Patricky “Pitbull” Freire confessed that some things in his training camp didn’t go well before facing Usman Nurmagomedov in November.
Former Bellator MMA 155-pound titleholder Freire (24-11, 15-9 Bellator) is eager to bounce back on track after suffering a stinging defeat at the hands of Nurmagomedov at Bellator 288, where he lost the championship via unanimous decision. In his next assignment, he’s taking on former 145-pound champion A.J. McKee in the upcoming Bellator MMA vs. Rizin crossover event on July 29. This bout will also be part of the Bellator lightweight grand prix, where the winner receives a $1 million prize and takes home the divisional belt. While money is good, Freire emphasized that winning the belt meant more to him than the monetary reward. The eldest of the Freire brothers and Nurmagomedov are on different sides of the bracket, but Freire believes they’ll meet again in the final. This time, he’s sure injuries won’t prevent him from being at his best in front of the rival.
