Top Bellator stars air grievances with PFL

Anton Tabuena

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Publish Date: 11/24/2024

The PFL purchased Bellator and made grandiose claims to fans (and potential investors) about their roster size and talent.

Unfortunately a lot of those fighter they picked up seem upset at their new management. Gegard Mousasi previously complained about not getting fights and PFL not being willing to pay for his previous contract with Bellator.

Now several more top Bellator stars are following suit.

Patricio Pitbull slams PFL, ‘disastrous’ merger

Patricio Pitbull, perhaps the biggest star and longterm face of Bellator, was among those unhappy with PFL. He took to social media about his complaints.

“I haven’t fought since February,” the former two-division champion wrote 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 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.”

Pitbull was also unhappy about PFL’s posturing and marketing strategies, while unable to get fights booked.

“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?”

He also noted that many Bellator fighters were forced to take pay cuts.

“I am very worried about the future of Bellator and MMA in general,” Pitbull wrote. “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 pay cuts.

”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.”

Other Bellator stars complain about inactivity with PFL

Pitbull was far from the only Bellator star that was unhappy with PFL. Several other champions and fighters shared similar sentiments.

“This is very frustrating. We have no clue about when we might be fighting after two fight cancellations in a row,” Leandro Higo wrote. “Time is of the essence in this game,we can’t waste our primes on the sidelines. I’m working hard to take that title, spending money, sweat and blood. What’s going on?”

Bellator bantamweight champion Patchy Mix as well.

“I’ve been training my ass off for the last half of year for nothing,” Mix said. “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”

Bellator light heavyweight champion Corey Anderson also complained about inactivity in the new promotion.

“Aging like warm cheese over here waiting for @PFLMMA to give me a call,” he said. “But don't get it twisted.... we still ready to defend the strap against ANYBODY! Young or Old!!”

These grievances also came shortly after Lorenz Larkin parted ways with PFL.

PFL executives like to posture and make big claims, but a lot of their fighters clearly aren’t happy. At this point, it seems like the promotion is more concerned about pitching and boasting to investors about such a deep roster, than actually using it.