Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (32-4) submitted Emmanuel Sanchez (20-5) to successfully defend the Bellator featherweight title and move on to the finals of the Featherweight World Grand Prix Tournament in the main event of Bellator 255 Friday night from the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut.
https://twitter.com/blue_fighting/status/1378185520388452356
Sanchez spent much of the first round shredding Pitbull’s inner and outer lead leg with stinging leg kicks. As Sanchez came in for a left hand midway through the round, Pitbull caught him on the jaw and sent him to the ground. Sanchez tried to get to his feet and Pitbull locked in the guillotine, wrapped his legs around his opponent and choked Sanchez unconscious to successfully defend the belt.
With the win, Pitbull became the first fighter to finish Sanchez. He’ll now move on to fight AJ McKee, unbeaten at 17-0.
Then there were 2️⃣.
It comes down to @PatricioPitbull and @ajmckee101.
The biggest Featherweight showdown of the year will be LIVE on @SHOsports. #Bellator255 pic.twitter.com/HzTxw2awyb
— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) April 3, 2021
The win also makes it seven consecutive for Pitbull, who has his eyes firmly planted on earning the $1 million prize for winning the Grand Prix Tournament, then moving on to a cross-promotional fight.
“The ones that have the belt, Volkanovski, Holloway,” Pitbull told Uproxx Sports before Friday night’s main event. “I’ve beaten Chandler and that’s that. I don’t need to fight Chandler. (Bellator) is just like me. We like to do these things to prove we are the best. We’ve done cross-promotional fights with RIZIN. Scott (Coker) would like to do that with the UFC for a second time.”
