After months of rant, longtime Bellator star Patricio Pitbull has finally been released from PFL.
PFL founder Donn Davis made this announcement via X, saying he has granted Patricio Pitbull’s request for a release. The fighter has been out of the game for months and only competed once last year, where he scored a knockout win over Jeremy Kennedy in March. The fighter was supposed to face Aaron Pico, but the fight was canceled, and a new date was never set. After months of inactivity, the fighter called for his release from the promotion via X.
“Look at the @ufc, @DonnDavisPFL. They honor their OGs. She asked for a release and they gave it to her, made no fuss about it, they are honorable. That’s how big organizations do things when a fighter doesn’t want to continue with them. You should learn from it.”
Pitbull voice went unheard for a while, but other fighters like Patchy Mix also cried out for a release, and after weeks of consistent rants and cries, PFL Donn Davis finally responded and let the fighter go.
“We are releasing [Pitbull],” Davis wrote. “[PFL] 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.”
Pitbull was thrilled with this decision as he is now a free agent, but the contract release came with a few clauses.
“As much as I appreciate an earlier termination of my deal and a waiver of the exclusive negotiation period, you are still retaining matching rights, so I’m not exactly free,” Pitbull wrote. “If you’re so kind to let me go, why not make it an unconditional release?”
Despite this conditional release, the fighter is ready to take on bigger platforms. In the past, he has called out Francis Ngannou for collaboration to form a union for fighters, and this may be part of his plans moving forward, but Pitbull has made it clear where he wants to head next. Last month, the former Bellator champion discussed his plans to join the UFC.
“Now, for me, it’s about legacy. I want to fight in the UFC, that’s all. I think [the UFC would want to sign me]… My desire is to walk away [from Bellator]. I want to fight different guys. I want to fight Max Holloway, Topuria, Diego Lopes, [Alexander] Volkanovski.”
He departs the organization with a 24-6 record under the Bellator banner, which includes three title reigns as featherweight champion and a lightweight title win in 2019.
