NEW YORK – [autotag]Patricky Freire[/autotag] ended his last fight defeated and injured. But now, after stem-cell treatment to accelerate his recovery from a broken hand, “Pitbull” says he’s ready to showcase his knockout power once again.
Freire (23-9 MMA, 14-7 BMMA), will take on Ireland’s [autotag]Peter Queally[/autotag] in the lightweight main event of Bellator Dublin on Oct. 3 as the rivalry between Freire’s Pitbull Brothers team and Queally’s SBG gym continues to grow heading into the summer.
Speaking to MMA Junkie after Bellator’s 2020 showcase press conference on Monday, Freire was short and to the point when discussing his upcoming matchup.
“When Peter Queally signed for Bellator, I said to him, ‘I will give a job for you, don’t run from me,’ that’s it,” he said. “And it happened. Just say, ‘Thank you so much, Patricky Pitbull, for the job, for the work.”
While Freire’s main focus is to prepare to face Queally (12-5-1 MMA, 1-1 BMMA) at the 3Arena, the long-tenured Bellator lightweight also had words for the Irishman’s teammate James Gallagher, who became embroiled in a heated verbal exchange with both “Pitbull” brothers during the press conference.
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“He loves to talk (expletive), but he won’t accept the fight with Leandro (Higo),” he said. “All the time he talks (expletive) about me and my brother. Why does he talk (expletive) about me? He just talks (expletive), and runs, talks (expletive) and runs.”
The bad blood between the Freires and SBG will come to a head in 2020, starting at Bellator 241 when SBG’s Pedro Carvalho takes on two-division Bellator champion – and Patricky’s younger brother – Patricio in the quarterfinals of the featherweight grand prix. Then, seven months later, the rivalry will reignite again when Patricky takes on Queally in Dublin.
The Brazilian warned that all the press-conference posturing between the rival factions won’t matter when it comes to the z actual fights, when he believes he and his brother will deliver a clear statement through their performances.
“The Pitbull Brothers don’t play. Never,” he said.
Freire’s coach Eric Albarracin was also on hand to explain how Patricky had his hand repaired after he sustained an injury during the Rizin FF lightweight grand prix in Japan last December.
“He broke his hand between the semis and the finals so he went to Bio Accelerator in Medellin, Colombia and got stem cells,” he said. “Now he’s a bio-X-Man, and this thing’s like steel!”
With his hand fully repaired, Freire promised to put it to good use when he faces Queally in Dublin.
“Everybody knows the power of my hands,” he said. “I will knock him out. that’s it. This is my job. It’s like X-Men.”
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