Donn Davis defends PFL after backlash from Bellator fighters, Patricio Pitbull responds: “You said you’d honor everyone’s contracts”
Bellator featherweight champion Patricio Pitbull has responded to PFL founder Donn Davis.
As many fans have likely noticed over the last few weeks, Bellator fighters aren’t happy. Last fall, the PFL and Donn Davis bought the longtime Viacom brand and promised to honor the roster’s contracts. Quickly, the company announced a new streaming deal with HBO Max and revealed a massive schedule for 2024.
However, many of those scheduled events failed to come to fruition. Fighters such as Patricio Pitbull were largely kept on the sidelines for this year, having only fought one time. Many, including the likes of Gegard Mousasi, never fought at all and requested their release. ‘The Dreamcatcher’ was later granted his release, and names such as Patchy Mix hope to join him.
Earlier this week, PFL founder Donn Davis took to X, to discuss the outrage. While the promoter didn’t address any fighter directly, he added that his company bought Bellator, which had no events scheduled at all for 2024. Davis wrote that the PFL did what it could to support its new roster, but hopes to have even more events next year.
PFL has ALWAYS provided all fighters 2 fights a year …
When we acquired Bellator THEY had ZERO fight events scheduled for their Bellator 210 fighters in 2024.@PFLMMA stepped in and did best we could for them in 2024 …
2025 ALL fighters again 2️⃣ fights a year! #PFL
— Donn Davis (@DonnDavisPFL) December 19, 2024
PFL Fans … mark calendars …
Start dates @PFLMMA 2025:
PFL Global Season – March
PFL Champions Series – April
PFL Europe – April
PFL Mid-East – April
PFL Africa – May3️⃣0️⃣ events + 3️⃣2️⃣0️⃣ fights#PFLMMA MOST ever for fighters and fans!
— Donn Davis (@DonnDavisPFL) December 19, 2024
Bellator is PFL’s property, many fighters didn’t fight a single time and many like me only fought once.
You said you’d honor everyone’s contracts and give them
2 fights this year. You didn’t. You cut over 70% of the roster and had many renegotiate their pay. (1/2) https://t.co/Zvx4NS45H8— Patricio Pitbull (@PatricioPitbull) December 19, 2024
As far as PFL providing everyone 2 fights this year, I really hope that’s what’s gonna happen and not because many more will be cut.
I want PFL to succeed, it’s good for the sport and for fighters.
That said, I want to leave right away. Can we agree to it this week? (2/2) https://t.co/Zvx4NS45H8
— Patricio Pitbull (@PatricioPitbull) December 19, 2024
Donn Davis defends the PFL and Bellator champion Patricio Pitbull quickly responds
Quickly, Bellator featherweight champion Patricio Pitbull responded. The 37-year-old wrote that the PFL cut a majority of the roster, after already promising them two fights in 2024. While Pitbull hopes that the company keeps their word for next year, he doesn’t want to be around to see it.
At the end of the post the Brazilian offered to meet with Donn Davis this week, to finalize his release so he can head to the UFC. For what it’s worth, this is nothing new coming from Patricio Pitbull. He was one of the biggest Bellator stars who initially came out against the PFL earlier this month, citing inactivity.
As of now, Donn Davis hasn’t responded to Patricio Pitbull. The Bellator featherweight champion only competed once in 2024, a third-round knockout win over Jeremy Kennedy in March.
What do you make of these comments from Bellator champion Patricio Pitbull? Do you want to see the Brazilian leave the PFL?
This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM
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Bellator Patricio "Pitbull" Freire Professional Fighters League (PFL)
