Long Beach Arena in Long Beach, California, will host Bellator 286 on Saturday. Many of the biggest stars on the Bellator roster are on the program, including rivals A.J. McKee and featherweight champion Patricio Pitbull, though the two will not face off.
Pitbull will defend his 145-pound belt against Adam Borics in the main event. Pitbull is in his third reign as featherweight champion, having reclaimed the title in his most recent bout, a decision victory over McKee in April. McKee had previously taken Pitbull’s belt with a technical submission win in under two minutes. Pitbull also won the lightweight title in May 2019 but relinquished it to let his brother, Patricky, beat him with a TKO of Peter Queally in November 2021.
Borics suffered his first professional defeat when Darrion Caldwell defeated him in the quarterfinals of the Bellator Featherweight Grand Prix in January 2020. Since then, he has won four straight fights, all by decision, including a victory against Mads Burnell in August.
McKee’s defeat against Pitbull marked the first time he had suffered a loss in his professional career. He’d won his first 18 fights, including a victory over Pitbull that earned him the Bellator Featherweight World Grand Prix. At Bellator 286, he battles for the first time as a lightweight against former UFC fighter Spike Carlyle, who had won five straight fights since being released from his UFC contract.
In addition, one of the most highly hyped prospects in MMA history, Aaron Pico, returns to seek a title chance at Bellator 286. The 26-year-old has won six straight fights, with five coming by stoppage. Jeremy Kennedy, a UFC veteran who is 2-1 under the Bellator 286 banner with a win over Emmanuel Sanchez in December 2021, will be his most challenging test to date.
When and How to watch Bellator 286 Patricio Pitbull vs. Adam Boric:
- Date: Oct. 1 | Start time: 10 p.m. ET
- Location: Long Beach Arena — Long Beach, California
- TV channel: Showtime
- Start time: 10 p.m. ET (Main card)
- How to watch: Showtime
Bellator 286 Patricio Pitbull vs. Adam Boric Fight card and odds:
The whole fight card Bellator 286 is available here, along with the most recent odds and ongoing coverage of fight week.
| FAVORITE | UNDERDOG | WEIGHTCLASS |
|---|---|---|
| Patricio Pitbull -150 | Adam Borics +125 | Featherweight title |
| A.J. McKee -440 | Spike Carlyle +340 | Lightweight |
| Aaron Pico -575 | Jeremy Kennedy +425 | Featherweight |
| Enrique Barzola -120 | Juan Archuleta +100 | Bantamweight |
Bellator 286 Patricio Pitbull vs. Adam Boric Prediction:
Adam Borics vs. Patricio Pitbull: Pitbull is still the undisputed featherweight champion. Pitbull’s victory over McKee, seen as MMA’s next shining star, reminded him that he’s not going anywhere. He can win a fight using any strategy and has demonstrated the ability to overcome hardship. There are relatively few boxers in the sport who can regularly reinvent themselves at a high level. The champ’s ability to dominate the terms of the bout should propel him to victory. His keys to success are working on the inside, against the fence, and on the ground. Borics would be wise to stick on the outside and take advantage of his five-inch height and reach. Borics’ unique background is troubling because it has not converted to finishes at the upper levels of Bellator’s featherweight division. Borics’ performances in fights against Burnell and Kennedy – decisive but at times overly competitive – are convincing enough to imagine a chess match versus Pitbull but not enough to win. The champ should retain his championship based on the scorecards.
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Pitbull recovered his 145-pound belt after defeating A.J. McKee (who defeated him months previously) at Bellator 277 to restore his position as the 145-pound pack’s leader. While most expected a trilogy fight against “Mercenary” to follow, this was not to be. Instead, Adam Borics is chosen, and he now has the opportunity to win gold in MMA for the first time under the Bellator banner. Borics has been on the run, winning four straight, including a decisive victory against Mads Burnell that propelled him into the championship bout. Borics is now 9-1 after the promotion, with his lone loss coming against Darrion Caldwell. Borics has been fantastic except from that incident. Borics has demonstrated a well-rounded arsenal, winning seven fights by decision, four by knockout, and six by submission. Pitbull is the same way; he can fight anywhere, knock you out, twist you like a pretzel, or grind you out for 15 or 25 minutes to win.
Pitbull will win by unanimous decision.
