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KSW Double-Champ Tries to Lure Newly-Released Patricio Pitbull Away from UFC

Could Pitbull consider joining KSW following his PFL release?

Drew Beaupre

(Bellator MMA)

Former Bellator double-champ Patricio “Pitbull” Freire may already have one non-UFC option on the table after being released from his contract with the PFL.

Salahdine Parnasse Calls For KSW Showdown With Pitbull

Following several months where the Bellator star was actively campaigning for a release, earlier this week PFL Chairman Donn Davis officially announced that Pitbull was free to test free agency shortly after he also confirmed that the Bellator MMA brand would no longer be attached to any future PFL events.

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Pitbull thanked Davis and PFL CEO Peter Murray upon confirmation that his release would in fact be “unconditional”, and it only took a couple of hours before the 37-year-old called out former UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski.

KSW Double-Champ Tries to Lure Newly-Released Patricio Pitbull Away from UFC
Feb 17, 2024; Anaheim, California, USA; Alexander Volkanovski reacts before fighting against Ilia Topuria during UFC 298 at Honda Center. / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

It certainly seems like the UFC is Pitbull’s ideal landing spot considering his message to Volkanovski and previous comments about wanting to compete in the Octagon, but if the Brazilian is open to exploring his options he’s also been called out by two-division KSW titleholder Salahdine Parnasse.

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A member of the KSW roster since 2017, Parnasse joined the Poland-based organization with an 8-0 record and went on to win and defend the promotion’s interim featherweight belt before being stopped in a title unification bout with Daniel Torres in 2021.

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Parnasse rebounded from his first loss with a five-fight win streak that saw him avenge his loss to Torres and also claim the KSW featherweight title to achieve double-champ status, and after a failed triple-champ bid against welterweight titleholder Adrian Bartosiński the 27-year-old defended his lightweight belt twice in 2024.

Pitbull could almost certainly jump straight into a title fight if he were to accept Parnasse’s challenge and join KSW, and it remains to be seen what kind of effort the UFC may make to sign the former Bellator star given that he’s now 37 years old and has 45 pro MMA fights under his belt.

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Drew Beaupre
DREW BEAUPRE

Drew is an MMA writer that regularly watches regional events in addition to major promotions such as the UFC, PFL, Bellator, and ONE Championship. He joined MMA Knockout when it was founded in 2023.

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