Patricio ‘Pitbull’ Freire: Bellator MMA Champion Claims He Can Defeat UFC Champion Jose Aldo In A Fight

When it comes to Bellator MMA, Patricio Freire is one of their better fighters, and it is not because he is the promotion’s champion. “Pitbull” has been in 26 fights, losing only two by decision. His latest victory was against Daniel Weichel at Bellator 138: Unfinished Business. Also, Patricio Freire’s training is top notch because it is from the famed Chute Boxe Academy, the same place Wanderlei Silva and Mauricio Rua came out of.

Despite all that, Patricio Freire has never been too cocky to think he was the best until now. He recently claimed he could defeat the current UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo in a fight.

According to MMA Junkie, Patricio Freire previously claimed he was the second-best 145 pound fighter in the world in past interviews. The reason is because Freire believed he could hurt Jose Aldo in a fight, but not defeat him. Those days playing second fiddle to Aldo are over, recently answering “Yes” (in English) when asked if he would win if he were to face Aldo at UFC 189.

“He [Jose Aldo] is fast and he has good power, but my hands are better. My footwork is better too. And I can take down my opponents. I am the best fighter.”

Such a statement would usually be scoffed at by casual members of the MMA community, the ones who considers fighters in Bellator MMA as second-rate to those in UFC. That, however, is a very unfair judgment, as reported by Bloody Elbow. Fighters shouldn’t be compared to each other for the promotion they work for, but what skills they have. Patricio Freire actually recognized that, bringing it up as a focal point on why he believes he can beat Jose Aldo.

“You have to analyze us by our skills, not just where we’re fighting. People said Cain would destroy Werdum and Rafael had no chance at Pettis. What happened in those fights? They were on the same organization, yet people were completely wrong.

If Bellator was the number one promotion, we’d be the top fighters and if anyone said a UFC fighter could become champion at Bellator people would laugh the same way they laugh when there’s talks about a Bellator fighter becoming UFC champion.”

Many do believe Patricio Freire can beat Jose Aldo, given his training and experience. As a matter of fact, Freire is often recognized among fans as the number one featherweight in the world outside of UFC.

[Image via Bellator MMA Promotions]