Athletes
Patricio Pitbull | Motivated For More
Featherweight Patricio "Pitbull" Freire Is Moved By The Thought Of UFC Gold As He Debuts Against Featherweight Veteran Yair Rodriguez At UFC 314: Volkanovski vs Lopes on April 12
Patricio “Pitbull” Freire could have walked away from the sport of mixed martial arts, legacy secured as one of the best fighters of his era and the man many believe to be the greatest fighter in the history of the Bellator promotion.
But there was one thing missing.
“I appreciate the kind words and acknowledgement, but I wouldn't be satisfied if my career ended that way,” Pitbull said through translator Matheus Aquino. “I really needed to be in UFC and to get the UFC belts so I can be done.”
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That mission to get UFC gold and eventually walk into the sunset begins on Saturday, when the 37-year-old Brazilian faces former interim featherweight champion Yair Rodriguez in a UFC 314 main card bout at Kaseya Center in Miami. It’s one of the most highly anticipated debuts in a long time, and one he always knew was going to take place.
“With my track record, I knew that it's something that was going to happen, but, of course, I'm older now and the UFC doesn't have a track record of signing guys my age,” he said. “But after everything I've done in this sport and they saw that I'm still fighting at a high level, we made it happen.”
Patricio Pitbull Fight Week Interview | UFC 314
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Patricio Pitbull Fight Week Interview | UFC 314
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I tell him he’s still a baby at 37. He laughs.
“I hope you're speaking through the mouth of an angel.”
MORE: Patricio Pitbull’s Golden Journey To The UFC
Maybe not, but in his most recent fight against UFC veteran Jeremy Kennedy in March of last year, he was in top form, halting the Canadian in what would be the final defense of his Bellator featherweight crown. And now, after some waiting, he’s got a fresh start amongst the best 145-pounders in the game, and he couldn’t be happier.
“I feel very motivated,” he said. “I've always been motivated, but I've never been this motivated before. This is something that I always wanted to do; I want to be here and to get that belt. And I don't think any fighter on the planet is more motivated than me. It's not just motivated to fight;it's even to train. You can be sure that no one wants this more than I do right now.”
That feeling is mutual among hardcore fans of the game who have watched Pitbull defeat the likes of Michael Chandler, Wilson Reis, Diego Nunes, AJ McKee, Juan Archuleta, Daniel Strausand Pat Curran, among others, since making his pro debut in 2004. And while that type of positive reception would have been expected for a fighter of his caliber, the native of Rio Grande do Norte was pleasantly surprised.
“I was very surprised,” said Pitbull, who won featherweight and lightweight titles in Bellator.“As you know, this sport is full of haters and I was thinking some of them would be coming in and saying something, but I was very well received by everyone. People could be talking about my age or anything like that, or other fighting organizations, but everyone was saying how great this fight was, how great it was that I was there and saying that I should go for the title. So, to me, it was very satisfying to be recognized like that. It’s the first time I believe I was as recognized.”
That’s the perk of being in the UFC, something Rodriguez and his peers have enjoyed for years. And while Pitbull might have been flying under the radar when it comes to fans who watch the UFC and nothing else, he was paying very close attention to what was going on in the Octagon…and everywhere else in the MMA world. In other words, if you were a featherweight, he was watching.
Your Complete UFC 314 Fight Week Guide
“I always kept my eyes on the Top 15 guys, everyone that was coming up that had some spotlight on them, whoever was the champion at the time, not just UFC, but every big organization, even some up and coming organizations like LFA. I would look at guys from RIZIN, from PFL, and before that, from WSOF. Everyone that had a featherweight division andthat people were talking about, I was looking at those guys because contracts can end, right? So I might be going over there, they could be coming over to where I was. So I always kept all those guys on my radar and no one would surprise me if we ever came to face each other.”
That’s a scary prospect, knowing that one of the best in the world is scouting you, just in case. And now that Pitbull is here, the fifth-ranked Rodriguez won’t be able to sneak up on him. He’s been watching, and he’s ready. So for those fans who haven’t seen Pitbull yet, what are they in for this weekend, besides a complete fighter with a 67% finishing rate?
“The most violent and complete featherweight in the world,” he said. “That’s what they’re going to see.”
UFC 314: Volkanovski vs Lopes took place live from Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida on April 12, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
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