Patricio “Pitbull” Freire is set to make his UFC debut against Yair Rodriguez at UFC 314 on April 12, 2025, at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. This featherweight bout is a significant matchup, as both fighters are aiming to solidify their positions in the division.
The fight opened with both fighters taking a measured approach, feeling each other out. It took about a minute before the first strike was thrown—a leg kick from Rodríguez. Pitbull answered with one of his own shortly after, as both men began trading shots, trying to find their kickboxing rhythm. Rodríguez was more aggressive early, mixing in head kicks and even landing a beautiful one off a slick hand misdirection.
Pitbull managed to catch a kick and score a takedown late in the round, but with little time left, he wasn’t able to do much with it. He ended the round on top, but didn’t land anything significant.
In round two, Pitbull started pushing the pace a bit more, though both fighters were still hesitant, with low output. Pitbull timed another takedown nicely, but Rodríguez popped right back up. Rodríguez began finding his range, landing a clean straight right that Pitbull absorbed well. He stayed active, going back to the head kick several times. As the round progressed, Rodríguez’s movement and volume started to create separation. Pitbull shot for a desperation takedown to end the round, but Rodríguez reversed it with a strong whizzer and ended on top.
Heading into the final round, Pitbull clearly needed a finish. He came forward with pressure, cutting off the cage, but threw very little. He did land a clean left hand, but let Rodríguez escape and reset. As Pitbull tried to close the distance again, Rodríguez dropped him with a sharp one-two. Staying calm, Rodríguez followed up with solid elbows on the ground. Even when Pitbull threatened with an armbar, Rodríguez remained composed and worked his way out.
In the final seconds, they returned to their feet, but Pitbull couldn’t make anything happen before the final horn.
Official Result: Yair Rodriguez def. Patricio Pitbull by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
