Patricio Freire believes he’s the best featherweight to ever live – and he plans on using the Bellator featherweight grand prix as a means to prove it.
A longtime veteran, dual champion Freire (30-4 MMA, 18-4 BMMA), who also holds the Bellator lightweight title, defended his 145-pound belt in the opening round of the tournament on Saturday when he defeated Juan Archuleta (23-2 MMA, 5-1 BMMA) in the Bellator 228 main event in Inglewood, Calif.
“Pitbull” has competed in the promotion since Bellator 15 in 2010. One year after his debut, Freire clinched the featherweight title with a unanimous victory over Daniel Straus at Bellator 45.
The Brazilian lost and regained the 145-pound strap twice over the next eight years. In his last outing before Saturday, he secured the Bellator 155-pound championship when he finished then-champ Michael Chandler with strikes.
Entering the featherweight grand prix, “Pitbull” said he is on the verge of dominating a third “generation” of Bellator talent. If he walks away victorious, the 32-year-old competitor has faith the masses will regard him as the greatest of all time.
“I see (the grand prix) as a way to test myself and face guys I haven’t beaten before,” Freire told MMA Junkie on Monday. “I’ve dominated two generations of Bellator featherweights, and I’m going to dominate the third. I want people to write in the history books I’m the greatest featherweight fighter ever, and I’m aiming at greatest all around. The tournament is a good way to settle that.”
Often times when the question arises of who the greatest featherweight of all time is, a certain Brazilian is one of the first names mentioned. While many believe Jose Aldo is the 145-pound GOAT, his fellow countryman Freire firmly disagrees.
“People talk about Jose Aldo; where is he now?” Freire said. “I’m a double champion, my results are only getting better, I’m setting new records, and I plan to continue extending all of those.”
When he considers the landscape of the 16-man tournament, Freire sees a lot of scores that need to be settled. Whether it’s putting an end to his ongoing rivalry with A.J. McKee or getting to finally face off with former bantamweight champion Darrion Caldwell, “Pitbull” likes options.
“I can say it’ll have a special feeling if it happens to be A.J. McKee and Darrion Caldwell,” Freire said. “These guys talked all that crap and think they can get away with it. You saw what happened to the last one that said shit about me and my family. These guys will pay one way or another.”
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Patricio Freire considers himself 145-pound GOAT: 'People talk about Jose Aldo; where is he now?'