Gabriel Braga is getting bumped to fill a gap on the PFL vs. Bellator card, but Aaron Pico is expected to remain on the event.
Braga, a Season 5 finalist, was expected to face Pico but will now face off with ex-Bellator champ Patricio Pitbull, multiple people with knowledge of the promotion’s plans confirmed to MMA Fighting after a report from Ag. Fight.
Pitbull was left without an opponent when ex-Braga foe Jesus Pinedo was forced off the card. Pitbull vs. Braga is expected to serve on the event’s main card.
PFL vs. Bellator takes place Saturday at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and airs live on ESPN+ pay-per-view and DAZN.
According to a report Monday from MMA Junkie, Bellator star Pico could stay on the card and rematch Henry Corrales, who knocked him out in 2019 under the Bellator banner, but the fight has not been confirmed. Corrales’ win was a massive upset at the time.
Braga gets his opportunity to face Pitbull after suffering a knockout loss to Pinedo in the finals of the PFL Season 5 featherweight tournament final. Pitbull arrives in PFL on a two-fight skid, having suffered a stoppage loss to Chihiro Suzuki under the RIZIN banner and a decision loss to Bellator bantamweight champ Sergio Pettis.
Pico most recently appeared in the Bellator cage this past September, stopping one-time featherweight title challenger Pedro Carvalho via TKO.