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Patricio Pitbull Calls Out Francis Ngannou Over PFL Deal Dilemmas: ‘Will You Ever Speak Up for Us?’

Patricio Pitbull Calls Out Francis Ngannou Over PFL Deal Dilemmas: 'Will You Ever Speak Up for Us?' Free at last, free at least. Patricio Pitbull is free at last. And he’s got a few parting words…

Free at last, free at least. Patricio Pitbull is free at last. And he’s got a few parting words for the PFL and its top star, Francis Ngannou.

A day after Ariel Helwani broke the news that the Bellator brand would no longer be used by the Professional Fighters League, the promotion announced that it had officially released the most decorated fighter in the now-defunct organization’s history.

We are releasing @PatricioPitbull @PFLMMA 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 #PFLMMA

— Donn Davis (@DonnDavisPFL) January 14, 2025

After news of Pitbull’s departure from the PFL started making the rounds, the former two-division champion absolutely shredded PFL co-founder Donn Davis and the sketchy business practices of a company that claims to always put fighters first.

“[PFL] is cutting a bunch of fighters and forcing others to take pay cuts of up to 70%,” Pitbull posted on X. “No respect for fighter contracts and what they’ve accomplished… The self-called fighters first organization is also changing its contracts so it’s almost impossible for fighters to be free agents and to leave on free agency.

“Also tying down fighters payments for many years and taking away all their leverage… The self-called co-leader in MMA is ghosting some fighters/ managers and leaving them with no answers while the owner makes silly and disrespectful posts on social media.”

Patricio Pitbull calls for Ngannou’s help in building a fighter’s union

Pitbull also took aim at Ngannou, who signed a ground-breaking deal with the PFL in mid-2023 making him one of the highest paid fighters in all of mixed martial arts. ‘The Predator’ was also added to the promotion’s global advisory board to advocate for the best interest of every fighter on the roster.

Hey @francis_ngannou are you aware of all the absurd things PFL is doing to fighters and putting on the new contracts? Will you ever speak up for us?
I’m thinking it’s time we start a PFL Fighters Union. What do you think?

— Patricio Pitbull (@PatricioPitbull) January 14, 2025

“Hey @francis_ngannou are you aware of all the absurd things PFL is doing to fighters and putting on the new contracts?” Pitbull wrote. “Will you ever speak up for us? I’m thinking it’s time we start a PFL Fighters Union. What do you think?”

While Pitbull has been granted his outright release from the PFL, Pitbull later noted that the promotion still retains matching rights, meaning that the PFL could match any offer he receives from a rival promotion, thus re-signing him.

Patricio Pitbull Freire holds two Bellator titles

Cris Cyborg Issues Scathing Response to Claressa Shields’ Rebuke – MMA Vs. Boxing

The war of words between MMA legend Cris Cyborg and boxing great Claressa Shields has reached a boiling point,…

The war of words between MMA legend Cris Cyborg and boxing great Claressa Shields has reached a boiling point, with both fighters exchanging heated challenges and personal digs. Both fighters are interested in a fight but cannot agree on a weight or rule set. Boxing or MMA?

Cris Cyborg vs. Claressa Shields

The tension erupted after Shields declared, “I would f*ck her up in a street fight,” during a recent interview.

Cyborg, not one to back down, responded on social media: “Someone tell ‘The GWOAT’ we are both signed to the same MMA promoter. Just sign the PFL contract.”

This shows the growing animosity between the two combat sports icons.

The Cris Cyborg vs. Claressa Shields rivalry has been simmering for years, dating back to a sparring session in 2017. Shields has often claimed she outperformed Cyborg during the session. Using it to dismiss the MMA fighter’s recent callouts as mere attention-seeking. Cyborg, however, has accused Claressa Shields of fighting inexperienced opponents in her MMA appearances and avoiding legitimate challenges.

Cyborg has publicly offered to face Shields in both MMA and boxing but insists on fair terms, including weight adjustments. Shields has remained firm in rejecting an MMA bout, citing Cyborg’s extensive experience in the cage. Instead, she prefers a boxing match, which she believes would offer a more level playing field. Cris Cyborg has wins in MMA, Kickboxing, and professional boxing. Shields is highly experienced in boxing but has had only some fights in MMA with the PFL.

Cris Cyborg is widely regarded as one of the greatest female mixed martial artists of all time having achieved an unparalleled feat: winning world championships in five major MMA promotions—Strikeforce, Invicta FC, UFC, Bellator, and the PFL.

Claressa Shields, on the other hand, has cemented her legacy in boxing. A two-time Olympic gold medalist and the first woman to become undisputed champion in multiple weight classes, Shields boasts an unblemished professional record. Her achievements have earned her accolades as one of the best pound-for-pound female boxers in history.

The ongoing feud has left fans speculating about whether the rivalry will culminate in an actual fight. With both fighters signed to the PFL, a clash in MMA seems feasible—if Shields agrees to step into the cage. A boxing match, however, remains the more likely scenario given her reluctance to face Cyborg under MMA rules.

For now, the verbal sparring continues, keeping fans entertained and hopeful for a blockbuster crossover bout in 2025. Whether the fight materializes remains to be seen.

Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Ireland Draws the Scorn of Darren Till “Ireland wins every time”

Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has reignited his rivalry with Ireland and its fighters after making controversial remarks…

Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has reignited his rivalry with Ireland and its fighters after making controversial remarks about the state of Irish MMA. Speaking in a recent interview with the PFL, Nurmagomedov downplayed Ireland’s contributions to mixed martial arts, claiming its talent pool pales in comparison to that of his native Dagestan.

Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Ireland

“Ireland don’t have fighters, brother,” Khabib Nurmagomedov said. “Let’s be honest. How many fighters do you know from Ireland? Paul Hughes and Conor [McGregor], and who else? There is no fighter, brother.” He went further, comparing the skill levels between the two regions: “Dagestan level of MMA [is] here,” he said, gesturing high, “but Ireland level? Not even half of Dagestan level.”

Khabib’s comments come just weeks before a major clash between his cousin, Usman Nurmagomedov, and Ireland’s Paul Hughes for the Bellator lightweight title on January 25, 2025. The fight has already been dubbed “Dagestan vs. Ireland 2.0,” a callback to the heated Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Conor McGregor bout at UFC 229 in 2018.

Paul Hughes wasted no time firing back. Responding to Khabib’s remarks, he said, “Just wait till I get my hands on yo boy,” in a pointed message aimed at Usman Nurmagomedov.

Darren Till

Among the voices reacting to Khabib’s statements was former UFC contender Darren Till, who came to Ireland’s defense. Till, known for his bluntness, pointed out the impressive achievements of Irish MMA despite the country’s small population.

“I’ve always respected Khabib and his team; they are fantastic fighters,” Till said. “But for him to sit there and say fighters from Ireland are low-level? Considering the size difference between Russia and Ireland, Ireland is actually way ahead.

“Ireland is so fing small, and Russia is so fing big. Ireland has produced amazing fighters over the years. Just based on size and production, Ireland wins every time. This is not me being biased—I’m not friends with Khabib’s side or Ireland’s side—I’m just stating my opinion.”

Khabib’s remarks have reignited a long-standing tension between Dagestan and Ireland in MMA, drawing strong reactions from fans and fighters alike. While some view his comments as an extension of his rivalry with McGregor. The upcoming Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Paul Hughes fight is now under even greater scrutiny.

Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Ireland Draws the Scorn of Darren Till “Ireland wins every time”

Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has reignited his rivalry with Ireland and its fighters after making controversial remarks…

Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Ireland

Paul Hughes wasted no time firing back. Responding to Khabib’s remarks, he said, “Just wait till I get my hands on yo boy,” in a pointed message aimed at Usman Nurmagomedov.

Darren Till

“Those Guys Fcking Suck” – Former Bellator Fighter Absolutely Shreds “Shtty A**” PFL

For a company that claims to put fighters first, the PFL certainly seems to have pissed off a lot…

For a company that claims to put fighters first, the PFL certainly seems to have pissed off a lot of them.

In November 2023, the Professional Fighters League announced that it had purchased Bellator MMA, folding the promotion’s entire roster into its own in an attempt to further compete with the UFC. Thus far, the PFL has run six events with the Bellator name attached, including a PFL vs. Bellator card in 2024 that pitted top stars from the two organizations against one another.

Unfortunately, the promotion rubbed a lot of fighters the wrong way when it canceled events in Chicago, Paris, and Japan that were scheduled to go down between October and December 2024.

Since then, multiple fighters have expressed their frustration with how the PFL is handling the merger and its failure to properly manage its massive roster. Patricio Pitbull, Corey ‘Overtime’ Anderson, and Patchy Mix are just a few PFL contracted fighters who have slammed the organization in recent months.

Now you can add former Bellator standout Sabah Homasi to the list of fighters speaking out.

Though no longer with the organization, ‘The Punisher’ was more than willing to share his candid thoughts on the promotion now that he’s exited the PFL in favor of a more fighter-friendly company — Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship.

“[The past year] wasn’t the greatest, let’s just say that,” Homasi told MMA Fighting. “We ended on a great note. That’s all that matters. Between PFL acquiring Bellator, which was super shitty, and just not fighting for over a year. That was the worst part. Whatever, we’re back on track.

“It was amazing [working with BKFC]. They welcomed me with open arms. I talked a lot with everybody upon arrival and checking in and on fight night, it was the weirdest thing ever, I had no nerves. Before the fight started I got into the ring and I looked at my guys in the corner and I’m like guys, I’m too calm right now. It’s scary how calm I am. I was just in my element. Just comfortable being where I’m at. [BKFC president] Dave Feldman’s a great guy. Met him, chopped it up with him a bit.

“He’s amazing. I’m looking forward to my future with BKFC. It feels good to be a part of an organization that actually takes care of their fighters. Not like f*cking sh*tty ass PFL.”

Homasi made his BKFC debut at the promotion’s December 21 event in Hollywood and scored himself a 62-second knockout of Eduardo Peralta.

Homasi calls PFL’s acquisition of Bellator the ‘worst thing to happen in mMA today’

Despite PFL co-founder Donn Davis’ promise that “all of them are coming over” in regards to Bellator fighters remaining on the roster following the merger, Homasi says that dozens of fighters were shown the door almost immediately.

“I literally called it,” Homasi said. “I told everybody. I said it before it happened. I said this would be the worst thing to happen in MMA today. It f*cking happened. They did a huge disservice to veteran fighters on their roster. They cut over 100 people. 100 high-level fighters. It’s like where are these guys going to go fight?”

Obviously, Homasi isn’t shy about sharing his poor experience with the promotion and is more than willing to offer a word of advice to fighters either under contract with the PFL or those considering signing with the promotion.

“As soon as PFL came into the picture and they acquired Bellator, those guys are a bunch of f*cking jokes,” Homasi said. “They don’t know how to run a f*cking show. I feel like they came into MMA and they wanted to become popular and be around a bunch of fighters, who the f*ck knows. But those guys f*cking suck. They don’t know how to run an MMA organization. They put on shows and there’s no one in the godd*mn stands.

“I did an interview after the fight, I said listen my advice to fighters in PFL or anyone considering signing with PFL, get it while there’s still water in the well because that f*cking well is going to run dry. That’s it.”

Ex-UFC Fighter Slams PFL’s Lackluster Matchmaking: ‘They Don’t Know What They’re Doing’

While they’re technically the second-biggest fight promotion in the United States, the PFL has a long way to go…

While they’re technically the second-biggest fight promotion in the United States, the PFL has a long way to go before earning respect from both fans and fighters.

In November 2023, the Professional Fighters League made a big splash in the world of MMA by buying Bellator, a fledgling organization that had introduced the world to Eddie Alvarez, Michael Chandler, the Pitbull brothers, Michael ‘Venom’ Page, and many more. Anyone signed to Bellator at the time of the merger was immediately folded into the PFL roster.

That includes current Bellator light heavyweight champion Corey ‘Overtime’ Anderson.

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A former Ultimate Fighter winner, Anderson captured his first world title in March after scoring a unanimous decision victory over Karl Moore at Bellator Champions Series 1 in Belfast to claim the 205-pound belt. Since then, ‘Overtime’ has been left in limbo waiting for the powers that be in the PFL to decide when or if he’ll fight for them again.

During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Anderson didn’t hold back while talking about the PFL’s lackluster leadership and their lack of knowledge about the fight game.

“With Donn [Davis] and Pete [Murray], I don’t know what their plans are,” Anderson said. “At the same time, from the outside looking in it looks like guys that haven’t really spent much time in fighting, so they don’t really know what they’re doing at the moment. They’re trying to make business moves. They’re good at Wall Street-type stuff and stocks and making money. But that’s a different game to the fight game, so I don’t know their plans.”

Donn Davis is the co-founder of chairman of the Professional Fighters League while Pete Murray serves as the promotion’s CEO.

Corey Anderson isn’t the only fighter frustrated by the PFL’s decision-making

Corey Anderson isn’t the only PFL fighter frustrated over the lack of direction. In November, Patchy Mix didn’t hold back after the promotion canceled its Bellator Champions Series event in Paris scheduled for November 16. Mix was expected to square off with Leandro Higo at the event.

“I’ve been training my ass off for the last half of year for nothing,” Mix wrote on X. “This is frustrating in the prime of my career and I’ve had my fight in November cancelled? 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.”

Patricio Pitbull was also left sitting on the sidelines after hoping to compete multiple times in 2024.

“I haven’t fought since February,” Pitbull posted. “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.”

For a company that claims to put fighters first, the PFL certainly seems to be doing the exact opposite.