The featherweight world title is on the line when champion Patricio Freire faces off against Emmanuel Sanchez at Bellator 209 on Friday, Nov. 16 in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Freire (27-4), a 5'5" Brazilian known as "Pitbull", has held the title since April 2017. He defeated Daniel Straus by forcing a tap out with a guillotine choke in the second round of the match to claim the championship. His lone defense of the belt came in July when he got past Daniel Weichel by picking up a split-decision victory. Prior to those wins, Freire had lost two of three matches, including an unanimous-decision defeat to Straus at Bellator 145.