New Orleans — Patricio Pitbull’s UFC debut did not go as hoped, but he’ll look to bounce back at UFC 318 this Saturday.
Pitbull (36-8) put on a lackluster showing at UFC 314 back in April, dropping a decision to Yair Rodriguez. It was, the former Bellator featherweight and lightweight champ said during Wednesday’s UFC 318 media day, the result of “ten years fighting for five rounds, 25 minutes.”
“I saw everything in the cage, I was calm and relaxed. That was my mistake,” the Brazilian featherweight added. And so in his sophomore outing in the UFC, he’ll instead fight with urgency.
“For sure. It will be a violent fight,” said Pitbull, who would later address the lone difference in his training since arriving in the world’s largest MMA promotion. “In Bellator I was used to training for five rounds. Now I have to fight for three rounds, it’s different. Fighting five rounds creates a more cadenced game plan. So three rounds is a lot quicker, a lot different.”
At UFC 318, Patricio Pibull has been paired up with a fan favorite, Hawaii’s Dan Ige. It’s a match-up that went over well with fans, and Pitbull can see the logic behind the booking.
“Yeah, it makes sense. He’s a tough guy. He’s the division’s gatekeeper, he separates the good from the great.” Pitbull, falling back on his translator, then promised to “kick down that door” — or gate as it were.
While Ige hasn’t been finished in his professional career, “I will be the first, who knocks him out or submits him,” promised Pitbull.
As for what comes next, Pitbull has a name in mind. After Ige, he’s looking at another ex-Bellator MMA star. “My focus now is to beat him [Ige], but after that, I want Aaron Pico.”
Pico was supposed to face Movsar Evloev next weekend as part of UFC Abu Dhabi, leaving Pico in limbo. “Movsar is hurt, right?” questioned Pitbull, getting an affirmative response. “We were in Bellator for a long time, but I was the champ and he couldn’t go to the belt. And now we can fight.”
Maybe not at UFC Abu Dhabi next weekend. Then again, you never know. “Next week, yeah, ready,” stated Pitbull. “Always ready.”
Watch the full UFC 318 media day appearance by Patricio Pitbull above.
