Daniel Weichel became a tournament winner last year and on Friday night at Bellator 133, he scored the biggest victory of his career with a decision win against former champion Pat Curran.
Heading into this fight, Bellator had already announced that featherweight champion Patricio “Pitbull” Freire would be defending the title next against former WSOF champion Georgi Karkahanyan.
Bellator President Scott Coker gave the title shot to Karkahanyan after he submitted Bubba Jenkins last month in the co-main event of Bellator 132.
However, should a win over Jenkins get you a title shot or should a win over Curran secure a shot at the title? If you ask the current Bellator champion, he believes his next title defense should be against Weichel and not Karakanyan.
With all due respect to @georgimma,I have been in @danielweichel‘s place and he reaffirmed his place as the number 1 contender. @BellatorMMA
— Patricio Freire (@PatricioPitbull) February 14, 2015
After Bellator 133 was completed Coker maintained that Karakhanyan will be next for Pitbull and that fight is being targeted for late Summer.
Despite Weichel’s performance tonight, Georgi Karakhanyan is still in line for the next title shot against Patricio Pitbull, per Coker.
— Marc Raimondi (@marc_raimondi) February 14, 2015
Coker and Rich Chou need to sit down and reconsider their decision. Weichel has earned this title fight, not Karakhanyan. I’m sorry, a win over Jenkins should not secure a title shot and rematch with Pitbull for Karakhanyan. When you win a tournament, plus defeat a two-time champion, that should equal a title shot.