Bellator 297 results, highlights: Sergio Pettis outpoints Patricio Pitbull to score upset and retain title
Patricio Pitbull entered Bellator 297 on Friday night trying to construct history because the main man to glean world titles in three weight classes for a most principal combined martial arts promotion. Bantamweight champion Sergio Pettis had other plans, alternatively, and completed his mission to cease away from changing into a footnote in the picture books with a technical and total performance to aid his title by unanimous resolution.
Pettis was as soon as improbable from early in the fight, firing off strikes with urge and self assurance. Pettis moreover centered Pitbull’s entire physique, landing blistering leg kicks, punching and kicking to the physique and tagging Pitbull with shots to the head from both legs and fingers.
Pitbull, in the intervening time on his third reign as Bellator featherweight champion and a faded lightweight champion, never perceived to find going. He would typically stroll ahead and feint and posture but no longer let his hands high-tail. Pettis stuffed these spaces left by Pitbull by letting high-tail alongside with rapid combos and interesting befriend out of vary.
Because the placing game wasn’t realizing for Pitbull, he every occasionally attempted to make exhaust of takedowns to turn the bout into a grappling contest. Pettis was as soon as up to the duty of combating off the takedowns, alternatively, and completely chanced on himself stuck to the mat as soon as in the fight, and that got here with fair 30 seconds left in Spherical 3.
After five rounds of slip, the judges had been in settlement, with two cards studying 50-forty five and one 49-46, fascinated by Pettis, who retained his title and made a command that he was as soon as going to be Bellator’s next astronomical thing.
“Bellator, I’m eliminating your entire poster boys,” Pettis said after the fight. “I judge it is miles time I find some appreciate. … I’m your next big establish. 100%.”
After his interview, Pettis had a face-off with Patchy Combine. Combine will in all probability be the following man up to scenario Pettis as he won the intervening time bantamweight title by successful the Bellator Bantamweight World Colossal Prix earlier in the one year. After Pettis’ exhibiting against the superb Bellator fighter of all time on Friday night, followers possess hundreds to delivery angry by in Pettis vs. Combine.
