Patricio Pitbull Faces Must-Win Situation Against Doo Ho Choi at UFC 331
A pivotal opportunity awaits the former Bellator champion as he looks to establish himself in the UFC against South Korean veteran Doo Ho Choi.
Patricio Pitbull is heading into UFC 331 with plenty at stake as he prepares to face Doo Ho Choi this weekend. For the former Bellator featherweight and lightweight champion, the matchup represents an important opportunity to gain momentum and demonstrate that he can still compete with the UFC’s established talent.
While Pitbull built an impressive résumé outside the UFC, translating that success into the Octagon has proven to be a different challenge. With another difficult matchup ahead, the Brazilian veteran has little room for another setback if he hopes to make a meaningful impact in his new promotion.
Pitbull Admits He Has More to Prove in the UFC
Pitbull enters Saturday’s fight with a 1-2 record since joining the UFC in 2025. The Brazilian suffered a unanimous decision loss to Yair Rodriguez at UFC 314, rebounded with a decision victory over Dan Ige at UFC 318, and most recently dropped another unanimous decision to Aaron Pico at UFC 327.
Those results stand in contrast to his decorated career in Bellator, where he captured multiple featherweight championships and established himself as one of the promotion’s most accomplished fighters.
Pitbull has acknowledged that he has not been satisfied with his performances since arriving in the UFC. Ahead of UFC 331, he has expressed a desire to finally demonstrate the abilities that made him a champion and a longtime fixture among the sport’s elite featherweights.
For a fighter who spent years competing at the highest level, the challenge now is to turn that experience into consistent success inside the Octagon.
Doo Ho Choi Presents a Dangerous Challenge
Choi enters the matchup carrying a three-fight winning streak, including knockout victories over Bill Algeo and Nate Landwehr. His recent performances have helped restore momentum following a lengthy period away from competition.
Known to fans as “The Korean Superboy,” Choi has developed a reputation for aggressive striking and exciting performances.
His recent success presents a difficult test for Pitbull, particularly if Choi can establish his range, maintain a high pace, and force exchanges on the feet.
However, Pitbull’s experience, counterstriking, and grappling give him different ways to approach the contest. If he can dictate where the fight takes place, he may be able to limit Choi’s opportunities to build momentum.
What a Loss Could Mean for Pitbull
At 39 years old, Pitbull is in a different stage of his career than when he was collecting championships in Bellator.
That makes the outcome of Saturday’s matchup particularly significant.
A third UFC defeat would leave him with a 1-3 promotional record and raise further questions about his ability to establish himself in the featherweight division.
It would not erase his accomplishments outside the UFC, but it could make the path toward meaningful UFC opportunities more difficult.
A victory, meanwhile, would give Pitbull a chance to build on his win over Dan Ige and demonstrate that he can still compete successfully against established UFC opposition.
A Critical Night at UFC 331
Pitbull versus Choi is a matchup between two experienced featherweights with different forms of momentum entering the contest.
For Choi, the fight is an opportunity to extend his winning streak and continue building on his recent resurgence. For Pitbull, it is a chance to silence questions about his UFC transition and remind fans why he became one of the most accomplished fighters in Bellator history.
The former champion does not need to erase his entire UFC record in one night. But he does need a performance that moves his career in the direction he envisioned when he signed with the promotion.
UFC 331 takes place Saturday, September 19, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. The event features the featherweight matchup between Pitbull and Choi on a card headlined by Joshua Van versus Alexandre Pantoja.
For Pitbull, the stakes are clear: a victory can help restart his UFC journey, while another defeat would make the road forward considerably more challenging.
