Pitbull vs Choi: the last fight on Patricio Pitbull's contract, against a Hall of Famer on a three-fight streak
Pitbull vs Choi puts a lot on the line for one man. Patricio Pitbull, the former two-division Bellator champion, is 1-2 in the UFC and says his UFC 331 fight against Doo Ho Choi on September 19 is the last one on his contract. Choi, a UFC Hall of Famer, arrives on three straight wins. A win buys Pitbull a new deal; a loss could end his UFC chapter.
- Fight Hub
- 14 September 2026
Key takeaways
- Patricio Pitbull (37-9) faces Doo Ho Choi (17-4-1) at featherweight on the UFC 331 main card on September 19 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
- Pitbull, 39, is 1-2 in the UFC, with losses to Yair Rodríguez and Aaron Pico around a decision win over Dan Ige, and says this is the final fight on his contract.
- Choi has won three in a row, stopping Bill Algeo and Nate Landwehr before a Fight of the Night knockout of Daniel Santos.
Patricio Pitbull and the last fight on his deal
A legend still looking for his UFC form
Pitbull built one of the great careers outside the UFC. At Bellator he won the featherweight title and the lightweight title, holding both at the same time, and fought for gold a third division up and down the scale. He requested his release from the PFL, which had absorbed Bellator, and arrived in the UFC in 2025.
The move has been hard. He lost his debut to Yair Rodríguez, beat Dan Ige by decision, then lost a decision to Aaron Pico in April. At 37-9 overall and 39 years old, he is fighting for more than a ranking.
What he said about his contract
In an interview with Home of Fight in August, he confirmed the stakes. “I think this is the last one. I want to stay. I’m going to win this fight and I’m going to renew the contract,” he said.
Doo Ho Choi, in form at the right moment
Three straight wins
Choi (17-4-1) comes in with momentum. He stopped Bill Algeo and Nate Landwehr in 2024, then knocked out Daniel Santos in a fight that earned Fight of the Night. For a fighter who spent years battling injuries, the run has put him back in the conversation at featherweight.
A Hall of Famer with power
His place in UFC history is already secure. His 2016 war with Cub Swanson at UFC 206 was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2022. Choi’s style has always been clean, straight punching with real knockout power, and that is the danger for an opponent who has been caught before.
I think this is the last one. I want to stay. I'm going to win this fight and I'm going to renew the contract.
What decides Pitbull vs Choi
Experience against speed
Pitbull’s edge is range of skills. He can box, wrestle and submit, and he has spent two decades in championship fights. Against a counter-puncher like Choi, mixing in takedowns and making the fight uncomfortable is his clearest path, because a pure boxing match plays into Choi’s hands.
Choi’s path is simpler: be first, be accurate and make the older man pay for every exchange in the pocket. If he lands clean early, the fight can end the way his recent ones have.
Follow Pitbull vs Choi with real numbers
Patricio Pitbull’s and Doo Ho Choi’s full records and the current featherweight rankings are in the FightHub app, updated through fight week. Download it to compare both fighters before September 19.
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