Bellator star Danny Sabatello splits from PFL, signs with new promotion

Former Bellator title challenger Danny Sabatello has been picked up by RIZIN Fighting Federation.

@shockthisworld - Instagram

Danny Sabatello is no longer in the PFL.

One of the more familiar faces of Bellator MMA and a past contestant on Dana White's Contender Series, "The Italian Gangster" Sabatello (14-4-1) has announced his next move nearly four years after beating UFC veteran Brett Johns in his Bellator debut.

Sabatello joins a slew of fighters to leave the PFL, like former champion Patricio Pitbull, who recently signed to the UFC.

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As for Sabatello, the 31-year-old revealed on Thursday he had signed a multi-fight contract with Japanese MMA promotion RIZIN Fighting Federation, telling MMA Knockout they should have an opponent for him any day now.

"JAPAN!!!!!!!! I have signed to fight with @rizin_pr and will be taking over the whole show," Sabatello wrote on Instagram. "I’m not just coming for the belt. I’m coming to be king. As of today I now run that whole bantamweight division. This is going to get wild in Japan."

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Sabatello's MMA career really took off during the COVID-19 pandemic. He put together an impressive 7-fight win streak that saw him become Titan FC Champion, fight on Dana White's Contender Series, and challenge for Bellator gold against Raufeon Stots in a fight he arguably won but lost via split decision in 2022.

The former Bellator title challenger has fought in Japan before, losing to Magomed Magomedov in summer 2023 - looking for redemption under the RIZIN banner later this year.

American Top Team's Sabatello imposes his heavy wrestling style to smother his opponents inside the cage and his words to annoy them, as he's done in the past - Danny a big believer in mental warfare.

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