'This is wrong!'… Bellator champs, including Patricio Pitbull, scorch PFL over inactivity
11/24/2024 12:26 PM
Some of Bellator’s biggest names are becoming increasingly frustrated with the PFL’s lack of events since the promotional takeover last year.
Bellator titleholders Patricio Pitbull, Patchy Mix, and Corey Anderson are a few of the latest big-name fighters to air grievances against PFL since the 2023 merger.
Mix and Anderson both fought earlier this year but are becoming increasingly agitated with the PFL’s alleged lack of transparency in booking their returns. As of this writing, the next Bellator Champions Series event is scheduled for January, featuring a Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Paul Hughes headliner.
The PFL made waves across mixed martial arts when they purchased Bellator last year, bringing two of the top MMA rosters under one roof. The initial excitement from fight fans, pundits, and fighters signaled a new era for MMA and a potential competitor to the UFC.
But, things haven’t gotten off to a great start this year for the PFL-Bellator marriage. Several top names, including Gegard Mousasi, have spoken out against the PFL for alleged contract breaches and other issues.
To cap off an up-and-down year for PFL and Bellator, three champions, including Pitbull, took to social media to share their experiences.
Bellator champs speak out against PFL’s fighter treatment and inactivity
Pitbull, who was scheduled to return this month before the event’s cancelation, was among the first to recently speak out against the PFL.
“I haven't fought since February. I wanted to fight 3x this year, but I was told I'd have to wait until December 31st and found out online my opponent would fight someone else,” Pitbull shared on X. “Then they had a replacement, I bring people over, spend more money with the camp and there's no fight…
“This is wrong,” Pitbull continued. “We need answers, we need the fighters and fans to be respected. This is not a game or just some business, these are people's lives we are talking about. A serious promotion would give fighters the chance to fight at least 3 times a year if they're healthy.”
Anderson, the Bellator light heavyweight champion, took a more tranquil approach to implore the PFL to get him a fight.
“Aging like warm cheese over here waiting for [PFL] to give me a call. But don’t get it twisted…. we still ready to defend the strap against ANYBODY! Young or Old!!” Anderson posted on X.
Mix, arguably the top bantamweight in MMA, is fed up with the PFL’s lack of communication since he defended his bantamweight title in May against Magomed Magomedov.
“I've been training my ass off for the last half of year for nothing. This is frustrating in the prime of my career and I've had my fight in November cancelled?” Mix said on X. “Then now again I'm being told I'm off January Dubai card? I am the best in the world and I want to fight to prove it.”
Mix is referring to the January Bellator Champions Series card featuring Nurmagomedov vs. Hughes. As of this writing, it’s uncertain why the PFL scratched its original plan to book Mix’s return for the event.
- READ MORE:Encouraging update on UFC Macau fighter's health after head-kick KO left her on a stretcher
PFL/Bellator merger hits another speed bump ahead of 2024 PFL Championship
In fairness, there have also been some positive reviews from other Bellator standouts since the PFL merger. MMA legend and Bellator women’s flyweight champion Liz Carmouche recently praised the PFL season format in an exclusive interview with Bloody Elbow.
As of this writing, founder Donn Davis and the other PFL heads haven’t released a statement on Pitbull, Anderson, and Mix’s social media posts.
The scathing accusations from Mix and Pitbull, in particular, come just days before one of the biggest PFL cards of the year. The 2024 PFL Championship this coming weekend features an astounding 10 world title fights, featuring top names like former UFC fighter Taila Santos against surging prospect Dakota Ditcheva.
As Dana White and others have pointed out, the PFL has a long way to go to cement itself as a legitimate competitor to the UFC’s juggernaut. Time will tell if Mix, Anderson, and Pitbull get their returns booked and have their grievances made up for.
- READ MORE:Dustin Poirier updates on UFC retirement fight as 'fake news' spreads about potential opponent
