Bellator 297 is going to be one hell of an event. In fact, this could easily be the best Bellator MMA event of the year. It’s not just because of the headliner fight which is massive, and we’ve already covered it in our Nemkov vs. Romero prediction piece; it’s also because of its main event – Sergio Pettis vs. Patricio “Pitbull” Freire.
Before Betting on Sergio Pettis vs. Patricio Pitbull
Patricio Pitbull (35-5) is the No. 1 fighter in the Bellator MMA pound-for-pound rankings. He’s already won titles in two different divisions and is looking for another one. To get ahold of the Bellator Bantamweight Championship belt, he’ll have to defeat the reigning champ, Sergio Pettis.
The younger brother of former UFC champion Anthony Pettis (22-5) has all wins in Bellator, which he joined in 2020. He won the title by beating Juan Archuleta by unanimous decision in May 2021. In December of the same year, he defended the title by beating Kyoji Horiguchi by KO in the fourth round (after losing the first three rounds). However, he hasn’t fought since.
In fact, in 2022, he suffered an injury which forced him to undergo surgery. As a result, he had to spend several weeks without any training. About a year later, he’s coming back to the cage. The bad news for him is that he’s fighting probably his toughest opponent since 2017 when he faced (and lost to) Henry Cejudo.
Sergio Pettis vs. Patricio Pitbull Offshore Odds & Prediction
| Offshore Sportsbook | Sergio Pettis | Patricio Pitbull |
|---|---|---|
| BetOnline | +200 | -235 |
| Bovada | +170 | -225 |
| BetUS | +190 | -240 |
| SportsBetting.ag | +200 | -235 |
| Pinnacle | +190 | -232 |
| MyBookie | +164 | -243 |
Patricio Pitbull’s odds suggest that he’s going to have a relatively easy job on Friday. We can only agree. He’s a way better fighter than Pettis, who’s got some ring rust coming to Chicago. But even if he was in his prime, we think Patricio Pitbull would’ve defeated him.
Pick: Patricio Pitbull
