UFC lightweight, Anthony Pettis, wants to fight a top contender before the end of 2011 according to mmamania.com.

"I'd love to get back in there by the end of the year. That'd be ideal. There's match ups going on right now and it doesn't seem too promising. But I'll be healthy and get ready and if anybody gets hurt or injured, I'll be ready," Pettis said.

Pettis is fresh off of a split decision win over tough as nails, Jeremy Stephens, at UFC 136. Coming into the UFC in early 2011 as the WEC's last lightweight champion, many considered Pettis as an immediate challenger for the lightweight title. However a unanimous decision loss to Clay Guida in his UFC debut put a temporary halt to his title aspirations. But now at the heels of a successful rebound, Pettis looks to take the next step towards being a contender once more.

"Man, anybody in the top five that will be get me one step closer to a title shot, I'm interested in fighting. There are a lot of interesting match ups coming up and there were a lot of interesting match ups on the card I was on UFC 136. I potentially could have my next opponent in there," Pettis said.

The last man to defeat Pettis, Guida, is now set to fight Ben Henderson at UFC on Fox in a bout that will determine the number one contender in the lightweight division. Guida is riding a four fight win streak which includes the win over Pettis and former Pride lightweight champion, Takanori Gomi. Opposing him is Henderson who sports back to back wins and last defeated a lightweight contender in Jim Miller at UFC Live: Hardy vs. Lytle via unanimous decision.

"I think Ben Henderson's gonna walk away with the 'W.' I feel he's on a tear. I think I motivated him the way Guida motivated me. He's looks like he means business and he's wrestling and he's striking well. He did very well against Jim Miller and Miller was considered the number one contender not too long ago. I think Henderson pulls off a victory in that one and I think Clay, he's gonna have to try to strike with him. Henderson's wrestling is very good and I don't think he's gonna be able to hold him down," Pettis added.

Looking ahead, Pettis just wants to continue to fight against the best the UFC has to offer. Among the possible match-ups is a scrap with Donald Cerrone, a former WEC fighter as well. Cerrone is currently scheduled to fight Dennis Siver at UFC 137. Should Cerrone emerge victorious and relatively healthy, a bout with Pettis is possible before years' end.

"Yeah, it'd be very interesting. I think that'd be a good and very interesting match up. I'm gonna have to go with Cerrone in that fight versus Siver. I think Cerrone has a little bit more overall skill than Siver does. That'd be a very interesting match up that could have happened a lot of times already. That'd be a banger man. Cerrone always brings it. He has very good striking and a good ground game. I don't think either of us would be trying to shoot too hard. It'd be a good stand up war," Pettis said.