Michael Chandler vs. Patricio Pitbull: Bellator’s Most Heated Rivalry
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The rivalry between Michael Chandler and Patricio “Pitbull” Freire stands as one of the most intense and personal feuds in MMA history. Fueled by animosity and pride, their clash transcended mere competition—it was a battle for legacy, dominance, and respect. What began with fiery verbal exchanges eventually exploded into a violent confrontation inside the cage, leaving a lasting mark on the promotion.
But was the hatred one-sided? Or did Patricio Pitbull have real reasons to target Chandler so fiercely? As both fighters now stand under the UFC banner, there’s renewed intrigue about whether their bad blood could boil over once more—this time, on the sport’s biggest stage.
So how did we go from this?
To this:
Let’s break down everything that led to—and followed—the explosive clash between Michael Chandler and Patricio Pitbull.
How It Started
A fight between Michael Chandler and Patricio “Pitbull” Freire always felt destined. Not only did Chandler defeat his brother, Patricky, twice—he brutally knocked him out in the first round at Bellator 157 to become a two-time Bellator lightweight champion.
In the lead-up to their eventual clash, Chandler and Patricio exchanged harsh words on multiple occasions. Exchanges that were largely centered around Chandler’s knockout win over Patricky. Chandler’s first victory over Patricky came back in 2011 via unanimous decision. But, it was their 2016 rematch that poured fuel on the fire. After knocking out Patricky, Chandler climbed the cage to celebrate his victory—an act Patricio viewed as a disrespectful taunt.
The two argued mid-celebration, and that’s when Chandler made a quip about beating up the entire Pitbull family. Pitbull took issue with Chandler’s behavior, and his brother’s knockout became a key factor in the personal animosity that would seep into their promotional build-up.
“He has to talk about me and my brother, not about our family,” Freire told ESPN. “He was the one who decided to make it personal, including every member of our family. And now he’s gonna have to pay for that.”
While Chandler’s showboating played a role in igniting the feud, the tension between him and Patricio had been simmering long before 2019. One of their earliest public exchanges on X featured Chandler reacting to a Bellator post suggesting Pitbull could be next in line to challenge him. Chandler replied, “He would get hurt…just like his brother.” Pitbull didn’t hesitate to fire back: “One way or another we’ll fight. Mark my words: u’ll beg the referee to save you.”
Roughly two months later, according to X posts, Chandler completely dismissed Pitbull while he was sitting ringside at a Bellator event. It would only add fuel to the fire that was already brewing. (To view the exchange in order, expand this section).
Destiny Delayed
Looking back at the timeline, there was a point where it felt like the fight might never happen—just a never-ending Twitter beef that flared up every so often.
The back-and-forth between the two continued in 2017 when Chandler responded to a post, taking another jab at Pitbull. He stated that after handling business against Goiti Yamauchi at Bellator 192, he’d be ready to fight. Pitbull quickly fired back, saying February 16 was the date reserved for their dance. (To view the full exchange, expand this section).
Are you serious?
— Patricio Pitbull (@PatricioPitbull) November 25, 2017The handshake was to show you how inferior you were. I’ve already said I’ll beat you, all @bellatormma has to do is send the contract. “Scared of a bigger and more dominant man”? That’s some strange talk you have there, big elf.
But the fight wouldn’t happen until a year later—and with even bigger stakes. It was a story that not even Vince McMahon could have scripted better. In hindsight, perhaps the timing was perfect, even if it once felt like it might never come to fruition. Michael Chandler had become a three-time Bellator lightweight champion. Pitbull, on the other hand, was chasing history, moving up from featherweight to challenge Chandler for the lightweight crown—a move that could solidify him as the best pound-for-pound fighter in Bellator. Finally, the fight was set.
Bad Blood, Big Stakes
Pitbull traces the start of their rivalry back to 2016, when Chandler made comments about his family after knocking out his brother. Chandler, however, believes the real turning point came when Patricio accused him of using performance-enhancing drugs. But Pitbull’s suspicions about Chandler allegedly using steroids actually date back to 2011.
At the time, Bellator had flown tournament participants to Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, for promotional video shoots. Chandler had just won the Bellator featherweight tournament, while Pitbull had lost to Joe Warren in the opening round. During the trip, Warren—who was with Chandler—taunted the Pitbull brothers, mocking them for being overweight and out of shape. That moment helped plant the seed of tension that would only grow over the years.
“Him and Warren didn’t have fights booked, but they were all looking like bodybuilders, full of veins and muscles in their body,” Freire said through an interpreter to ESPN. “I remember that pretty well. They were full of steroids, and I couldn’t train.”
Despite the rich history Chandler downplayed the feud leading up to their fight. He called it one-sided and insisted he hadn’t lost “a wink of sleep” over Pitbull. Still, he admitted those accusations got to him. Speaking to ESPN, Chandler said, “Nothing has really made me upset aside from the baseless, false accusations of PED use.”
“That’s something that’s just a black eye on the sport because you’re bringing up the fact that if you’re in Bellator, you’re a cheater because you can’t be a clean athlete in Bellator. It’s just a silly argument to make”.
Pitbull referenced the PED usage when referencing Chandler’s first fight with Patricky, stating, “He’s a dangerous fighter, he’s dirty. He’s using substances and trying to kill someone. To me, most of the things he did, he did because he had the steroids. He wouldn’t be half the fighter he is if he didn’t have all that.”
Bellator 221: Chandler vs. Pitbull
The rivalry between Michael Chandler and Patricio “Pitbull” Freire would reach its peak on May 11, 2019, at Bellator 221. Their first—and only—encounter was anything but ordinary. Fueled by genuine animosity and years of tension, the matchup was one of the most anticipated in Bellator history, pitting two of the promotion’s most dominant champions against each other.
But the fight itself was shockingly brief. In a stunning upset, Freire knocked out Chandler in just 61 seconds to claim the Bellator lightweight title. The result sent shockwaves through the MMA world.
The loss was a crushing blow for Chandler, especially given the buildup and the heated exchanges between them. He later protested the stoppage, arguing it was premature and that he could’ve continued. For Freire, the victory was monumental—it not only earned him champ-champ status but also helped solidify his legacy as one of Bellator’s greatest fighters. For Chandler, it marked a turning point. He never challenged for Bellator gold again.
Despite the intensity of their rivalry, a rematch never came to fruition. Chandler left Bellator in late 2020 to sign with the UFC, effectively ending any realistic chance of a second fight under the Bellator banner. But prior to leaving, Chandler did want the rematch. (Expand this section to view a 2019 exchange between the two on X).
Although a sequel seemed inevitable at one point, their careers diverged. For years, the rematch remained a tantalizing “what if.”
Under the Same Banner Again
After Chandler’s transition to the UFC, the fight that lingered in the background was a showdown with Conor McGregor. In February 2024, Pitbull made his feelings about Chandler’s UFC journey known, speaking candidly about his former rival’s transition. In an interview with MMA Mania, he criticized Chandler’s focus on entertainment over competition. Stating, Michael Chandler, in his opinion, is just trying to show up, entertain, and make some cash.
Despite those sentiments, Pitbull still believed that Chandler would eventually become UFC lightweight champion. However, his praise often came across as a backhanded compliment—more about keeping their rivalry alive than giving genuine credit. There was always a sense of underlying jealousy; after all, Chandler was getting everything he had worked for, despite Pitbull surpassing him in accolades and even holding a win over him.
This is why fans—and even Chandler himself—have long felt that the animosity was largely one-sided. Pitbull’s comments, both in interviews and online, often walked the line between respect and resentment. (To get a better sense of this dynamic, take a look at some of Pitbull’s tweets over the years by expanding this section).
A rematch between the Bellator legends always felt inevitable—had Chandler remained with the promotion. Now that they’re both under the same banner once again, the possibility feels more real than ever. However, Chandler genuinely seems ready to leave the past behind. He maintains that his comments about Pitbull’s family were taken out of context. In the lead-up to UFC 314, he revisited the misunderstanding during an interview with CBS Sports.
Pitbull has even recently acknowledged the misunderstanding in an interview with Inside Fighting in the lead up to his debut. However, though he claims he’s over it, it’s clear he isn’t. Time and time again, he proves that the beef is still one-sided to this day.
Moving On?
Interestingly, the label of being a “dirty fighter” has followed Michael Chandler throughout his career—an image that arguably stemmed from this very rivalry. While the beef between him and Patricio Pitbull may be in the past, Pitbull continues to express his desire to fight Chandler. He’s even joked that their rivalry will last until they’re grandpas.
In a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Pitbull claimed that UFC 314 will mark the first time a father and son fight on the same card—referring to Chandler as his “son.” For Chandler, though, the tone is much different. While he’s acknowledged a rematch as a possibility now that they’re both in the UFC, he has no interest in reigniting the feud.
“I’m not interested in relitigating anything,” Chandler told CBS Sports ahead of UFC 314. “I’m not a guy who tries to get anything back and I’m not the type of guy who likes to have any animosity. When I do see him, I will shake his hand respectfully. I might even apologize for the miscommunications in the past. Let’s let bygones be bygones. You don’t need to spend any of your energy on me. Focus on trying to become the UFC featherweight champion.”
Pitbull will make UFC debut on the same night Chandler faces Paddy Pimblett, marking the first time both former Bellator champions will share a card under the UFC banner. Chandler even addressed the significance of the moment. “I wish him the best in the UFC,” Chandler said. “I want him to come over and do well. He’s a 145er, I’m a 155er. I have no interest in fighting Patricio ‘Pitbull,’ but it will be interesting to share the same card with him.”
While the feud may never fully disappear, Chandler appears focused on his future. Yet with Pitbull entering the UFC, the door remains slightly open for a new chapter in their storied rivalry. Whether or not they ever meet in the cage again, the tension between them remains one of the most compelling rivalries in MMA history.
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