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Bellator featherweight champion Patricio Pitbull has spoken out, reigniting discussions about the PFL handling of its newly acquired roster. Last fall, the PFL, led by founder Donn Davis, made headlines by purchasing Bellator. The acquisition came with promises to honor fighters' contracts, a new streaming partnership with HBO Max, and an ambitious schedule for 2024. However, the reality seems far from the vision pitched.
For many Bellator fighters, including marquee names like Patricio Pitbull and Gegard Mousasi, 2024 has been a year of frustration. Fighters have seen limited opportunities to step into the cage. Pitbull, despite his star power, has only fought once this year, securing a third-round knockout victory against Jeremy Kennedy in March. Meanwhile, others, like Mousasi, were sidelined entirely and granted their release after voicing discontent.
Earlier this week, Donn Davis addressed the brewing backlash on social media platform X. While he didn’t single out any fighter, he defended the PFL, stating that Bellator had no events scheduled for 2024 before the acquisition. Davis emphasized that the PFL has been doing its best to support the roster and promised to ramp up events next year.
Pitbull, however, was quick to respond, calling out Davis for failing to deliver on promises. You said you’d honor everyone’s contracts, he wrote, highlighting how the PFL cut a significant portion of the roster and left others in limbo. The featherweight champion also expressed his desire to part ways with the organization, offering to meet Davis to finalize his release. Pitbull has openly voiced his intention to join the UFC, a move that many fans are eager to see.
The PFL’s vision for growth and innovation is commendable, but its execution has left fighters disillusioned. With names like Pitbull potentially departing, the league faces the challenge of balancing expansion with honoring its commitments to its athletes.
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