One of the most anticipated fights of next weekend’s PFL Champs vs. Bellator Champs card is off.
PFL featherweight champ Jesus Pinedo had been set to throw down with Bellator legend and current featherweight champ Patricio Pitbull at the event. However, after withdrawing for undisclosed reasons, Pinedo is off the card, and the fight is off the event.
Promotion officials revealed the news on Saturday.
No replacement is being sought for Pitbull, and it remains unclear as to whether the promotion might match the two up at a future event.
The Professional Fighters League completed its purchase of Bellator MMA late last year, giving them access to a much deeper, more seasoned roster. The company will run the promotions separately for the time being, while allowing for some crossover — as underscored by PFL Champs vs. Bellator Champs, a head-to-head showdown between promotions in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on February 24.
With the loss of Jesus Pinedo vs. Patricio Pitbull only two champ versus champ fights remain on the card: heavyweights Renan Ferreira (PFL) and Ryan Bader (Bellator), and Impa Kasanganay (PFL light heavyweight champ) versus Johnny Eblen (Bellator middleweight champ). The card currently breaks down as follows:
- Renan Ferreira vs. Ryan Bader
- Impa Kasanganay vs. Johnny Eblen
- Ray Cooper III vs. Jason Jackson
- Bruno Cappelozza vs. Vadim Nemkov
- Thiago Santos vs. Yoel Romero
- Clay Collard vs. A.J. McKee
- Aaron Pico vs. Gabriel Alves Braga
- Biaggio Ali Walsh vs. Emmanuel Palacio
- Claressa Shields vs. Kelsey DeSantis
- Abdullah Al-Qahtani vs. Edukondala Rao
- Malik Basahel vs. Vinicius Pereira
Bellator will kick off its 2024 year when it heads to Belfast, Northern Ireland in March for Bellator 302. The PFL’s regular season kick-off date has yet to be announced. The promotion will also launch its super-fight division in 2024, which is expected to feature the likes of Francis Ngannou and Jake Paul, among others.
