Bellator MMA champions rip PFL over lack of activity amid merger: ‘I wanted to fight this year’
A host of Bellator MMA stars, including three of the promotion’s most notable and prominent championship holders, Patricio Pitbull, Patchy Mix, and UFC alum, Corey Anderson have voiced their displeasure with the lack of activity since the acquisition of the organization from the PFL (Professional Fighters League).
On social media this afternoon, a host of Bellator MMA fighters took to their official profiles, voicing their displeasure with the current movement of their careers in mixed martial arts since the Scott Coker-led promotional banner agreed a deal to link up with the PFL, notably undisputed bantamweight champion and heralded combat sports star, Mix.
“I’ve been training my ass off for the last half of year for nothing,” Patchy Mix posted on his official X account this afternoon. “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.”
Furthermore, current undisputed light heavyweight champion, Anderson, who has been sidelined since winning gold against Karl Moore in Belfast back in March of this year, claimed he was aging like “warm cheese” amid the acquisition by the PFL.
“Aging like warm cheese over here waiting for [PFL] to give me a call,” Corey Anderson posted on his X account today. “But don’t get it twisted…. we still ready to defend the strap against ANYBODY! Young or Old!!”
Patricio Pitbull voices concern over future of Bellator MMA amid acquisition from PFL
And notably, former two-division champion, Pitbull — who currently resides over the featherweight division in his third reign as champion, claimed he was made aware of his fight cancellation on social media, rather than from the promotion itself.
“I haven’t fought since February,” Patricio Pitbull posted on X. I wanted to fight 3x this year, but I was told I’d have to wait until December 31st 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 MMA 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! This merger has been a disaster to the sport of MMA. Meanwhile, we have to see the top brass talking about…
offering tens of millions of dollars to social media personalities and semi-retired fighters,while cutting 90% of the roster and telling guys making 30+30 they’re too expensive. How can you become number 1 in the world if you don’t stage events and don’t want to pay fighters?
I am very worried about the future of Bellator MMA and MMA in general. 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 paycuts…
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 3 times a year if they’re healthy.
