Patrício Pitbull vs. Kleber Koike Erbst is the co-main event of the Bellator vs RIZIN fight card at the Saitama Super Areña in Saitama, Japan. The event sees fighters from both promotions go against each other in Japan in non-title bouts. Patrício Pitbull vs. Kleber Koike Erbst sees the current Featherweight champions of their respective promotions battle in the cage at the event on December 31 in Japan. The three-time Bellator Featherweight champion, Patrício Pitbull Freire, opens as a huge favorite with the sportsbooks. While Pitbull is a Brazilian, Erbst is a Brazilian-born Japanese. Both fighters come from a Jiu-Jitsu background.
Bellator MMA vs RIZIN: Featherweight
Location: Saitama Super Areña in Saitama, Japan
Date: 1.1. 2023, 05:00
Patrício Pitbull
35-year-old Pitbull is a veteran of mixed martial arts. He is ranked as the number one Featherweight fighter outside of the UFC. In Bellator history, he became the second fighter to hold simultaneous two-weight championships when he won the Bellator Lightweight championships in May 2019 to add to his Featherweight championship. The three-time champ is number one in the Bellator men's pound-for-pound rankings, while Sherdog ranks him as the number seven featherweight fighter in the world. Pitbull is a very calm and slow fighter, has a very good take-down defense, is good on the ground, and boasts massive power. His striking is one of the best, and he is meticulous in deploying it. He won the Bellator featherweight championship for the third time last April when he defeated A.J. McKee and successfully defended it in October. He comes into the battle on a two-match winning streak.
Tale of the Tape
- Age: 35
- Height: 5’ 6”
- Weight: 145
- Reach: 65.5”
- Record: 34-5-0
Kleber Koike Erbst
33-year-old Kleber Erbst won the RIZIN FF featherweight championship this October after submitting then-reigning champion Juntaro Ushiku with a triangle choke in the second round of their title fight. That marked a fast transition from debuting in the promotion two years earlier at RIZIN 26 in December 2022 to becoming Featherweight champion in October 2022. The Jiu-Jitsu specialist has won all six of his RIZIN fights by submission. Erbst is very good at wrestling. He loves to attack from the half-guard while always looking for the arm choke. He is unbelievable in scrambles and loves attacking wildly but could be better on the feet.
Tale of the Tape
- Age: 33
- Height: 5’ 9”
- Weight: 145
- Reach: N/A
- Record: 31-5-1
Betting odds
The odds are straightforward across the bookies. Patrício Pitbull Freire is a massive favorite. On Bet 365, Patrício Freire is 1.28 odds to win. The Japanese Erbst is 3.65 odds to win. Patrício Pitbull is priced at 1.225 odds to win on Coinplay with 4.3 odds assigned to Kleber Koike Erbst. On Betking, Kleber is 4.15 odds to win, while Pitbull is 1.19 odds.
