Bellator extending the contracts of the “Pitbull” brothers was best for business

There is plenty of star power to go around in the world of MMA. Names play an important role in a companies success. For the UFC, there’s the McGregor’s, the Cormier’s and the Jones’ of the world. For ONE Championship, they have the Johnson’s and the Alvarez’s, among other talents. While Bellator has plenty of talented individuals, it is a duo that’s name is the most recognizable: Pitbull.

The company recently announced that they have signed both Patricio and Patricky Freire to multi-year deals that include several added fights. Patricio is the current Bellator Featherweight Champion while Patricky has been a staple of the lightweight division.

“When I think about the talent on the Bellator roster, the Pitbull brothers are two of the fighters that immediately come to mind,” Bellator President Scott Coker stated. “They started early on in their careers here, have climbed to the top of their respective divisions and have come to represent what this promotion is all about. I’m thrilled that we’ll continue to see them compete inside the Bellator cage for our fans around the world for many years to come!”

Patricio (28-4) has been with Bellator since 2011. His first bout with the organization was a submission win against William Romero at Bellator 15. Since then, he has beaten the likes of David Rickels, Saad Awad, Emmanuel Sanchez and Daniel Straus, the latter of which he won the Featherweight Championship from. He is 16-4 in Bellator, while also holding the record for most wins (16) and finishes (10) in Bellator history. At 31, it only appears that his stock is going up.

Patricky (21-8) may have started late coming into Bellator (Bellator 36), but he is a true force within his division. He is 14-8 with the company, and also holds the record for most knockout wins (10) in Bellator history. The 33-year-old has won five in a row after losing to Michael Chandler for the Lightweight Title.

Why are these two so valuable? For one, they have some of the most electric offenses you can imagine. One shot can take down an opponent, as evidenced by previous bouts.

The star power these two bring to the table is also something else. Everyone knows the name “Pitbull”, and it always leads to good deals on Bellator’s side.

The timing of the extensions could not have been better. Patricio is moving up in weight to challenge Michael Chandler for the Lightweight Title at Bellator 221. Patricky just beat Ryan Scope at Bellator Newcastle to extend his win streak to five. The latter could very well be back in title contention, but who would be his opponent? If Patricio was to pull off the upset and become a double champion, we could get a brother v. brother bout for the ages. The marketing alone would be very profitable for Bellator.

Even if Patricio doesn’t get the job done, watching the progression of these two fighters over time show just how much they are company men. You can call them true Bellator originals. Keeping these guys around can only benefit Bellator, not harm them.

As Bellator continues to grow, the “Pitbull” brothers will be there every step of the way. What other dynamic duo would you want out there representing Bellator in the long run?