Bellator Featherweight Champion Patricio “Pitbull” Freire got a knockout, revenge and a second Bellator world championship in the main event of Bellator 221, but it was not without some controversy.
Freire challenged Michael Chandler for the Bellator Lightweight Championship at the event, which took place at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois. Freire stepped up to lightweight in an attempt to challenge Chandler, who had knocked out his brother, Patricky, years earlier in a title fight.
Just over a minute into the bout, Freire caught Chandler with a right hand, dropping him and delivering some ground-and-pound until the referee quickly waved the fight off. However, Chandler immediately got up after the stoppage to protest the result.
.@patriciopitbull shocks the world! #Bellator221 pic.twitter.com/7YjZD9hZPN
β Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) May 12, 2019
With this win, Pitbull also becomes the second simultaneous two-division champ in Bellator history, the first being current light heavyweight and heavyweight champ Ryan Bader.
In the co-main event, Douglas Lima advanced to the finals of the Bellator Welterweight Grand Prix with a second-round knockout of Michael “Venom” Page.
ππ³Unreal! @PhenomLima gets the KO early in round two at #Bellator221 and advances in the #BellatorWGP! pic.twitter.com/3vhedCedFm
β Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) May 12, 2019
A.J. McKee dominated his way to a decision win over Pat Curran, while Jake Hager (aka former WWE star Jack Swagger) advanced to 2-0 in his MMA career with a submission win over T.J. Jones.
The final moments of the first round between @AJMcKeeJr and @PatCurranMMA were quite π₯!
Tune in NOW to see our main card on π² @DAZN_USA!
Watch on @SkySports in the π¬π§. pic.twitter.com/A0t8gmLzyEβ Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) May 12, 2019
πͺ@RealJackSwagger gets the W tonight via submission.
Our main card continues on π² @DAZN_USA!
and @SkySports in the π¬π§. pic.twitter.com/ARQyXqoPxyβ Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) May 12, 2019
π@TClax149 is you winner via TKO tonight.
We’ve got four more fights coming up on our main card here at @AllstateArena.
Watch #Bellator221 LIVE on π² @DAZN_USA!
Tune in with @SkySports in the π¬π§. pic.twitter.com/K8iZQXcU74β Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) May 12, 2019
The main card opened with Tywan Claxton defeating James Bennett in featherweight action.
Bellator 221 Results
Bellator Lightweight Championship: Patricio Freire def. Michael Chandler (c) via KO (1:10 into the first round)
Bellator Welterweight Grand Prix Semifinal: Douglas Lima def. Michael Page via KO (:35 into round two)
Featherweight: A.J. McKee def. Pat Curran via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
Heavyweight: Jake Hager def. T.J. Jones via arm-triangle choke submission (2:36 into round one)
Featherweight: Tywan Claxton def. James Bennett via TKO (2:09 into round three)