Just days away from PFL vs. Bellator: Champions, the fight card has undergone some modifications. Notable Bellator fighters Patricio Freire and Aaron Pico have been assigned new opponents due to the withdrawal of Jesus Pinedo. Originally set to face Freire in a champion vs. champion matchup, Pinedo’s absence has led to Gabriel Braga stepping in to take on Freire. Meanwhile, Braga was initially slated to fight Pico but will now face Freire instead.
In response to these changes, Pico has been targeted for a rematch against Henry Corrales, a seasoned and resilient veteran within the Bellator organization. Corrales emerged victorious in their previous encounter with a knockout punch that halted Pico’s onslaught.
Sources close to the situation have revealed that Freire is determined to bounce back from his recent two-fight losing streak, which marks a career first for him. In June, he aimed to secure Bellator gold in a third weight class but was unsuccessful in the bantamweight division against Sergio Pettis. In a spontaneous move, Freire accepted a fight under the RIZIN banner in July, only to be upset by Chihiro Suzuki in the first round.
Braga, who shares a close connection with Freire, will be competing just weeks after the passing of his father, who also served as his MMA mentor. Braga reached the finals of the 2023 PFL featherweight post-season but suffered his first career loss to Jesus Pinedo in the divisional championship.
Pico has long been regarded as one of the prominent figures in Bellator, representing the promotion’s commitment to nurturing homegrown talent. Despite facing both triumphs and setbacks inside the Bellator cage, Pico seems to have found his rhythm in recent fights, securing victories over James Gonzalez and Pedro Carvalho.
Corrales, on the other hand, aims to recover from a unanimous decision loss to Kai Kamaka III in October, which halted his three-fight winning streak. Having been with Bellator since 2015, Corrales holds a promotional record of 9 wins and 7 losses.
Considering these adjustments, the current lineup for PFL vs. Bellator: Champions is as follows: [no further instructions provided]
According to the Source mmajunkie.usatoday.com