Bellator MMA’s most decorated champion is a free agent. Professional Fighters League chairman Donn Davis announced that the promotion released Patricio Pitbull from his contract on Tuesday after a hailstorm of tweets by the disgruntled former two-division champion.
“We are releasing Patricio Pitbull,” Davis wrote Tuesday afternoon on X. “PFL is all about opportunity. I founded this company to create new great opportunities for top fighters. PFL has and will continue to do that for all top fighters who want to be here.”
Davis’ claims about creating opportunity conflict with complaints from several former Bellator champions who accused the promotion of stalling their careers. Pitbull — one of PFL’s most vocal detractors over the last few months — targeted the PFL in more than a dozen tweets published hours before his release.
“[The] self-called co-leader in MMA and fighters-first organization is cutting a bunch of fighters and forcing others to take pay cuts up to 70%,” Pitbull alleged. “No respect for fighter contracts and what they’ve accomplished.
“The self-called fighters-first organization is also changing its contracts so it’s almost impossible for fighters to be free agents and to leave on free agency. Also tying down payments for many years and taking away all their leverage. The self-called co-leader in MMA is ghosting some fighters and managers, and leaving them with no answers while the owner makes silly and disrespectful posts on social media.”
Pitbull also mourned the “painful death” of Bellator MMA after a 17-year run. On Monday, Davis announced the PFL and Bellator brands would integrate under the PFL banner. Before that, PFL ran separate “Bellator Series” events featuring Bellator champions after PFL acquired Bellator in 2023.
Pitbull also tagged PFL star Francis Ngannou, wondering how Ngannou would react as a staunch advocate for fighter rights.
Pitbull exits PFL after a legendary run with the Bellator brand. Pitbull spent 15 consecutive years as a Bellator fighter. The three-time and reigning Bellator featherweight champion also enjoyed a reign as lightweight champion. He holds Bellator records for most wins and most title fights, among many others. His 30 fights under the Bellator banner include wins over Michael Chandler, A.J. McKee and Benson Henderson.
