Reigning Bellator champions Corey Anderson, Patricio Pitbull and Patchy Mix are tired of sitting on the sidelines. All three champions publicly expressed their frustration 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 the current featherweight champion – spoke out about his stalled career after Anderson and Mix made similar statements last week. Pitbull has fought just once since the PFL-Bellator merger, successfully defending his title against Jeremy Kennedy in March.
“I haven’t fought since then [March]” wrote Pitbull. “I wanted to fight [three times] this year, but I was told I would have to wait until December 31st and I found out online that my opponent would be fighting someone else. Then they had a replacement, I bring people here, spend more money on the warehouse and there is no dispute.
“They said things didn’t work out with Japan and that it wasn’t their fault. OK. So why not put on a show somewhere else? What kind of advertising can't get fighters at least two fights a year?” Some haven't even fought this year! Things always worked out. They never just canceled a show and said they had no idea when we would be booked for April next year!”
Pitbull's six-post thread responded to his colleague Leandro Higo, who has also been absent since the Bellator Champions Series card in March. Pitbull expressed concerns about his Bellator counterpart and the entire MMA landscape. The featherweight champion also accused the PFL of disrespecting its fighters and fans.
“I am very concerned about the future of Bellator and MMA in general,” Pitbull wrote. “I'm very sorry for all the fighters who couldn't even fight this year or were cut because they just don't do shows or think they're expensive, and for all the fighters who were forced to take pay cuts.”
“That is wrong. We need answers, we need the respect of the fighters and fans. This is not a game or just a business, we are talking about people's lives. A serious promotion would at least give fighters a chance to fight three times a year if they are healthy.
On November 20, Anderson, the promotion's light heavyweight champion, also acknowledged his inactivity. Anderson's only fight in the PFL-Bellator era was a vacant title win against Karl Anderson on the same card as Pitbull and Higo.
“Here we are, aging like warm cheese, waiting for PFL to call me,” Anderson wrote. “But don’t get it twisted… We’re still ready to defend the belt against anyone! Whether young or old!”
While Anderson's post had a lightness to it, Mix was more stern when discussing the promotion on November 22nd. Mix – who fought before acquiring the last Bellator card – is seeing his prime fade after fighting once for the PFL in May.
“I’ve been training my ass off for nothing for the last six months,” says Mix wrote. “This is frustrating in the prime of my career and my fight in November was canceled?”
“On the other hand, I am now being told again that I am excluded from the January Dubai card? I’m the best in the world and I want to fight to prove it.”
Accordingly MMA fightsFormer Bellator middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi filed a lawsuit against PFL and Bellator last month, seeking more than $15 million in damages. Mousasi claims “breach of contract, breach of the implied obligation of good faith and fair dealing, unjust enrichment, a claim for compensation for monopsony.” Mousasi had previously accused the PFL of sidelining him and failing to communicate. PFL released Mousasi in May.
A week ago, top welterweight contender Lorenz Larkin posted social media that he was a promotional free agent. Larkin competed twice under the new leadership and scored two highlight-reel knockouts to potentially earn a shot at the current Bellator 170-pound champion. It's unclear whether his announcement is related to the concerns of other Bellator fighters.
