The long-awaited UFC debut of former two-division Bellator champion Patricio Pitbull ended in major disappointment, as he suffered a dominant decision loss to former interim featherweight champion Yair Rodriguez at UFC 314.
Rodriguez started out the aggressor, with a kick-focused attack. Rodriguez landed a number of kicks, including a low kick combined with a quick right hand, while Pitbull stayed patient and calculating. Pitbull finally clinched up with Rodriguez with 90 seconds left in the first round, but Rodriguez was able to easily slip away. Pitbull landed a low kick that slipped up Rodriguez, with Pitbull scrambling to get on top and ending in side control despite a lack of offense.
Pitbull started to pick things up in the second round, answering Rodriguez’s kicks with a pair of strong left hands. Rodriguez, however, continued to have the better pace, forcing Pitbull into retreat with a series of kicks. Pitbull scored a takedown about halfway through the round, only for Rodriguez to quickly return to the feet. Rodriguez continued to keep distance and land kicks — mixing in some combinations — and even scored a takedown on the former Bellator champion before the end of the round.
Pitbull seemed to pick things up in the third round, as both men landed their strongest strikes during the round. Rodriguez scored a knockdown on Pitbull — only for Pitbull to nearly lock up an armbar seconds later. Rodriguez, however, escaped and got the upper hand by nearly scoring a leg lock. Though Pitbull escaped, he quizzically did nothing for the last 20 seconds, as Rodriguez cruised to 30-27s across all three scorecards.
Yair Rodriguez Cruises To Decision Win Over Disappointing Patricio Pitbull At UFC 314
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Rodriguez scores his first win since his interim title win over Josh Emmett at UFC 284. Since then, he had unsuccessfully attempted to become undisputed champion against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 290 and was submitted by Brian Ortega in Mexico City in February 2024.
Pitbull was a longtime face of Bellator prior to its purchase by the Professional Fighters League (PFL). This was his first fight since retaining the Bellator featherweight championship with a finish of Jeremy Kennedy at Bellator Champions Series 1 in Dublin in March 2024.
