May 11, 2019; Rosemont, IL, USA; Patricio Freire (blue gloves) celebrates with his championship belts after defeating Michael Chandler (red gloves) during Bellator 221 at Allstate Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

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Bellator Champion Patricio ‘Pitbull’ Joins The UFC Featherweight Roster; Debut Fight Against High Ranked Opponent Announced!

Bellator Champ Patricio 'Pitbull' enters UFC Featherweight division, debuting against top-ranked contender—exciting battle on the horizon!

The UFC‘s featherweight division has seen its share of legendary champions, from Jose Aldo’s decade-long dominance to Alexander Volkanovski’s recent reign. Now, after years of speculation and fan debates, one of the most decorated champions from outside the UFC, Patricio Freire, is finally making his way to the octagon.

Nicknamed ‘Pitbull,’ this man has dominated Bellator’s featherweight division with an iron fist and collected an impressive 36-7 record. He recently broke free from his PFL contract and signed with the UFC. This move brings back memories of when Eddie Alvarez made the jump and shocked everyone by becoming UFC lightweight champion, proving that champions from other promotions can indeed hang with the UFC elite.

Also Read: Dricus Du Plessis Comments On Former Opponents Critique Of His Fighting Style

A Battle of Technical Strikers Awaits

The UFC isn’t giving ‘Pitbull’ any warm-up fights. A fighter of his caliber is diving straight into the deep end against the ever technical Yair Rodriguez at UFC 314. Rodriguez, known for his spinning attacks and that incredible last-second elbow knockout of Korean Zombie, will be a serious test for the Bellator veteran. But Patricio Freire isn’t just here to participate. He is already calling himself the “future king” of the division.

Former two-division Bellator champion Patricio Pitbull will make his UFC debut against Yair Rodriguez at UFC 314 in Miami, Dana White announced. pic.twitter.com/HcCKPbKmYi
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) February 20, 2025

The timing couldn’t be better, as the card also features Alexander Volkanovski facing Diego Lopes for the vacant featherweight title. ‘Pitbull’ has been vocal about wanting to prove himself against the UFC’s best, naming fighters like Brian Ortega, Movsar Evloev, and the current title contenders.But the UFC featherweight division isn’t exactly a walk in the park. This is evident from Max Holloway, who looked unstoppable until he met Volkanovski.

Journey To The UFC

What makes this story even more interesting is how ‘Pitbull’ managed to negotiate his way out of the PFL contract when they weren’t giving him enough fights. It shows that even in 2025, fighters are getting better at managing their careers and making power moves.

Patricio Pitbull sends a message to the featherweight division after signing with the UFC:

"It's time to conquer a new crown. UFC featherweights, your future king has arrived!" 👀👀

(via. @PatricioPitbull) #UFC314 #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/XrXPxrA4xd
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) February 20, 2025

Dana White, who usually plays hardball with champions from other promotions, couldn’t resist adding such a prestigious name to the roster. The last time we saw such excitement around a champion from another promotion entering the UFC was when Michael Chandler made his explosive debut. ‘Pitbull’ actually holds a win over Chandler from their Bellator days, which adds another interesting layer to his UFC journey!

The featherweight division has been crying out for fresh blood, and they don’t come much fresher than Patricio Freire, the multiple-time Bellator champion with knockout power and a chip on his shoulder!

(Image Credit: Jerry Lai – Imagn Images)

Patricio Freire

UFC 314

Yair Rodriguez

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!