Patrício Freire (born July 7, 1987), known professionally as Patrício Pitbull, is a Brazilian mixed martial artist currently competing in Bellator MMA where he is the current three-time Bellator Featherweight Champion and former Bellator Lightweight Champion.
He is the younger brother of lightweight fighter Patricky Pitbull.
He is the second-ever simultaneous two-weight champion in Bellator MMA history, and is widely considered to be the best Bellator fighter of all-time.
He is also considered one of the best ever, pound-for-pound, to have never fought in the UFC.
As of October 10, 2023, he is No. 4 in the Bellator men's pound-for-pound rankings.
2004
Freire made his professional MMA debut in March 2004 at the age of 16.
For the first five and a half years of his career, he competed in his native Brazil and amassed an undefeated record of 12–0 with all but two wins coming by way of stoppage.
Prior to signing with Bellator, Freire was ranked as one of the top prospects outside of the North American fight scene.
2010
After stringing together an impressive undefeated record on the local Brazilian circuit, he was initially tabbed to make his American debut against Will Romero at Bellator 14 on April 15, 2010, in the Bellator Featherweight Tournament.
. However, the bout was postponed to take place a week later at Bellator 15 on April 22, 2010.
He won the quarterfinal bout via first-round submission.
At Bellator 18 on May 13, 2010, he won his semifinal bout against fellow Brazilian and former EliteXC Featherweight Champion, Wilson Reis via unanimous decision.
Freire faced Joe Warren on June 24, 2010, at Bellator 23 in the Tournament Final.
Despite nearly finishing the fight in the waning moments of the first round, Freire lost the fight by split decision.
In Bellator Season Four, Freire earned back-to-back third-round KOs against Georgi Karakhanyan and Wilson Reis (a rematch of their bout the previous year) to advance to the finals of the Featherweight Tournament.
Freire met Daniel Mason-Straus in the Bellator Season Four Featherweight Tournament Final at Bellator 45.
He won the fight via unanimous decision and earned a title shot rematch against Joe Warren.
2011
The title shot was scheduled to take place at Bellator 47 on July 23, 2011, but a broken hand suffered in training had halted Freire's rematch with Joe Warren for the Bellator Featherweight Championship.
2013
After a near year and a half lay-off, Freire returned to action at Bellator 85 on January 17, 2013, to face Pat Curran who had defeated Joe Warren to win the Bellator Featherweight Championship at Bellator 60.
After a back and forth fight, Freire ended up losing a very close split decision.
Freire was set to face Rob Emerson at Bellator 97 on July 31, 2013, but Emerson was forced out of the bout due to injury and was replaced by Jared Downing.
Freire won via KO at fifty-four seconds into the second round.
Freire faced former UFC featherweight contender Diego Nunes at Bellator 99 on September 13, 2013, in the Quarterfinals of Bellator's Season Nine Featherweight Tournament.
He won the fight via knockout in the first round.
Freire faced Fabricio Guerreiro in the semifinals at Bellator 103 on October 11, 2013, and won via unanimous decision.
Freire faced Justin Wilcox in the tournament final at Bellator 108 November 15, 2013.
He won the fight via TKO in the first round.
2014
After being skipped over for his title shot, Freire was expected to finally challenge for the Bellator Featherweight World Championship in the long-awaited rematch with Pat Curran on June 6, 2014, at Bellator 121.
However, on May 21, it was announced that Curran had pulled out of the bout due to a calf injury.
The rematch eventually took place at Bellator 123 on September 5, 2014.
Freire defeated Curran by unanimous decision to become the new Bellator Featherweight Champion.
2015
Freire made his first title defense at Bellator 132 on January 16, 2015 against Daniel Mason-Straus in a rematch of their bout in May 2011, which saw Freire walk away with a decision victory.
Freire won the back-and-forth fight in the fourth round via a rear-naked choke submission.
2020
He is currently ranked as the No. 8 featherweight in the world by Fight Matrix, having been ranked as high as No. 3 in October 2020.
Combat Press ranks him as the No. 5 featherweight, No. 5 lightweight and No. 9 pound-for-pound fighter in the world.
Sherdog ranks him as the No. 2 featherweight fighter in the world.
He is also ranked as the No. 1 featherweight fighter outside of the UFC by Ranking MMA.
Freire was born and grew up in the outskirts of Natal, Brazil.
Freire began training Brazilian jiu-jitsu at the age of ten to help fend off the stigma of his size.
As a teenager, he trained at the famed Chute Boxe academy alongside notable MMA stars such as Wanderlei Silva and Mauricio Rua.
