Bellator MMA featherweight king Patricio
Freire firmly believes he is the best featherweight on the
planet, regardless of organization.
Three months after regaining his belt in a unanimous decision win
over AJ McKee, Bellator featherweight champion Patricio
Freire does not yet know who will be his next opponent.
According to the champion, Adam Borics
may vie for the strap before McKee moves forward into the rubber
match. “Pitbull” claimed his title back from the man who wrested it
from him in McKee in April, making him the first fighter in
Bellator history to have four reigns as champion. Freire spoke to
Sherdog about that second McKee fight as well as what he thinks
will come in his future.
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“What the organization told me is that to make a trilogy, it’s
necessary to have some[thing] ‘spicy,’ and they are not sure if
it’s occurring now,” the champ explained. “Once Borics defeated
Burnell in a title contender fight, he might get the chance, but
that’s up to [Bellator]. I’m the champion, and my obligation is to
be ready for anyone they choose.”
In case Bellator opts for the immediate trilogy between McKee and
“Pitbull,” Freire expects that the third fight with McKee would be
different than the previous ones. He is more confident than ever
that he could get the finish this time around. The Brazilian also
reiterated a bold claim, based on his belief that his guillotine
choke in Round 3 atop Bellator 277 should have finished the
job.
“He surprised me in the first with a feint, I beat him clearly in
the second via unanimous decision,” Freire stated. “The only
possible result for a third fight would be my win via knockout or
submission. I don’t want to look arrogant, but there is no human
being that survived my guillotine; A.J. just escaped because of the
oil he used on his hair. I never lost a [rematch] in my life, and
if Bellator wants to make it again, it will be no different. I got
his number.”
Concerning the rumors that McKee could be negotiating with the
Ultimate Fighting Championship, “Pitbull”
believes his former opponent would be a bad matchup for UFC
featherweight champion, Alexander
Volkanovski.
“Let’s be straight, Volkanovski is coming from two easy fights,”
Freire said without batting an eye. “Unfortunately, Max
Holloway is not even close to the fighter who beat [Jose] Aldo
twice. Max is paying the price for his style of ‘hit and get hit’
for [his] entire career. Don’t get me wrong, I have a lot of
respect for him, no doubt one of the best of all time, but he is
just not the same fighter anymore. Volkanovski is explosive and
fast, but he is not a top striker, wrestler or ground specialist.
A.J. is a very talented striker, also explosive and fast and better
than [Volkanovski] in wrestling and on the ground, besides having a
natural range advantage. I have no doubt it would be a bad matchup
to Volkanovski [for McKee].”
About the possibility of facing Borics, the confident Freire
believed he has the skills to stave off the once-beaten
Hungarian.
“Borics is a world kickboxing champion, who uses his range to apply
kicks and knees very well,” “Pitbull” analyzed. “I’m already
training with tall kickboxers like him. Also, he is training with
Gilbert
Burns and clearly evolved a lot his takedown defense, it was
clear against Burnell. But we are working hard here [at] Pitbull
Brothers to make a good gameplan in case he is the one chosen by
Bellator.”