Reigning Bellator champions Corey Anderson, Patricio Pitbull and Patchy Mix are tired of sitting on the sidelines. All three champions publicly expressed frustrations with the Professional Fighters League following the promotion’s acquisition of Bellator MMA in November 2023.
Pitbull — often considered the greatest fighter in Bellator history and current featherweight champion — vented about his stalled career after similar statements from Anderson and Mix last week. Pitbull has only fought once since the PFL-Bellator merger, successfully defending his title against Jeremy Kennedy in March.
“I haven’t fought since [March],” Pitbull wrote. “I wanted to fight [three times] this year, but I was told I’d have to wait until Dec. 31 and found out online my opponent would fight someone else. Then they had a replacement, I bring people over, spend more money with the camp and there’s no fight.
“They said things didn’t work out with Japan and that it wasn’t their fault. OK. So why don’t you stage a show somewhere else? What kind of promotion can’t give fighters at least two fights a year? Some haven’t even fought this year! Bellator used to be BIG. Things worked and we always had answers. They never just cancelled a show and said they had no idea when we would be booked. Even regional promotions have dates set for April of next year already!”
Pitbull’s six-post thread responded to colleague Leandro Higo, who’s also been absent since the Bellator Champions Series card in March. Pitbull shared concerns for his colleague, Bellator and the wider MMA landscape. The featherweight champ also accused PFL of disrespecting its fighters and fans.
“I am very worried about the future of Bellator and MMA in general,” Pitbull wrote. “I feel very sorry for all the fighters who didn’t even get to fight this year or were cut because they just don’t make shows or think they’re expensive, and all the fighters who were forced to take pay cuts.
“This is wrong. 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 three times a year if they’re healthy.”
On Nov. 20, Anderson, the promotion’s light heavyweight champion, also acknowledged his inactivity. Anderson’s only fight of the PFL-Bellator era was a vacant title win over Karl Anderson on the same card as Pitbull and Higo.
“Aging like warm cheese over here waiting for PFL to give me a call,” Anderson wrote. “But don’t get it twisted … We still ready to defend the strap against anybody! Young or old!”
While Anderson’s post had a lightness to it, Mix was more stern when addressing the promotion on Nov. 22. Mix — who fought on the final Bellator card pre-acquisition — sees his prime withering away after fighting once in May for PFL.
“I’ve been training my ass off for the last half of year for nothing,” Mix wrote. “This is frustrating in the prime of my career and I’ve had my fight in November cancelled?
“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.”
According to MMA Fighting, former Bellator middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi filed a lawsuit against PFL and Bellator seeking more than $15 million in damages last month. Mousasi claims “breach of contract, breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, unjust enrichment, a claim for relief for Monopsonization.” Mousasi had previously accused PFL of sidelining him and failing to communicate. PFL released Mousasi in May.
One week ago, top welterweight contender Lorenz Larkin posted on social media that he was a promotional free agent. Larkin competed twice under the new leadership and scored a pair of highlight-reel knockouts to potentially earn a shot at the current Bellator champion at 170 pounds. It is unclear if his announcement is related to what other Bellator fighters are voicing concerns about.
