Tag: Patricio Freire

Bellator 297 ceremonial faceoffs video: Title combatants keep it intense but respectful

Watch the 30 fighters competing at Bellator 297 come face-to-face with their opponents for the final time ahead of the fights.

CHICAGO – Bellator 297 takes place Friday at Wintrust Arena and the fighters came face-to-face Thursday for the final time before they throw down in the cage.

Main event combatants [autotag]Vadim Nemkov[/autotag] (16-2 MMA, 8-0 BMMA) and [autotag]Yoel Romero[/autotag] (15-6 MMA, 2-1 BMMA) had a respectful faceoff. Nemkov seeks his fourth title defense while Romero challenges for a Bellator title for the first time.

A highly-anticipated co-main event super-fight produced an intense faceoff as bantamweight champion [autotag]Sergio Pettis[/autotag] (22-5 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) and [autotag]Patricio Freire[/autotag] (35-5 MMA, 23-5 BMMA) stared each other down.

The fight marks Pettis’ first in 14 months since a serious knee injury. For Freire, the bout is his first at bantamweight and an opportunity for him to capture Bellator gold in a third weight division.

The full Bellator 297 lineup includes:

MAIN CARD (Showtime (9 p.m. ET)

  • Champ Vadim Nemkov vs. Yoel Romero – for light heavyweight title
  • Champ Sergio Pettis vs. Patricio Freire – for bantamweight title
  • Corey Anderson vs. Phil Davis
  • Daniel James vs. Gokhan Saricam

PRELIMINARY CARD (MMA Junkie, 6 p.m. ET)

  • Wladmir Gouvea vs. Gabriel Sayeg
  • Kyle Crutchmer vs. Bobby Nash
  • Pieter Buist vs. Gadzhi Rabadanov
  • Ramazan Kuramagomedov vs. Jaleel Willis
  • Mike Hamel vs. Shamil Nikaev
  • Norbert Novenyi Jr. vs. Kamil Oniszczuk
  • Archie Colgan vs. Emmanuel Sanchez
  • Karl Moore vs. Alex Polizzi
  • Timur Khizriev vs. Richie Smullen
  • Jordan Newman vs. Matthew Perry
  • Edwin Chavez vs. Cody Law
  • David McKinney vs. Max Metzgar

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 297.

Bellator 297 video: Sergio Pettis, Patricio Freire make weight, show off bantamweight physiques

Champions Sergio Pettis and Patricio Freire came in light ahead of their showdown at Bellator 297.

CHICAGO – The Bellator 297 co-main event fighters weighed in Friday at the host hotel, and things went off without a hitch.

Bantamweight champion [autotag]Sergio Pettis[/autotag] (22-5 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) was one of the first to weigh in and registered one pound below championship weight at 134 pounds.

All eyes then turned to [autotag]Patricio Freire[/autotag] (35-5 MMA, 23-5 BMMA), who stepped on the scale as a bantamweight for the first time. Freire, too, came in light, as he weighed 134.2 and showed off his leaner than usual physique.

Freire, 35, is the current Bellator featherweight champion and a former lightweight champion under the promotion’s banner. He looks to add a third divisional title to his resume and become the first fighter in major MMA history to do so in the same promotion.

Pettis, 29, has not competed for 14 months due to a knee injury. Friday will mark his first title defense attempt as he looks to spoil a “Pitbull’s” historic feat.

Check out video of the Bellator 297 co-main event participants making weight above.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 297.</em

Bellator 297 weigh-in results: Patricio Freire lighter than necessary for bantamweight debut

Check out the results from the official Bellator 297 fighter weigh-ins in Chicago.

CHICAGO – MMA Junkie was on scene at Friday’s official Bellator 297 fighter weigh-ins, which took place at the Bellator host hotel in Chicago.

The nearby Wintrust Arena hosts Friday’s event, which has a main card on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.

Among those who weighed in were light heavyweight champion [autotag]Vadim Nemkov[/autotag] (16-2 MMA, 8-0 BMMA) and challenger [autotag]Yoel Romero[/autotag] (15-6 MMA, 2-1 BMMA), who meet in the main event. Both fighters made weight. Nemkov was first of all the fighters to take the scale and weighed 203.8. Minutes later, Romero weighed 205 with a towel, which created a comedic moment with Bellator fighter operations’ Burt Watson.

Bantamweight champ [autotag]Sergio Pettis[/autotag] (22-5 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) and featherweight titleholder [autotag]Patricio Freire[/autotag] (35-5 MMA, 23-5 BMMA), who is trying for Bellator history with a title in a third division, also took to the scales.

Much buzz was made about Freire’s move to bantamweight, but Friday he proved any doubters wrong when he came in lighter than needed – at 134.2 pounds. Pettis affirmed his reputation as a professional when he came in even lighter, at 134 pounds.

The weigh-ins were rapid-fire to start, as 29 athletes weighed in during the first 15 minutes of the one-hour window. Welterweight [autotag]Jaleel Willis[/autotag] (16-4 MMA, 4-2 BMMA) was the lone fighter outside of the initial burst, but he made 171 with the towel.

The full Bellator 297 weigh-in results include:

MAIN CARD (Showtime (9 p.m. ET)

  • Champ Vadim Nemkov (203.8) vs. Yoel Romero (205) – for light heavyweight title
  • Champ Sergio Pettis (134) vs. Patricio Freire (134.2) – for bantamweight title
  • Corey Anderson (205) vs. Phil Davis (206)
  • Daniel James (265) vs. Gokhan Saricam (246)

PRELIMINARY CARD (MMA Junkie, 6 p.m. ET)

  • Wladmir Gouvea (264) vs. Gabriel Sayeg (261)
  • Kyle Crutchmer (171) vs. Bobby Nash (171)
  • Pieter Buist (156) vs. Gadzhi Rabadanov (156)
  • Ramazan Kuramagomedov (170) vs. Jaleel Willis (171)
  • Mike Hamel (155) vs. Shamil Nikaev (156)
  • Norbert Novenyi Jr. (185) vs. Kamil Oniszczuk (186)
  • Archie Colgan (155) vs. Emmanuel Sanchez (155)
  • Karl Moore (205) vs. Alex Polizzi (204)
  • Timur Khizriev (145) vs. Richie Smullen (145)
  • Jordan Newman (186) vs. Matthew Perry (184)
  • Edwin Chavez (146) vs. Cody Law (145)

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 297.

Video: Whose legacy will be impacted most between the two Bellator 297 title fights?

We discuss how Yoel Romero, Vadim Nemkov, Sergio Pettis, and Patricio Freire could have their legacies impacted in a big way at Bellator 297.

Bellator has one of the biggest events in its history Friday in Chicago with two title fights at the top of the bill.

In the main event of Bellator 297, [autotag]Vadim Nemkov[/autotag] puts his light heavyweight title on the line against former UFC title challenger [autotag]Yoel Romero[/autotag]. In the co-feature, [autotag]Sergio Pettis[/autotag] returns from injury to defend his bantamweight title against featherweight champ [autotag]Patricio Freire[/autotag].

Nemkov is in the conversation for the best light heavyweight in the world, and if he’s victorious against the always-dangerous Romero, his argument will only strengthen. If Romero wins at 46, he will have an incredible achievement in the late stage of his career.

Freire is attempting to make history again, as he looks to claim a world title in a third division. Questions surround him about his weight cut for this one, but also, Pettis may have some rust to knock off after being out of action since December 2021.

Who has the most on the line here? History and legacies are at play, but which outcome has the biggest impact? Would it be Romero’s late title run? Would it be Freire daring to be great, and even going further for a fourth title at flyweight? Will a Pettis victory place him among the greats at 135 pounds?

Our “Spinning Back Clique” panel of Mike Bohn, Dan Tom, and Brian “Goze” Garcia answer those questions with host “Gorgeous” George Garcia. You can watch their discussion in the video above and check out this week’s full episode below.

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Bellator 297 video: Why Yoel Romero ‘faced off’ with Vadim Nemkov virtually from his hotel bed

Bellator’s headlining champs and challengers had their first faceoffs of fight week Wednesday 1,350 feet in the air – absent one key player.

CHICAGO – Bellator’s headlining champs and challengers had their first faceoffs of fight week Wednesday 1,350 feet in the air … absent one key player, though.

Light heavyweight champion [autotag]Vadim Nemkov[/autotag] (16-2 MMA, 8-0 BMMA) puts his title on the line against [autotag]Yoel Romero[/autotag] (15-6 MMA, 2-1 BMMA) in the Bellator 297 main event.

In the co-feature, [autotag]Patricio Freire[/autotag] (35-5 MMA, 23-5 BMMA) chases history when he tries to add the bantamweight title to his current featherweight belt. He challenges 135-pound champ [autotag]Sergio Pettis[/autotag] (22-5 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) in the co-feature, and a win will make him the first fighter in Bellator history to have titles in three different divisions.

Wednesday, the fighters took questions from the media at a press conference at the Skydeck at Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower), Chicago’s tallest building. At 1,451 feet, the Willis Tower is the 23rd tallest building in the world, third tallest in the U.S. and has the tallest public viewing area of any building in the country.

But Romero elected to stay at the host hotel in downtown Chicago rather than go to the 99th floor of the building. Romero, he said, is afraid of heights. He joined the press conference through a video feed in his hotel room. That meant no faceoff for the main event, but there were three others.

Check out the highlights from the co-main event faceoff in the video above, as well as the faceoff between [autotag]Corey Anderson[/autotag] (17-6 MMA, 3-1 BMMA) and former light heavyweight champion [autotag]Phil Davis[/autotag] (24-6 MMA, 11-3 BMMA) and an appearance from Chicago’s own [autotag]Daniel James[/autotag] (15-6-1 MMA, 3-0 BMMA), a heavyweight contender who opens the main card against Gokhan Saricam (8-2 MMA, 4-2 BMMA).

Bellator 297 takes place Friday at Wintrust Arena in Chicago. The main card airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 297.

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Bellator 297 breakdown: ‘Proven pound-for-pound talent’ should win Sergio Pettis-Patricio Freire fight

MMA Junkie fight analyst Dan Tom takes a closer look at the Bellator 297 co-headliner between Sergio Pettis and Patricio Freire.

MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom breaks down MMA’s top bouts. Today, we look at the co-main event for Bellator 297.

Bellator 297 takes place Friday at Wintrust Arena in Chicago. The main card airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.

Patricio Freire teases flyweight drop for fourth division’s title should he defeat Sergio Pettis at Bellator 297

At Bellator 297, Patricio Freire could become the first three-weight champion in major promotion history – and he’s already eying a fourth.

CHICAGO – [autotag]Patricio Freire[/autotag] is days out from a potential feat no other fighter has ever accomplished, and the thoughts of topping it have already crept into his mind.

At Bellator 297 on Friday, Freire (35-5 MMA, 23-5 BMMA) will challenge bantamweight champion Sergio Pettis (22-5 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) in a co-main event super-fight at Wintrust Arena. He currently holds the featherweight title and previously held the lightweight strap.

What Freire lacked in height at featherweight he often made up for in bulk. A compact fighter, Freire looked lean at Tuesday’s pre-fight news conference as he repeated how easy the cut has been.

“I can’t believe how easy this process is going down a weight class has been,” Freire told MMA Junkie and other reporters. “… I’ve been dieting. I am only eight pounds over. It’s never been easier. It’s easier for me making this weight than it was for featherweight. I’m great. I’m ready. It was easier, easier than ever, easier than making featherweight. I’m ready to shock the world.”

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The cut has been so easy, in fact, that Freire hinted a fourth division’s belt could be pursued. Bellator recently announced a flyweight division and Freire has started to consider it a possibility.

“First, I have to get the victory. But I don’t know. We have Patchy Mix as an interim champion. Maybe, (I’ll) go for the fourth belt. I don’t know. Let’s see what is going to happen. I’m feeling great. I’m fresh. I’m feeling good.”

“… Before accepting that fight against Sergio, it was not in my mind. I am like seven kilos (above) the featherweight division and I know it’s hard to make weight. But now, I’m like six months on diet or more and I realized that it’s possible. So after this fight, if I win the fight and the belt is available to a challenger, I’m on it.

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For Freire, 35, the chase of records and feats is catalyzed by a desire to not get comfortable. While many other champions are content to just knock off challengers in a single weight class, Freire has actively ventured into unchartered territories.

His laundry list of accolades has made Freire a frequent pick among fans, reporters, and fighters as the best Bellator fighter of all time. Freire himself isn’t interested in partaking in the discussion, just crafting it through actions.

“I’ve never liked to talk about or think about who’s the best,” Freire said. “I think that’s for other people to do. I think my focus is just accomplishing the mission and let everybody else decide. Let them look at the numbers. Let them look at the facts and they can decide for themselves. But numbers don’t lie.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 297.

Bellator 297 pre-event facts: Patricio ‘Pitbull’ can be first to achieve triple champ status

Check out all the facts and figures about Bellator 297, where Patricio Freire is on the cusp of an unprecedented MMA accomplishment.

The biggest Bellator event of the year so far goes down Friday with Bellator 297, which takes place at Wintrust Arena in Chicago with a main card that airs on Showtime following prelims streamed on MMA Junkie.

A championship doubleheader is featured on the top of a loaded card. In the main card, [autotag]Vadim Nemkov[/autotag] (15-2 MMA, 8-0 BMMA) will attempt to make his third light heavyweight title defense when he takes on [autotag]Yoel Romero[/autotag] (15-6 MMA, 2-1 BMMA). The co-headliner, meanwhile, sees the return of bantamweight titleholder [autotag]Sergio Pettis[/autotag] (22-5 MMA, 4-0 BMMA), who attempts to defend against current featherweight and former lightweight champ [autotag]Patricio Freire[/autotag] (35-5 MMA, 22-5 BMMA) in a potentially historic affair.

For more on the numbers behind the two title fights, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s pre-event facts about Bellator 297.

Sergio Pettis: I’m facing ‘death row’ at Bellator, beating Patricio Freire would be ‘great for my career’

Bantamweight champion Sergio Pettis is happy with big Bellator tests. Next he gets featherweight champ Patricio “Pitbull” Freire in Chicago.

Bantamweight champion [autotag]Sergio Pettis[/autotag] is happy to continue getting tested at Bellator.

Pettis (22-5 MMA, 9-5 BMMA) defends his title against featherweight champ [autotag]Patricio Freire[/autotag] (35-5 MMA, 23-5 BMMA), who will attempt to win a title in a third weight class in the co-main event of Bellator 297 on June 16 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago.

Freire widely is considered the greatest Bellator fighter in history. Pettis has fought top-level competition throughout his UFC and Bellator career, and sees the addition of “Pitbull” to his resume as very valuable.

“If I beat Patricio and be able to stop him from being a three-time world champ, it’ll be great for my career and my resume,” Pettis told MMA Junkie Radio. “I’m here to fight some of the best in the world, and my last couple of fights for Bellator, you’re seeing it.

“I’m fighting guys who have really great records. I fought Juan Archuleta when he was 25-2. I fought (Kyoji) Horiguchi when he was 29-3. Now I’m fighting Patricio ‘Pitbull,’ 35-5. So they’ve got me over here at death row, definitely, at Bellator. They’re putting me with the big boys and I’m showing that I can hang – and I can bang too.”

Pettis rallied to knock out Horiguchi in his most recent outing to notch his first title defense. A torn ACL kept him out of the recent bantamweight grand prix, but he’s eager to pick up where he left off and try to play spoiler once again vs. Freire.

“It puts a chip on my shoulder,” Pettis said. “He’s thinking that he can come through and come down to 135 and walk through me and get what I have, which is the belt. To go out there and spoil that moment for him would be a great moment for my career.

“Just based off of the scenario, coming off an ACL injury, I know these guys are looking past me and thinking I’m going to come back and not be the same fighter. They’re right: I’m not going to be the same fighter. I’m different. I’ve learned so much last year.”

Freire will be dropping to 135 pounds for the first time in his career. Having competed at flyweight and bantamweight, Pettis knows how taxing the cut down can be and questions how it will impact Freire.

“It’s definitely interesting,” Pettis said. “I fought at 125, so I know the difference of how I felt at 135 to 125. That extra 10 pounds makes a hell of a difference. He’s getting older. I did it at a younger age – he’s older – so we’ll see how his body adjusts. We’ll see if he’s as durable.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 297.

Bellator free fight: Patricio ‘Pitbull’ halts Adam Borics’ momentum to defend featherweight title

Watch Patricio Pitbull’s most recent title defense as he gets ready to make his bantamweight debut against Sergio Pettis.

[autotag]Patricio Freire[/autotag]’s reign as champion in Bellator has been as dominant as any in company history.

Time and time again, ‘Pitbull’ has racked up many title defenses over the years, making him easily one of the best fighters the promotion has ever seen. And in his most recent title fight in October, Freire defeated a streaking Adam Borics in a comfortable, unanimous decision in the main event of Bellator 286 in Long Beach, Calif.

You can watch Freire’s latest title defense in the video above, courtesy of Bellator.

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Freire (34-5 MMA, 22-5 BMMA) returns to the cage on June 16, as he attempts to capture another belt in his their weight class. The Brazilian drops down to the bantamweight division to challenge champion Sergio Pettis (22-5 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) in the co-main event of Bellator 297 in Chicago. The event takes place at Wintrust Arena and airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.

Freire is a former two-division champion in Bellator, but now only holds the featherweight title after he vacated lightweight gold in 2021. He’s currently 10-1 in his past 11 fights. Freire’s lone loss during that stretch came against A.J. McKee, which he later avenged.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 297.

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