Bellator LXII is the host of this season’s lightweight tournament quarterfinal, and the question on most people’s mind is if Patricky “Pitbull” Freire can take home this season’s tournament championship.
Last season, Freire looked as if he was going to run the table, rattling off huge victories over Rob McCullough and Toby Imada (both via knockout). He then ran into trouble in the championship bout, dropping a decision to current lightweight champion Michael Chandler.
Freire is definitely one of the most talented fighters in Bellator, with a great combination of striking and jiu-jitsu. He and his brother Patricio train with the Nogueira brothers, so you know they are getting good training.
Since losing to Chandler in the tournament, Freire has come back and defeated UFC veteran Kurt Pellegrino in convincing fashion. That proved that Freire could come back from a tough loss and get better.
Freire’s first-round opponent is Lloyd Woodard. Make no mistake about it, this is not a gimme for Freire, as Woodard is a very solid lightweight. Woodard is a solid striker with a decent ground game. The key for Freire is to mix it up and keep Woodard guessing. Doing that could lead to another highlight-reel finish, as we saw when he knocked out Toby Imada.
Freire should be able to defeat Woodard, as he is far more skilled. Should he beat him, there are six other very solid opponents waiting to take on Freire.
Ricardo Tirloni and Thiago Michel are both in this season’s tournament, and to most people, they are unknown. Tirloni is a very well-rounded and dangerous fighter, but not nearly as well-rounded and dangerous as Freire.
Michel is a very vicious striker, but has problems on the ground with submission artists (Freire is a black belt in BJJ). Both these men are dangerous, but Freire should be able to defeat them.
JJ Ambrose is best remembered for being on The Ultimate Fighter but losing out in the entry round. He also will present a challenge to Freire, but Freire is better in all places.
Brent Weedman and Rene Nazare are veterans of the sport, but I just do not see either of them being able to deal with Freire. Nazare will not be able to stand with “Pitbull,” nor will Weedman.
The only big challenge I see this season for Freire is Rick Hawn. Hawn is dropping from welterweight, where he was a finalist in the welterweight tournament that Jay Hieron won. Hawn is an Olympic judo player with heavy hands. He has the all-around prowess to give Freire fits. Hawn is also bigger, which is an advantage.
All that said, I do believe Patricky Freire can win the lightweight tournament. He is experienced in the tournament format, extremely skilled and hungry to erase the memory of falling in the last tournament. If he sticks to a solid game plan, I believe he will walk away the season six lightweight tournament champion and earn his rematch with Michael Chandler.
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