Over the last few months, several prominent fighters on the Bellator MMA roster have expressed their frustration at lack of fights they have been offered by Professional Fighters League (PFL) ever since the promotion absorbed Bellator in late 2023.
Now, two of the biggest fighters on the roster have officially requested to be released from their contracts due to inactivity, as Patricio Pitbull and Patchy Mix have reached their limit and have asked to part ways with the promotion.
“PFL guys seem a bit lost there. Looks like Bellator is a bit too big for them, and they don’t know how to act properly,” Pitbull said in an interview with MMA Fighting. “We were left with only promises. We lost rhythm, we lost part of our careers waiting for something that never came. It’s bad for me as a champion,” added the the 27 year-old former Featherweight champion. “I need to stay active. We know I’m not getting any younger, too. So I spoke with my managers and since my contract is not that long, it’s close to the end, we’ll ask to leave. I need to work.”
Naturally, Pitbull would love nothing more than to get released and sign a contract with Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) before his career comes to an end.
“I have to fight in the UFC. I have to face those guys. I see myself doing a good job there. I don’t see anything very special there. I can fight anyone there, even the champion. [Ilia Topuria] has some holes we can take advantage of. I’m sure they think the same about me, but I have to trust myself. This is the time,” he added.
A few days after Pitbull expressed his concerns, current Bantamweight champion, Patchy Mix, asked for the same courtesy of being let go on social media.
My manager told me to hold off but haven’t heard anything from @PFLMMA @DonnDavisPFL If you are not gonna have me fight then just please release me from contract.This is not what I want but if I’m not important to the company being a multi time champ. Then let me go respectfully
— Patchy Mix (@TeamMixMMA) December 5, 2024
“My manager told me to hold off but haven’t heard anything from PFL or Donn Davis. If you are not gonna have me fight then just please release me from contract.This is not what I want but if I’m not important to the company being a multi time champ. Then let me go respectfully.”
Pitbull hasn’t competed since defeating Jeremy Kennedy in March 2024 in what was the first event under PFL leadership. That win snapped his two-fight losing streak. The Brazilian bomber revealed that he was in line to rematch Chihiro Suzuki at the end of the year, but that fight was never signed. He was told he would then face Aaron Pico, but that, too, went up in smoke for no given reason.
As for Mix, he was last seen defending his 135-pound title against Magomed Magomedov this past May, his seventh straight win. He was set to face Leandro Higo on Nov. 16 in Paris, France, but PFL announced the cancellation of the event, leading to growing frustration from both headliners.
Having two of the best to ever compete for Bellator MMA requesting their releases isn’t a good look, and to make matters worse the PFL brass hasn’t addressed the issue publicly, and apparently not behind closed doors with its fighters, either.
Should both Pitbull and Mix have their respective requests granted, having UFC pick them up would obviously be the ideal move and would be welcomed additions to the Featherweight and Bantamweight divisions.
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