18 of the best male Bellator fighters of all-time [UPDATED]

Best male Bellator fighter: Patricky “Pitbull” Freire

The elder half of the “Pitbull” Freire brothers, Patricky “Pitbull” Freire may not be as successful as his younger brother, but both have been a staple of Bellator for most of the 2010s.

Debuting in 2005, Patricky Freire won seven of his first eight bouts before joining Bellator in 2011. He took part in the season four lightweight tournament, losing to Michael Chandler in the final. Patricky Freire won his next bout but then went on a brief down spell, losing three straight, before rebounding with three more wins in a row. He took part in the season ten lightweight tournament but fell to Marcin Held in the final.

Patricky Freire and Chandler rematched at Bellator 157: Dynamite 2 with the lightweight title on the line, but “Pitbull” lost the fight as a result of a vicious knockout. He’s rebounded with five wins in a row, however, including a win over Benson Henderson at Bellator 183. He won the Bellator lightweight title in 2022 and will try his hand at the grand prix this year.

- Thomas Albano