Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White recently expressed his interest in signing former Bellator MMA Lightweight champion and free agent, Michael Chandler. But it’s another one of Scott Coker’s fighters that has been lighting up social media trying to get White’s attention.
Of course, that is none other than the promotion’s current champ-champ, Patricio Freire. “Pitbull” not only scoffed at Chandler signing with UFC, but took it a bit further while posting on Twitter, laying down a $1 million challenge to White saying that he would easily defeat current UFC Featherweight champion, Alexander Volkanovski.
In doing so, not only would Freire prove that Bellator MMA’s fighters are superior to UFC’s but also become a whole lot richer and be the owner of Max Holloway’s belt; an obvious dig at “The Great’s” split-decision win over “Blessed” last month.
“Alex Volkanovski, just so u know you are fighting Pitbull the fighter not the rapper. I’m glad you recovered from your cauliflower pussy,” responded “Pitbull” to Volkanovski accepting his challenge in a since-deleted tweet.
“Dana White it would be my pleasure to take your money. I’ll even pay for Alex The Average’s hospital bills. It would an Honor to wear Max Holloway’s Belt.”
Freire — who also holds Bellator’s Lightweight strap — is currently on a five-fight win streak and is one of the poster boy’s for the promotion, having competed for the Viacom-owned company for a decade now.
Volkanovski, meanwhile is on a 19-fight win streak and holds back-to-back championship wins over Holloway. While a fight between the two men would be a sight to see, White isn’t exactly in favor of cross-promoting. In fact, he’s only done it once before, allowing Chuck Liddell to head over to PRIDE FC in 2001 and 2003 in an attempt to win the Middleweight Grand PRIX, though he ultimately came up short in his quest.
Still, when you see two fighters from rival promotions chirping at one another, it gets you hype but ultimately reminds us of all the great fights we will likely never be able to see.