Tag: Bellator

PFL Founder Rejects Bellator Fighter Complaints, Insists Promotion Did ‘Best They Could’ In 2024

2024 has provided some problems for the PFL that they haven’t had to deal with in the past. Despite having the PFL debut of Francis Ngannou and some great performances on the 2024 World Championships card, a lot of the talk surrounding the promotion as of late has revolved around the fighters that haven’t been […]

2024 has provided some problems for the PFL that they haven’t had to deal with in the past. Despite having the PFL debut of Francis Ngannou and some great performances on the 2024 World Championships card, a lot of the talk surrounding the promotion as of late has revolved around the fighters that haven’t been in action.

Following the acquisition of Bellator last year, the PFL was always going to have to work out how to keep a huge amount of new fighters on the roster busy and happy. This has not been the case for some of the top names in the promotion including Bellator champions like Patrício Pitbull, Cris Cyborg and Patchy Mix who have all complained about not being as active as they would like.

In a recent social media post, PFL founder Donn Davis hit back at some of the criticisms by stating that the promotion always has and always will offer each athlete the opportunity to compete twice per calendar year. It is also worth noting that the following post was edited with a slight change to the wording.

The post originally read that the PFL did “a good job” before it was later changed to state that the promotion did the “best we could”.

“PFL has ALWAYS provided all fighters 2 fights a year … When we acquired Bellator THEY had ZERO fight events scheduled for their Bellator 210 fighters in 2024. @PFLMMA stepped in and did best we could for them in 2024 … 2025 ALL fighters again 2 fights a year!”

Cyborg, who is the Bellator featherweight champion, has been one of the most vocal about her issues with the PFL but this has quietened down since her fight with Larissa Pacheco in October. The Brazilian icon responded to Davis’ post and showed her support for the promotion.

Pitbull, on the other hand, has made his mind up that he wishes to be released from the promotion so that he can go and fight elsewhere after going public with his complaints. He also responded and disputed some of the claims made by Davis.

Paul Hughes No Longer Interested In Conor McGregor Cornering For Nurmagomedov Fight: ‘With Things Going Down Now…’

Paul Hughes has done a complete about-face regarding his enthusiasm for having Conor McGregor in the corner for his upcoming fight. When Hughes triumphed over AJ McKee at PFL Super Fights: Battle of the Giants in October, he passionately floated the idea of enlisting his Irish compatriot, “The Notorious,” to join his corner for a […]

Paul Hughes has done a complete about-face regarding his enthusiasm for having Conor McGregor in the corner for his upcoming fight.

When Hughes triumphed over AJ McKee at PFL Super Fights: Battle of the Giants in October, he passionately floated the idea of enlisting his Irish compatriot, “The Notorious,” to join his corner for a potential title clash with reigning Bellator Lightweight Champion Usman Nurmagomedov.

At the time, McGregor pledged his support, expressing interest in standing in Hughes’ corner. The opportunity to reignite his storied rivalry with UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov — Usman’s first cousin and an almost certain presence in his corner — added an intriguing layer to the matchup.

“Big News” is now gearing up to face Nurmagomedov in the headline bout of the Road to Dubai Champions Series, set for Jan. 25 at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, U.A.E. Surprisingly, though, he has decided to abandon his earlier plan of attempting to secure the former two-division UFC champion’s services for the biggest fight of his career to date.

During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Hughes said that he was simply toying with the idea and explained that he has no real plans to bring McGregor into his corner for the highly anticipated title clash.

“Look, I mean the whole corner thing, that was the post-fight interview where things were just being thrown there,” Hughes said. “Other than, that just blew up and did the rounds on social media a couple of times. Other than that, I haven’t mentioned it or looked about anything to do that.”

“Big News” further explained that, given McGregor’s involvement in a whirlwind of controversy following an Irish court ruling last month that he was liable for the assault of a woman who accused him of rape in 2018, it would be unwise to enlist the sport’s most iconic figure for his corner.

“Obviously with things going down now, it’s not something I’m going to continue to pursue.”

However, Hughes also mentioned that he would prefer to have another fellow Irishman, UFC welterweight sensation Ian Garry, in his corner.

Interestingly, “The Future” had previously offered his support, suggesting the idea of returning the favor after Hughes cornered him in 2021 during his title fight under the Cage Warriors banner.

Undefeated Bellator Champion Calls Jake Paul Out For MMA Fight With ‘Modified Rules’

It isn’t yet known who Jake Paul will face in his combat sports return following his huge contest with Mike Tyson last month. Given that he’s coming off of a record breaking event, it appears that all bets are off for “The Problem Child” in terms of the opponents that he is capable of drawing […]

It isn’t yet known who Jake Paul will face in his combat sports return following his huge contest with Mike Tyson last month. Given that he’s coming off of a record breaking event, it appears that all bets are off for “The Problem Child” in terms of the opponents that he is capable of drawing in.

Though he has signed to the PFL, there hasn’t been any news in some time regarding Paul’s MMA debut but there has been one name that has been mentioned time and time again. In August last year, he defeated Nate Diaz in a boxing match and has since been trying to get the former UFC fighter to face him in a rematch that would take place in MMA.

Diaz hasn’t showed any interest in doing that because he would prefer to do it in boxing and he doesn’t want to fight in the PFL after being a big part of the UFC for so long. Paul once again called Diaz out at a recent press conference.

“It’s funny that Nate Diaz is actually scared to fight me in MMA, actually. The biggest payday of his life would be me and him in MMA. Yeah, so I’m ready.”

Underneath the clip posted by MMA Fighting on Instagram, one of the top names on the PFL roster called for a modified rules fight with Paul seeing that he can’t get Diaz to step in there with him. Bellator middleweight champion Johnny Eblen has won back-to-back fights this year, improving his overall record to 16-0.

In October, he defeated Fabian Edwards for a second time at Battle of the Giants to successfully defend the 185-pound title for a third time. As seen in this rematch, Eblen’s greatest strength is his wrestling but clearly he would be open to meeting Paul in the middle in terms of the ruleset if that’s something he would be interested in.

Champion Johnny Eblen Calls Out Jake Paul for MMA Fight Under Modified Rules

Johnny Eblen vs. Jake PaulJohnny Eblen, Bellator’s undefeated Middleweight Champion, is targeting none other than Jake Paul. In a bold statement on social…

Johnny Eblen vs. Jake Paul

Johnny Eblen, Bellator’s undefeated Middleweight Champion, is targeting none other than Jake Paul. In a bold statement on social media, Eblen directly challenged ‘The Problem Child’ Paul, the popular social media star and boxer.

Johnny Eblen vs. Jake Paul

In a comment directed at Jake Paul, Johnny Eblen said:

“@jakepaul fight me in MMA with modified rules. We both signed to the @pflmma, why not. Let’s run it.”

johnny eblen vs Jake Paul

The challenge carries weight, as both athletes are currently under contract with the PFL. While Eblen’s MMA credentials are unquestionable, boasting a perfect 16-0 record and a dominant wrestling background, Paul has primarily made waves in boxing. However, Paul’s involvement with PFL suggests he’s open to competing in mixed martial arts.

Johnny Eblen has cemented his status as one of the world’s top middleweights, thanks to his dominant title reign in Bellator. Known for his aggressive and technical style, he has successfully defended his title multiple times since capturing it in 2022.

Jake Paul, 27, has carved a unique path in combat sports. After achieving fame as a social media influencer, he transitioned to professional boxing, amassing an 11-1 record. His fights often spark controversy but draw massive attention, with his latest victory over Mike Tyson in November 2024 generating the largest boxing gate in U.S. history outside Las Vegas.

A potential Eblen-Paul fight would bring together two figures in MMA and boxing. While Eblen has proven himself in the cage, Paul’s willingness to explore MMA, especially under modified rules, could bring even more intrigue to the matchup.

Whether this challenge materializes into an actual bout remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Johnny Eblen isn’t afraid to mix it up. Now, the ball is in Jake Paul’s court.

Two More Ireland vs. Dagestan Fights Added To Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Paul Hughes PFL Card

On January 25, the PFL is set to host its first event in Dubai with the Road To Dubai Champions Series at the Coca-Cola Arena. In the main event, the undefeated Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov will face the rising star Paul Hughes in a highly anticipated title fight. Following Hughes’ win over A.J. McKee […]

On January 25, the PFL is set to host its first event in Dubai with the Road To Dubai Champions Series at the Coca-Cola Arena. In the main event, the undefeated Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov will face the rising star Paul Hughes in a highly anticipated title fight.

Following Hughes’ win over A.J. McKee at Battle of the Giants, he called for this fight and immediately attached the perfect tagline to it. When the event was announced, it was promoted as Ireland vs Dagestan 2 in reference to the biggest fight in the history of the sport between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor.

As the cousin of Khabib, we know that the defending champion will have his family involved for this fight though it seems unlikely that the same can be said for McGregor linking up with Hughes right now. However, PFL appears to be doubling down on this particular theme for the card following the announcement of two more matchups that pit Ireland against Dagestan.

A fantastic featherweight clash will see the undefeated Khasan Magomedsharipov take on Nate Kelly. Khasan, who is the younger brother of the former UFC featherweight contender Zabit Magomedsharipov, has won five consecutive fights under the Bellator banner and was recently named in the top 10 of ESPN’s 25 under 25 list for 2024.

Ireland’s Kelly trains out of the same gym as McGregor, SBG Dublin, and has gone 10-0 since losing the first two pro fights of his career, having fought in both Bellator and the PFL in recent years.

A second bout sees another undefeated fighter with Dagestani origins facing one of the emerald isle’s finest. 20-year old Ibragim Ibragimov also represents the English flag having been born in Dagestan before moving at a young age. The 8-0 featherweight out of Manchester Top Team recently earned a decision win over Nacho Campos at Battle of the Giants. His opponent will be another SBG Ireland fighter, Kenny Mokhonoana.

The 27-year old has amassed a 5-1 record with two first-round finishes already under his belt in Bellator. His last fight in September last year saw him suffer his first pro loss to the highly regarded undefeated Welsh fighter Josh O’Connor.

A trilogy fight between Vadim Nemkov and Bellator light heavyweight champion Corey Anderson at heavyweight was also recently confirmed for the card.

Patrício Pitbull Wants PFL Release By Christmas After ‘Lack Of Transparency, Events, & Answers’ 

Patrício Pitbull has spoken out once again about wanting to be released from his PFL contract so that he can go and fight elsewhere. The Bellator featherweight champion last fought in March where he stopped Jeremy Kennedy to defend his title in Belfast. He recently stated in an article from MMA Fighting that he has […]

Patrício Pitbull has spoken out once again about wanting to be released from his PFL contract so that he can go and fight elsewhere. The Bellator featherweight champion last fought in March where he stopped Jeremy Kennedy to defend his title in Belfast.

He recently stated in an article from MMA Fighting that he has had several fights cancelled with no plans to reschedule them or find him a different opponent. The Brazilian claims that fights with Aaron Pico and a rematch with Chihiro Suzuki in RIZIN both fell by the wayside and as a result, he would like to leave the promotion if they don’t have any plans for him.

Pitbull specifically mentioned wanting to use this opportunity to finally fight in the UFC before it is too late for him.

“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.”

Dana White was asked to give his opinion on this during his post-fight press conference after UFC 310 this past weekend. In response to the UFC boss’ comments, Pitbull posted on X to vent his frustrations about the lack of communication and activity for some of the fighters on the PFL roster.

He ended the post by giving the promotion a deadline that he wants answers by.

“The lack of transparency, events and answers from @PFLMMA about its future and @BellatorMMA ‘s is making both promotions look bad. What do you all think about what’s going on? Christmas is coming up and I’d love to receive my release by then.”