Patricio Pitbull proved just why he’s the Bellator GOAT in his last fight outside the UFC.
Two championship belts, multiple title reigns, and 14 title wins (15 if you count a tournament final), Patricio ‘Pitbull’ Freire has had quite the career 14 years fighting under the Bellator banner.
However, all things must come to an end and Pitbull’s tenure with Bellator eventually did after PFL acquired the promotion in 2023. Patricio parted ways with the PFL on not the greatest of terms earlier this year before the 37-year-old free agent signed with the UFC.
Pitbull’s set to face a top-5 contender, former interim champion Yair Rodriguez in his promotional debut at UFC 314 this Saturday.
Rodriguez is hardly the first UFC fighter Pitbull has come across in his 42-fight career.
Wilson Reis, Benson Henderson, Michael Chandler, Sergio Pettis… Pitbull most recently defeated Jeremy Kennedy, whose only loss in the UFC came to Alexander Volkanovski, one of the greatest featherweights of all time.
Photo By David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile via Getty Images
Before arriving to the UFC, Pitbull defended his Bellator featherweight title for a ninth time against Kennedy on Mar. 22, 2024 in Belfast, Ireland.
Jeremy Kennedy had won three-straight fights while Pitbull suffered back-to-back losses for the first time in his career, a decision to Pettis and a short notice first-round KO to Chihiro Suzuki.
A winning 3-1 record in the UFC, Kennedy nearly extended Pitbull’s losing skid after he stumbled the champion with a jab in round 3.
Kennedy drew first blood with a cut opening on the forehead of Pitbull. Kennedy landed a few follow-up strikes, controlling Pitbull in the clinch for more than a minute, unable to get a takedown.
Caught with a massive knee, Pitbull wasn’t going out like that.
Confidence started to build for Pitbull after he landed a right hand on Kennedy.
With 90 seconds to go in the round, Pitbull connected with an overhand right that pushes Kennedy back. Pitbull corners Kennedy against the cage, teeing off on his hurt challenger.
Pitbull landed a repeat overhand before unloading knees and spamming elbows.
Kennedy was in all sorts of trouble, covering up as he best as he could. Adding more elbows, Pitbull swung hooks to the body and to the head of Kennedy, finally putting him down with two knees to retain his Bellator featherweight title.
“Pitbull is not going anywhere!” the commentator said following the finish, not knowing Pitbull’s Bellator chapter had closed right there.
Jeremy Kennedy was Patricio Pitbull’s 24th win under the Bellator banner – most in promotional history. As a pro, the consensus greatest Bellator fighter of all time has 12 wins each by submission, knockout and decision.
Approaching his 38th birthday later this year, we’ll see what kind of legacy Pitbull will be able to create from the UFC Octagon.
