Bellator MMA, as fans know it went away in 2023.
Poor management and disinterest from Paramount Global led to the brand being picked up by the Professional Fighters League (PFL). The roster of fighters from what was long considered the number two promotion next to the UFC was going to get their own “Champions Series,” which started with a PFL vs. Bellator event to showcase the brand under the PFL’s umbrella.
Bellator fighters crushed it in that event with all but one of them winning against their new owner’s champions.
PFL and Bellator events went on for most of the beginning of the year, even though most fans complained about not knowing about them and when they were happening.
Bellator’s final event before the PFL acquired them was in Chicago. At Bellator 301, Patrick “Patchy” Mix won the bantamweight title from Sergio Pettis. Mix is in his prime, winning the title at 31 years old, he has an opportunity to etch his name as one of the best in his weight class– as long as he can fight.
Mix last defended his bantamweight title in Paris, but the PFL has seemingly shelved him.
He voiced his frustrations on social media, writing, “I’ve been training my ass off for the last half of year for nothing. This is frustrating in the prime of my career and I’ve had my fight in November canceled? 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.”
Days before that, the current Light Heavyweight Champion, Corey Anderson posted, “Aging like warm cheese over here waiting for PFL to give me a call.”
Current Featherweight Champion Patricio “Pitbull” Freire chimed in, sharing his frustrations as well, writing, “I haven’t fought since February. 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.”
“Time is of the essence in this game; we can’t waste our primes on the sidelines.” – Leandro Higo
His post was in response to his teammate, Leandro Higo’s post who thought he was next in line to face Mix for the bantamweight title. He added, “This is very frustrating. We have no clue about when we might be fighting after two fight cancellations in a row. Time is of the essence in this game; we can’t waste our primes on the sidelines.”
PFL/Bellator events were canceled in Chicago and Paris with no reason given to ticket holders. Just an offer for a “buy one, get one” opportunity for the next PFL event.
Time is the most important asset a fighter has, the “game” Higo refers to is unkind to aged fighters who stay in it for too long. Fighters need to fight, if the fights cannot be offered, then they should be free to pursue those fights elsewhere.
If you click on the PFL’s “about” page, under “community,” it says, “In the Professional Fighters League, we ask ‘What Do You Fight For?’”
They have a whole list of champions and challengers who are trying to answer that question, but it looks like they need answers themselves.
