After claiming a second title at Bellator 221 in Chicago, Patricio Pitbull is open to whatever the promotion wants to throw his way. Including a rematch with Michael Chandler, or a scrap with AJ McKee.
Chicago, IL — Newly crowned champ champ Patricio Pitbull was in a jovial mood back stage following Bellator 221 at the AllState Arena in Chicago on Saturday. As expected, given that earlier in the night, he had captured the promotion’s lightweight title with a knockout of Michael Chandler. Pitbull (formally Patricio Freire) now holds both the 145lb and 155lb titles in Bellator MMA.
“I knew it,” Pitbull said of the outcome, speaking to reporters including Cageside Press following the event. On the stoppage, that some saw as being quick, Pitbull was dismissive. “He was sleeping. He kissed the floor. I’m good with that.”
Asked what he said to Chandler following the fight, Pitbull revealed that “I told him, it’s part of the sport. And I won the fight. You saw that. He watched the video. After the fight, and he saw he lost.”
A rematch remains a possibility. “I really don’t know. You can do that, no problem,” the Brazilian said in regards to fighting Chandler again. However, he’s expecting to see Chandler get another opponent first. “Now, my brother’s going to fight him.”
Pitbull’s coach, Eric Albarracin, was on hand Saturday. Albarracin, a U.S. Army Captain, also coaches UFC flyweight champion Henry Cejudo. With Pitbull now his first champ champ, Albarracin will have a shot at a second when Cejudo fights Marlon Moraes for the bantamweight title at UFC 238.
Asked whether his mentor should be named Coach of the Year, Pitbull said “he deserves that. He already is the best coach in the world. I know that.”
Another key fight in the featherweight division also went down Saturday at Bellator 221. In it, undefeated AJ McKee improved to 14-0, besting former champ Pat Curran via a unanimous decision. Patricio Pitbull, however, was not impressed.
“That fight was terrible,” he said. “You guys know. He was afraid. Curran was without a fight for two years, it’s normal for him. But [AJ McKee], he fought every week, and was terrible.” Still, the newly crowned double champ is willing to defend a title against McKee. “Let’s do it. I’m going to kill him.”
Whether it should be both, however, is more of an issue. “I really think he doesn’t deserve that,” said Pitbull. “But if he can do that at featherweight, let’s go.”
Watch the full Bellator 221 post-fight press scrum with Patricio Pitbull above!
