Sherdog’s Top 10: Greatest Bellator MMA Fighters

1. Patricio Freire

Despite finishing first on this list, I consider Freire an underrated fighter. He was fifth on Sherdog's list of greatest featherweights, though I had him ranked at No. 3 ahead of Conor McGregor and Max Holloway, and think there is a strong argument for him being second. I've written glowingly about Freire before, noting that he is an excellent striker and an outstanding grappler, but that his most amazing quality is his unmatched intelligence and discipline, exploiting even the smallest opponent weakness and implementing the most complex game plans perfectly for 25 straight minutes. In Bellator, Freire has set an amazing standard, with the most wins in promotion history at 22 against just five losses. He has had three stints as Bellator's featherweight champion, an eye-popping eight title defenses, and is the 145-pound king to this day. He has defeated a slew of good and even great opposition, though many don't get their due, including defeating Wilson Reis twice, the second by knockout, knocking out Georgi Karakhanyan, defeating Daniel Weichel twice, once by knockout, dominating Pat Curran, demolishing Diego Nunes in slightly over a minute, submitting Henry Corrales, defeating Emmanuel Sanchez twice, beating Juan Archuleta from bell to bell, defeating Daniel Straus three out of times, the last by submission, and most recently shutting out Adam Borics. Freire also became the second two-division champion in Bellator history after Ryan Bader when he knocked out the No. 2 fighter on this list, Michael Chandler, in just 61 seconds. Ponder that for a moment. Freire decimated a younger, better version of lightweight legend Chandler that would come within a whisker of knocking out Charles Oliveira for the UFC lightweight championship two years later. If that's not all-time greatness, I don't know what is. Freire's time at the top seemed to be at an end when undefeated dynamo A.J. McKee, whom we've discussed earlier, beat him for the title in 2021 in under two minutes, but one should never have counted out the brilliant Brazilian, who fought a perfect fight in the rematch to win a close decision over 25 minutes. He may never get his proper due, but “Pitbull” is truly a legend among legends and at least on this list, is the clear No. 1.