Patricio Freire wants to end AJ McKee’s hype when they meet at Bellator 263 this weekend.
The Bellator lightweight and featherweight champion is ready to end another hot prospect’s streak this coming Saturday. Paired up against AJ McKee for one of the biggest 145-pound title defenses in the promotion’s history, Patricio Freire promises to silence his opponent’s provocations in the cage.
With all the trash-talk and taunting adding up, Freire cannot wait until he can face McKee. Although AJ is an undefeated prospect who fans hold in high regard, ‘Pitbull’ tells Ag Fight that he is not the most dangerous opponent of his career and taking the zero from his record will be just another day in the office for the champion.
“There’s a lot at stake, but I don’t bring external factors (into the cage) with me. I’m going out there to beat him and make him pay for all the sh-t he has said over the years. He’s a very dangerous, promising fighter. Bellator expects a lot from him, but he’s not the most dangerous opponent of my career. I’m handing him his first ever loss. I’m motivated by my legacy, to win another GP and once again prove I’m the number one in the world. Taking away his zero is only a consequence of that.”
“He has holes (in his game), but he’s surprising, too, because he attacks randomly,” Freire continued. “But even a good part of his random strikes have a pattern. There’s a moment when he decides to use them. I trust what I studied and the preparation we did. I’ll grab his neck in the second round.”
Currently on a seven-fight winning streak, Freire (32-4) has defeated some of the biggest names in Bellator’s featherweight and lightweight division during this time, such as Michael Chandler, Juan Archuleta and Daniel Straus among others. The 34-year-old’s last loss came in August 2016, when he suffered an injury TKO against Benson Henderson.
Now, Pitbull is expected to take on McKee for the featherweight title at Bellator 263. The card is set to take place in Inglewood, California, on July 31.