Patricio Freire is going into his champion-vs.-champion fight against Michael Chandler at Bellator 221 with vicious intentions.
Freire (28-4 MMA, 16-4 BMMA), the Bellator featherweight champion, will move up to challenge lightweight titleholder Chandler (19-4 MMA, 16-4 BMMA) in arguably the biggest grudge match in Bellator history this April. The fight has been building for years, and “Pitbull” is looking to exhaust his frustrations.
Shortly after Bellator made the second champion-vs.-champion fight in company history official, Freire took to social media to express his gruesome plans for fight night (via Instagram):
Now it’s official, Michael Chandler! Everything you’ve said will have an end May 11th. I’m gonna stop you and your tongue. I will look into your eyes and see you despair. I’ll leave your body soulless. I’ll damage you, I won’t have pity nor mercy. I’ll break your pathetic face.
Bellator 221 takes place May 11 at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill. The main card streams on DAZN following prelims on MMAjunkie.
Chandler holds two victories – including a “Knockout of the Year” candidate in June 2016 – over Freire’s older brother, Patricky Freire. Those fights were the key ignitor in the rivalry, which has included an endless amount of back-and-forth on social media.
They finally get a chance to fight in less than two months, and there’s much at stake. Freire will get the chance to join Ryan Bader as the only simultaneous two-division champions in Bellator history. Moreover, he can break out of a tie with Chandler for most victories in Bellator history (16). But it seems that getting revenge is more serious to him than anything.
The latest Bellator 221 card includes:
- Michael Chandler vs. Patricio Freire – for lightweight title
- Douglas Lima vs. Michael Page
- Pat Curran vs. A.J. McKee
- Jake Hager vs. opponent TBA
For more on Bellator 221, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.
