https://www.mmanews.com/interviews/jesus-pinedo-shock-surprise-pfl-bellator-exclusive
2023 PFL featherweight champion Jesus Pinedo feels he poses a unique puzzle for Patrício ‘Pitbull’ Freire to solve.
Pinedo and Freire will square off at the upcoming PFL vs. Bellator event in Riyadh on February 25th. The top featherweights are expected to put on an intriguing MMA battle to kick off the calendar year.
Pinedo, who won the PFL featherweight belt last November, still feels underrated at this point in his career. Freire, who is arguably the greatest fighter in Bellator history, has vast experience and is showing no signs of slowing down.
But Pinedo thinks Freire is in for a surprise when they face off inside the PFL SmartCage.
“I definitely have respect for Pitbull,” Pinedo said. "He’s a legend of the sport, he’s accomplished great things, but makes me different is the drive and hunger that I have. I think I’m better than him everywhere, nowhere in the game or where the fight goes that I can’t be better than him.
“It’s the hunger, the motivation that I have right now. That’s what sets me apart from the guys he’s fought.”
Freire has defeated the likes of Michael Chandler, AJ McKee, and Juan Archuleta during his career. After losing the belt to McKee at Bellator 263, he bounced back in the rematch, winning by unanimous decision.
Pinedo is Peru’s first major MMA world champion and is the main catalyst for growth in the country. He returned home to a hero’s welcome immediately after winning the title at the 2023 PFL Championship.
Pinedo was the Cinderella story of the 2023 PFL season, earning upset wins over the likes of Brendan Loughnane and Bubba Jenkins. He’s looking to shock the world once again and give Freire the biggest test of his legendary career.
The first-ever Professional Fighters League (PFL) vs. Bellator MMA “champion vs. champion” event has taken another big hit, losing yet another title fight just one week away from fight night. Scheduled to go down on Sat., Feb 24, 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the event was originally set to feature four title fights, and now it has been whittled down to just two.
According to the promotions’ social media page, current PFL Featherweight champion, Jesus Pinedo, has been forced out of his scheduled showdown against Bellator MMA 145-pound kingpin, Patricio Pitbull, for unspecified reasons.
Pinedo was looking to build off the momentum of winning the division crown just last November, while Pitbull was hoping to snap his two-fight losing streak, but now both men will have to wait a little longer to get back into the cage. There is no word if this bout will be re-booked at a later time.
Just three weeks ago, the event suffered its first championship fight loss after Magomed Magomedkerimov was forced out of his bout Welterweight fight against Bellator’s 170-pound title holder, Jason Jackson. Ray Cooper III agreed to step in to face “The Ass-Kicking Machine” in a non-title fight set to be competed at a Catchweight of 182 pounds.
In other news, a scheduled Lightweight fight between Claressa Shields and Kelsey DeSantis will now go down at a catchweight of 165 pounds.
The event will be headlined by a Heavyweight championship bout as PFL Heavyweight kingpin, Renan Ferreira, battles Bellator’s champion, Ryan Bader. In the co-main event, PFL Light Heavyweight champion, Impa Kasanganay, will drop down to Middleweight to battle Bellator’s 185-pound king, Johnny Eblen.
In further action, former Bellator MMA Featherweight champion, A.J. McKee, will face off against Clay Collard, while Bruno Cappelozza welcomes Vadim Nemkov to the 265-pound division. Rounding out the main card will be a 205-pound tilt between Yoel Romero and Thiago Santos.
Yikes
Second All-Champion Fight For PFL vs. Bellator Event Falls Through, Claressa Shields’ MMA Return Boosted To Super Lightweight
One week before the PFL vs. Bellator pay-per-view event, the card has gone through more changes.
Besides Pride of course, it has to be one, if not the best MMA cards outside the UFC