Donn Davis Releases BELLATOR Featherweight Champion Patricio Pitbull

Patricio Pitbull is officially done with Bellator/PFL.

This past week has been a whirlwind for MMA. Back in November 2023, Donn Davis and PFL purchased Bellator MMA. Though the promotion wasn’t as big as UFC, it was still a notable name in North America. The promotion had names such as Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Corey Anderson, and Patricio Pitbull, a multi-time Bellator Featherweight Champion - who was in his third reign when Bellator MMA was acquired. 

Patricio has been pretty unhappy with his placement in Bellator/PFL lately. Though he successfully defended his title against Jeremy Kenndey in March 2024, The 37-year-old was upset over the lack of in-ring action in 2024. Pitbull has been demanding his release since late 2024, but Donn Davis and PFL officially eliminating the Bellator MMA branding was the final straw for Patricio.

ALL fighters now integrated and connected in one powerful roster

One Brand 👊@PFLMMA 👊One Roster

Professional Fighters League #PFLMMA pic.twitter.com/JcylkqFQSA

— Donn Davis (@DonnDavisPFL) January 14, 2025

Davis revealed on Tuesday that Bellator MMA was no more. And Pitbull unloaded with a string of tweets angrily aimed at PFL and Donn Davis. 

RIP @BellatorMMA. It’s sad it’s come to an end and the org had such a painful death. Sabotaged by Viacom execs in its last years then sold to uncaring people that did their best to ruin it. pic.twitter.com/Zr2XfBSmaA

— Patricio Pitbull (@PatricioPitbull) January 14, 2025

when fighters were treated with respect, contracts were fair and the production had a big step up in quality, to Viacom burying it in channels nobody watched and forcing decisions the administration wasn’t in favor of, and dying in PFL’s hands once again lowballing fighters and

— Patricio Pitbull (@PatricioPitbull) January 14, 2025

promising to lock them up forever, to “exercise every legal right they have” so fighters take as long as possible to become free agents but don’t have a chance to sign for the competition. PFL has retained some of the people that made Bellator work but zero of their values.

— Patricio Pitbull (@PatricioPitbull) January 14, 2025

After months of being denied, Donn Davis finally released Patricio from his contract.

We are releasing @PatricioPitbull @PFLMMA 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 #PFLMMA

— Donn Davis (@DonnDavisPFL) January 14, 2025

That means the former Bellator Featherweight Champion is free to sign with the UFC, if Dana White is interested in Pitbull. He has a strong 36 - 7 record and multiple title runs under his belt, so his body of work will surely get some attention from the UFC President. We’ll find out if Dana White picks up the former Bellator Featherweight Champion, who gave a shout out to the former UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski. 

Hi @alexvolkanovski

— Patricio Pitbull (@PatricioPitbull) January 15, 2025