The Bellator lightweight title is on the line in the main event of Bellator 270 in Dublin, Ireland, with a new champion set to be crowned at the 3Arena on Friday night.
The matchup between Ireland’s Peter Queally and Brazil’s Patricky Pitbull had already been booked for the event as a three-round lightweight contender bout before the division took a major turn.
Patricky’s brother, Patricio, had held Bellator’s featherweight and lightweight title simultaneously, but suffered a stunning loss to A.J. McKee in the final of the featherweight grand prix.
Fired up by the determination to reclaim the 145-pound belt – and aware of his brother’s position as a top contender at 155 pounds – Patricio then took the decision to relinquish the title he still held in order to pursue revenge against McKee, while also clearing the way for his brother to fight for the newly vacated belt.
It meant that the Queally-Patricky bout was upgraded to a five-round championship fight and will now headline Friday’s card in Ireland.
The pair have met before, with Queally claiming a TKO victory over Patricky via a doctor stoppage due to cuts, but now they’re all set for a huge rematch with championship gold on the line.
The atmosphere inside the 3Arena is always special, but with an Irishman set to fight for a major world title in his home town, expect the noise level to be turned up to 11 when Queally makes his iconic walk to the Cranberries’ “Zombie” on Friday night.
It should be a memorable night, but will Irish eyes be smiling at the end of the evening, or will the the Pitbull name remain at the top of the Bellator lightweight division?