Bellator lightweight champion Patricky Pitbull dropped a bombshell on MMA Fighting’s Trocação Franca podcast recently, hinting at a potential featherweight run in 2025. The move would require a significant weight cut to 145 pounds, marking a new chapter in Pitbull’s storied career.
“My brother and a few training partners are insisting that I move down to 145,” the Brazilian said. “Who knows, maybe after this season I’ll fight on the 145 season. I think there’s a good possibility I’ll put on good performances and win fights at 145.”
Despite no prior experience at featherweight (145 lbs), Patricky draws confidence from his successful lightweight run in Bellator since 2011. His current nutritionist, the same one who helped his brother Patricio make the cut to bantamweight (135 lbs), fuels his belief in a smooth transition.
“I just need to get used to training lighter and faster,” Pitbull continued. “I would need to adapt before the season starts, and not just cut weight for the season. My body reacts well to diets and I lose weight pretty easily.”
Patricky Plans to Follow His Younger Brother’s Footsteps
Having witnessed his brother Patricio’s dominance across two weight classes in Bellator, Pitbull has a similar goal in mind now. Patricio is only the second fighter in Bellator history to hold multiple weight division titles. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest Bellator fighters of all time, and Patricky believes he can carve out a similar legacy for himself.
Patricky has already proved that he is one of the finest fighters the Bellator Lightweight Division has ever seen. Amassing a 7-1 record in various Brazilian promotions, Pitbull entered the Bellator Season Four Lightweight Tournament. He kicked off his run by facing former WEC Lightweight Champion Rob McCullough at Bellator 36 on March 12, 2011, ultimately claiming victory via TKO in the third round.
A twist of fate propelled Pitbull into a title shot at Bellator 270 on November 5, 2021. Just weeks prior, his younger brother Patrício, the reigning Bellator lightweight champion, vacated the belt. This unexpected turn of events transformed Patricky’s rematch with Peter Queally into a championship fight. Capitalizing on the opportunity, Patricky delivered a stunning second-round TKO to claim the vacant Bellator Lightweight World Championship.
One way to tell just how quickly Pitbull rose up the rankings in the mixed martial arts scene is how drastically odds shifted in the fighters favor. In his earlier fights, bookmakers would have the Brazilian as an underdog – as he was, heading into Bellator 270. But quickly, online betting sites cottoned on to how good an operator Pitbull was, and began putting the fighter as a favorite heading into his subsequent bouts.
Despite this, Patricky’s first lightweight title defense hit a snag. Initially scheduled for July 22nd, 2022, against Sidney Outlaw at Bellator 283, an injury forced him to withdraw just days before the fight. He finally got his shot at defending the belt on November 18th, 2022, at Bellator 288, facing Usman Nurmagomedov. Unfortunately, the fight didn’t go his way, and he lost the championship by unanimous decision.
Boasting wins over Peter Queally, Roger Huerta, and Ryan Couture, Patricky Pitbull sets his sights on PFL glory in 2024. He identifies Brent Primus and Gadzhi Rabadanov as the toughest hurdles to overcome.
With the 2024 PFL season and its million-dollar payday on the horizon, Patricky Pitbull isn’t resting on his laurels. He’s sharpening his ax for a new challenge: conquering the featherweight division. This audacious move signals a seasoned fighter’s unwavering drive to become a true legend of the game. Other than the thrills of a new challenge, Patricky is also aware of the potential of a greater financial reward.
“It’s something that can change my life,” he said. “Being smart and knowing how to manage and invest it, it’s great money. It could be better [laughs]. I try not to think about this prize too much sometimes but it’s impossible, brother. You try not to think about it and then the million dollars are following you like your shadow.”