Bellator 255: Patricio Pitbull defeats Emmanuel Sanchez via submission, retains featherweight title

Almost two and a half years since they first locked horns against each other, Patricio Pitbull faced Emmanuel Sanchez once again as the headline event at Bellator 255, and the featherweight world champion has advanced to the Featherweight World Grand Prix tournament final as well as retained his belt for the fifth straight time with a technical submission victory over Sanchez at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.

Patricio Pitbull heads for Bellator Featherweight World Grand Prix final, will fight A. J. McKee

In their first faceoff at Bellator 209 which took place in Tel Aviv in November 2018, Pitbull earned a victory as well defended his featherweight title via a unanimous decision win. Now earning a second title shot as well as a chance to avenge his loss, Sanchez had initiated the bout by taking advantage of his 76-inch reach.

However, despite having almost 10 inches shorter reach, it was Pitbull who connected a staggering left hook to Sanchez, before jumping on his contender to execute a guillotine choke. Moments after getting his opponent into submission, Pitbull even informed the ref that Sanchez was unconscious and the fight reached conclusion at the 3:35 minute mark of the first round.

“He’s a great fight, but I was looking for the right moment and I knew it was coming true,” the featherweight champion said following the fight, “I connected with my best punch. It’s like a normal movement for me, it’s like my veins, you know. I saw his neck and that’s it.”

ALSO READ: Bellator featherweight champ Patricio Pitbull says he would embarrass Alexander Volkanovski in a fight

Pitbull, who clinched his 32nd MMA victory against Sanchez, is on a seven-game win streak and will square off against A. J. McKee at the Bellator Featherweight World Grand Prix final. McKee booked his berth in the final after defeating Darrion Caldwell at Bellator 253 in November last year.

Check out the full Bellator 255 results below:

• Patricio Pitbull (c) def. Emmanuel Sanchez via first-round submission (guillotine choke)
• Jason Jackson def. Neiman Gracie via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Tyrell Fortune def. Jack May via first-round TKO (strikes)
• Usman Nurmagomedov def. Mike Hamel via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
• Kana Watanabe def. Alejandra Lara via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
• Magomed Magomedov def. Cee Jay Hamilton via second-round submission (rear naked choke)
• Mandel Nallo def. Ricardo Seixas via first-round knockout (punch)
• Khalid Murtazaliev def. Fabio Aguiar via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
• Chris Gonzalez def. Roger Huerta via third-round submission (tap to strikes)
• Jose Augusto def. Jonathan Wilson via first-round submission (head and arm choke)
• Roman Faraldo def.Trevor Gudde via first-round TKO (punches)
• Jordan Newman def. Branko Busick via second-round TKO (elbows)

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