Cris Cyborg has a title defense targeted and Bellator’s former featherweight champion Patricio Freire is stepping down as the 155-pound champion.
Cyborg is set to face Sinead Kavanagh on Nov. 12 while attempting to secure her third title defense with the promotion. Bellator president Scott Coker revealed the news on The MMA Hour on Oct. 6. As one of the greatest female combatants in mixed martial arts history, Cyborg has blasted the roof off Bellator with three-back-to-back finishes.
What came as a shock was the announcement that Freire was stepping down as the 155-pound titleholder. After losing a 145-pound fight to the now-featherweight champion AJ McKee Jr., Freire dropped his heavier strap and will pursue a rematch with McKee Jr. at featherweight instead. On Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour, Patricio Freire clarified why he made the decision to vacate his 155-pound title.
“First thing is, I lost the featherweight division,” Patricio said. “For me, it doesn’t make sense to be a champion in the lightweight division. If I lost at 145 pounds, I can’t be the champion at 155.”
Following the news, Patricio Freire posted on social media and shared why he is on a quest to right the wrongs at 145-pounds.
“Honor and family come first. When I first won the LW belt it was just about revenge. It was still an honor, but with the loss at 145 I’m starting over. It’s time for the LW division to move on and for @PatrickyPitbull to have his shot. My focus is on AJ and him only. #TheMMAHour” PatrickyPitbull posted.
With Freire vacating his title, his older brother Patricky Freire will now fight Peter Queally in a rematch scheduled for a Nov. 5 showdown in Ireland. Their initial encounter resulted in a doctor’s stoppage victory for Queally. It seems Bellator is is back in the full swing of things, and the promotion will crown a new lightweight champion in just under a month.
What do you make of Freire vacating his 155-pound title?
