Patricky Freire wants some gold but hasn’t been able to accomplish that goal during his more than eight-year run with Bellator. And so, the older “Pitbull,” who is the brother to Bellator dual champion Patricio, will try to make it happen with Rizin FF.
On Saturday at Rizin FF 19, Freire (21-8) will take part in the Japanese promotion’s lightweight grand prix as he meets Tatsuya Kawajiri (37-13-2) in the quarterfinals of the eight-man tournament. It will be Freire’s first fight in eight months as he looks to extend his winning streak to six.
Ahead of the start of the tournament, MMA Junkie caught up with Freire. You can check out the Q&A below.
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Can you talk about being in the Rizin lightweight grand prix?
I’m highly motivated for this fight in Japan, in the Pride FC style. When I became interested in MMA, it wasn’t just because of Royce Gracie, but also because of the great Brazilian combatants in Japan – Rodrigo Minotauro, Rogerio Minotouro, Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua, and Wanderlei Silva. The Pride era in Japan, with its own rules, was a high point of recognition of Brazilian MMA around the world. It’s a dream to see the massive Japanese crowds and to fight in the land of the samurai. It’s the land where MMA fighters are truly respected and admired.
Can you talk about some of the top fighters in the tournament?
The fighters in the grand prix are truly tough. Johnny Case walks into the cage with the right strategy and uses his wrestling to dominate his opponents. He uses control and is never in a hurry to get a finish. He’s very intelligent. Tofiq Musayev is highly aggressive and a complete fighter. He’s one of the tougher tournament participants. Tatsuya Kawajiri is a huge name in the organization. Not only is he fighting at home, but he is very well traveled, having fought in several major promotions like the UFC, DREAM, Strikeforce, and Pride. I admire him. I used to watch his fights before my MMA debut. This tournament will be very difficult, and I’m confident that most bouts will be won via small details. The quality of the participants is very high.
Talk about your next opponent.
I’m facing Tatsuya Kawajiri. I had been worried due to the six months of inactivity on my part after I had hand surgery. I was concerned with any post-surgery mobility or pain issues. Thankfully, after daily physical therapy, I’m feeling great. My training has been great, too. I already landed a few knockouts at our academy. I’ve been putting a lot of work into practicing the Rizin rules, such as kicks and stomps to the head of a downed opponent. That way, I can stay smart in case I’m put in a vulnerable situation, or in case I get a chance to do it to my opponent.
Does ‘grand prix’ mean there’s a big cash prize at the end?
There’s no final money prize. Each fight pays its own purse, at least for me. Whoever wins the tournament will be the champion of the weight class. The new champion will then be able to defend his belt next year. I plan to be that champion. I may return to Bellator after that. But I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself. I have a very tough Kawajiri in front of me now. He is very experienced and cannot be underestimated. I’m in a great phase in my career, and I wish to continue my winning streak. I’m taking it one step at a time.
Catching up with Bellator's Patricky Freire before Rizin lightweight grand prix
