Patricio “Pitbull” Freire has appealed to heavyweight Francis Ngannou to intervene in his contract dispute with the Professional Fighters League (PFL).
Pitbull, 37, has not fought since March and asked the PFL to do so release him from the contract in December last year.
The Brazilian slammed PFL on social media after confirming that the Bellator promotion in its current form would be disbanded.
“Hey Francis Ngannou, are you aware of all the ridiculous things the PFL is doing to players and giving them new contracts?” Pitbull said about PFL in a series of posts on X.
“Will you ever speak up for us? I think it’s time to establish the PFL Players Association. What do you think about it?”
Such a relationship does not exist in the largest MMA organizations, including the UFC and PFL.
There was no immediate reaction to Pitbull’s news from Ngannou, whose high position in the PFL rankings is perhaps unmatched because he previously competed in the UFC and took part in the boxing ring, where he faced Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua in two fights staged in Riyad.
Pitbull is a Bellator veteran who has won world titles in two divisions and is the last fighter to defend the featherweight championship.
PFL taken over Bellator in late 2023 in the merger and then launched Bellator Champion Series events in 2024, which will feature some of its biggest stars.
The pitbull fought at a party in Belfast, stopping Jeremy Kennedy to improve his record to 36-7.
PFL president Donn Davis issued a statement shortly after Pitbull vented his frustration at X, explaining why the Bellator branding is being largely phased out.
“PFL acquired Bellator MMA a year ago primarily due to its great lineup of fighters,” reads a PFL statement.
“In the future, all events and content will be branded PFL.
“The Bellator brand has a rich history that will continue to be respected and appreciated through select feature title fights.”
