight Night

Former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis hopes to build a winning streak at 170 pounds after snapping a skid earlier this year.

Pettis and welterweight veteran Alex Morono have verbally agreed to face off at a UFC Fight Night event scheduled for Dec. 19 in Las Vegas. The news was first reported by ESPN.com.

Pettis told the UFC broadcast partner that he’s sought out the Morono fight for some time.

“My mindset has been so sharp,” he said. “I’ve gone back to being a student of the game and I feel myself moving over this plateau. I feel like I was plateaued for a while and it was just never-ending, but last month I went to Colombia and got a stem-cell injection and I’ve been working with a sports psychiatrist.

“I have these tools in my mental game and I’m eager to put them to use. I’m making real progress as a martial artist and it’s felt so good to reinvent myself.”

Pettis returned to the win column in May with a decision over his longtime WEC colleague Donald Cerrone at UFC 249. A unanimous decision snapped a two-fight skid that started with a decision setback against Nate Diaz followed by a submission loss against Carlos Diego Ferreira.

Morono is less than one month removed from his own rebound. The Texan outpointed Rhys McKee at UFC Vegas 14 to get back into the win column after a knockout loss to Khaos Williams.

The Dec. 19 event was scheduled to be headlined by a welterweight fight between top contender Leon Edwards and red-hot up-and-comer Khamzat Chimaev, but Edwards tested positive for COVID-19 and the bout was scrapped. Welterweights Stephen Thompson and Geoff Neal are expected to serve as the main event, according to multiple reports.