Bellator champs Patchy Mix, Corey Anderson frustrated over lack of fights since PFL takeover
A pair of Bellator champions are growing frustrated with a lack of activity since PFL took over the organization in 2023.
Patchy Mix and Corey Anderson are both lamenting continued delays in booking fights with no sign when either might return to action. Mix in particular was understandably upset after he was actually booked to defend his title against Leandro Higo in November at a Bellator card in Paris but the entire event was scrapped in October.
The next Bellator card is now scheduled in January in Dubai with lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov defending his title against Paul Hughes but it turns out Mix believed he was also going to return on that date only to find out otherwise from the promotion.
“I’ve been training my ass off for the last half of year for nothing,” Mix wrote on Twitter. “This is frustrating in the prime of my career and I’ve had my fight in November cancelled?
“Then now again I’m being told I’m off January Dubai card? I am the best in the world and I want to fight to prove it.”
I’ve been training my ass off for the last half of year for nothing. This is frustrating in the prime of my career and I’ve had my fight in November cancelled?
— Patchy Mix (@TeamMixMMA) November 23, 2024
Then now again I’m being told I’m off January Dubai card? I am the best in the world and I want to fight to prove it
Mix last competed in May when he won a hard-fought split decision over Magomed Magomedov in the first defense of his Bellator title. His second defense against Higo was supposed to be in November but now it appears Mix has no idea when he’s going to fight again.
The same goes for Bellator light heavyweight champion Corey Anderson, who hasn’t fought since winning the belt with a unanimous decision over Karl Moore back in March. Anderson claimed the vacant title after former champion Vadim Nemkov relinquished the belt when he decided to move to heavyweight.
While Anderson hasn’t been officially booked since winning in March, there were rumors that he was actually going to fight at a Bellator London card in September but that never happened.
“Aging like warm cheese over here waiting for PFL to give me a call,” Anderson wrote on Twitter. “But don’t get it twisted … we still ready to defend the strap against anybody! Young or old!”
Aging like warm cheese over here waiting for @PFLMMA to give me a call. But don't get it twisted.... we still ready to defend the strap against ANYBODY! Young or Old!!#andstill @BellatorMMA @DonnDavisPFL @PeteMurrayPFL @AliAbdelaziz00 pic.twitter.com/zORqlhdbWt
— Corey 'Overtime' Anderson (@CoreyA_MMA) November 21, 2024
After cancelling the Bellator Paris card in November, PFL officials stated that the event was “postponed” and the fighters expected to compete that night would be rescheduled for later dates.
Obviously that includes Mix but it appears he’s no closer to making his return to action given his growing frustration with the PFL.