Patricio “Pitbull” Freire, who held featherweight titles in Bellator for many years, is willing to fight Jose Aldo, the former UFC featherweight champion. This possibility has emerged now that both fighters are associated with the UFC.
Pitbull is set to make his UFC debut against Yair Rodriguez at UFC 314, marking a significant step after a successful Bellator career where he amassed a 24-6 record. A victory on April 12 could quickly put him in title contention. Meanwhile, Aldo is currently competing in the bantamweight division and is scheduled to face Aiemann Zahabi at UFC 315 on May 10.
“I don’t particularly crave a fight with Aldo, but if the UFC offers it, I would gladly accept,” Pitbull stated in an interview. “If this fight doesn`t happen, it would be a shame, considering our long reigns as featherweight champions in different organizations.”
The former Bellator two-division champion believes that defeating Aldo wouldn`t definitively crown him the greatest featherweight ever, but it would settle a frequently debated question. Pitbull feels there`s a bias towards the UFC in such comparisons, but emphasizes that “my place in history is already secured.”
“For Aldo and UFC fans, he is undoubtedly the best featherweight of all time,” Pitbull acknowledged. “However, some knowledgeable fight observers consider Patricio as well, suggesting he could challenge for the title of greatest. Ultimately, a fight would be the best way to address this. It wouldn`t fully determine who had the better career, but it would give us a clear winner in a direct confrontation, leaving a significant impact. While not driven by a desire to fight Aldo, it would certainly be a compelling matchup.”
Pitbull`s accomplishments include featherweight and lightweight titles in Bellator. He even defeated RIZIN featherweight champion Kleber Koike in a non-title bout in Japan before an unsuccessful attempt to win the Bellator bantamweight title against Sergio Pettis. Despite the loss, he is open to changing weight classes again in the UFC.
“Depending on the challenge, we are ready,” Pitbull said. “From bantamweight to welterweight, we are game depending on the opponent. Even welterweight, depending on the fighter’s background. If it’s a young, inexperienced fighter, maybe not. But if it’s someone with a similar history to mine and around my age, we would consider it.”
Wesley Dunham 
Marcus Blakely