T.J. Grant (photo via UFC.com)

By FCF Staff

It looks like TJ Grant will get a shot at the lightweight title next after all, as the UFC has announced that the former welterweight will be the first to challenge newly crowned champion Anthony Pettis.

UFC President Dana White announced the news on ESPN’s “Sports Center”, and the promotion has also confirmed the match-up via Twitter. In addition, the UFC has relayed that the knee injury Pettis incurred during his UFC 164 bout with Benson Henderson was a Grade 2 sprain, and that “Showtime” will need 7 to 8 weeks to recover.

No details regarding when the bout might take place were released.

Pettis called out featherweight champion Jose Aldo Saturday night, after he caught Henderson with a first round, armbar. The two were originally scheduled to fight at UFC 163 last month, but Pettis had to drop out due to a knee injury.

Grant, however, was booked to fight Henderson after he stopped Gray Maynard at UFC 160 in May. A concussion he incurred during training, however, forced him to withdraw. The victory was the punishing striker’s fifth straight since he dropped down from welterweight.

The UFC has also announced that a super fight between Aldo and Pettis is likely, provided “Showtime” defeats Grant first. The promotion also mentioned in a follow up tweet that Gilbert Melendez “is also in the mix for a title shot.”