Patricio Pitbull and Doo-Ho Choi, UFC 331 ceremonial weigh-in Credit: Gabriel Gonzalez/Cageside Press
Former Bellator double-champ Patricio Pitbull and UFC Hall of Famer Doo-Ho Choi faced off in featherweight action at UFC 331 in L.A. on Saturday night.
Pitbull was ranked #15 in the UFC’s official rankings, as voted on by members of the media (though not by the AI-driven Meta Rankings). Choi, unranked, had won three straight.
Both men were light on their feet in the early moments of the fight, with Choi perhaps a step quicker. In a clinch, both landed knees, but nothing more came of it. Pitbull ripped the body, while Choi worked his jab; Pitbull then hit the body with a kick.
With Pitbull landing to the head and body, Choi was soon cut. The Brazilian’s right hand hit the mark more than once in the first two minutes. Pitbull ripped off a few heavy shots, landing an uppercut. A jab forced Choi back. Moments later, Patricio Pitbull earned his first stoppage in the UFC. A right hand saw Choi freeze and lean over, as if in slow motion. Pitbull bounced, putting him down with an uppercut and raining ground n’ pound until the ref was forced to call it. A massive victory for Pitbull, and shades of the brilliance he displayed in Bellator.
The victory is number 38 for Patricio Pitbull, who is nearing 50 pro fights, and his second in the UFC.
“The pressure here is bigger, but now I am comfortable,” Pitbull said of fighting in the UFC, speaking with Joe Rogan. He apologized for his earlier fights in the company, then called out Jean Silva. “Let’s see who is the dog.”
Official Result: Patricio Pitbull def. Doo-Ho Choice by KO (punches), Round 1, 3:28