Pedro Carvalho makes his return to the cage tonight at Bellator 291, where he’ll look to secure a crucial victory and make a serious case for the next title shot with Patricio Pitbull.
On Saturday, he’ll be met by the no. 5 ranked Jeremy Kennedy in a three-round featherweight co-main event at 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland. Carvalho expects to have the crowd behind him from start to finish, while the Canadian Kennedy travels to “The Game’s” adopted hometown as he looks to play the role of spoiler.
“It’s so special… these are moments I’ll take with me for the rest of my life,” Carvalho said about fighting in Dublin. “Whenever there is a Bellator Dublin, a lot of fighters at SBG Ireland are on the card, so the atmosphere in the gym is unique. The fight week vibe is so good – we’re like a little army ready to go into war. Then fight night – you have the pound-for-pound best crowd in the world supporting you and cheering for you. It’s amazing.”
Carvalho is coming off of one of the most notable wins of his career, showcasing his wrestling prowess en route to a unanimous decision victory over a game opponent in Mads Burnell. If the Portuguese featherweight gets his hand raised tonight, he believes that there will be nobody left standing between him and the champion, Pitbull.
“After this fight, I am fighting for the belt,” Carvalho said. “I am going to beat Jeremy Kennedy, put myself on the #1 spot, and whoever [is champion] – it doesn’t matter. I’m just going to be out there winning the gold, that’s all that matters to me.”
Tonight’s match-up with Kennedy is undoubtedly the biggest fight of Carvalho’s career thus far, a moment the 27-year old has been preparing for since signing with Bellator in 2018. It’ll be interesting to see whether Carvalho has what it takes to pull off yet another upset victory under the bright lights – over a polished Xtreme Couture product once again.
“With baby steps, we will get to the top. I come from a country where MMA didn’t really exist. I’ve overcome a lot of obstacles in my life, and I still do today. Nothing can stop me. I’ll start by beating Jeremy Kennedy, then become world champion, and we’ll go from there,” Carvalho said.
Pedro Carvalho faces Jeremy Kennedy at Bellator 291 on February 25, 2023 at 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland.
