Patrício Pitbull facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Patrício Pitbull
Freire in 2023
Born	Patrício Andre de Sousa Freire (1987-07-07) July 7, 1987 (age 38) Mossoró, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
Nickname(s)	Pitbull
Height	5 ft 6 in (168 cm)
Weight	145 lb (66 kg)
Division	Bantamweight (2023) Featherweight (2004–present) Lightweight (2016; 2019–2021)
Reach	65+1⁄2 in (166 cm)
Fighting out of	Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
Team	Team Nogueira (until 2010) Black House Pitbull Brothers (2010–present)
Rank	Black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu
Years active	2004–present
Mixed martial arts record
Total	44
Wins	36
By knockout	12
By submission	12
By decision	12
Losses	8
By knockout	2
By submission	1
By decision	5
Children	2
Notable relatives	Patricky Pitbull (brother)

Patrício Andre de Sousa Freire (born July 7, 1987), known as Patrício Pitbull, is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist. He competes in the Featherweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Before joining the UFC, he was a three-time Bellator Featherweight Champion and a former Bellator Lightweight Champion in Bellator MMA.

Patrício is the younger brother of fellow fighter Patricky Pitbull. He was the second fighter in Bellator MMA history to hold two championship titles at the same time. Many people consider him the best fighter ever in Bellator.

Early Life and Training

Patrício Freire grew up in Natal, Brazil. He started training Brazilian jiu-jitsu when he was ten years old. This helped him feel more confident about his size. As a teenager, he trained at the famous Chute Boxe gym. There, he trained alongside well-known MMA stars like Wanderlei Silva.

Mixed Martial Arts Journey

Starting His Career

Freire began his professional MMA career in March 2004 when he was 16. For his first five and a half years, he fought in Brazil. He built an amazing record of 12 wins and no losses. Most of his wins came by knockout or submission. Before joining Bellator, he was seen as one of the best new fighters outside of North America.

Fighting in Bellator MMA

Patrício Freire joined Bellator MMA after his impressive start in Brazil.

First Bellator Fights

His first fight in America was in April 2010. He won his first fight in the Bellator Featherweight Tournament by submission in the first round. He then won his semifinal fight by decision. In the tournament final, he faced Joe Warren and lost by a close decision.

Winning a Tournament

In 2011, Freire entered another Featherweight Tournament. He won two fights by knockout in the third round. He then faced Daniel Mason-Straus in the final. Freire won this fight by decision, earning another chance to fight for the title.

First Title Challenges

Freire was supposed to fight Joe Warren for the Bellator Featherweight Championship in July 2011. However, he broke his hand and the fight was canceled. After a long break, he returned in January 2013. He fought Pat Curran for the championship but lost a very close decision.

Winning More Tournaments

Freire bounced back with more wins. In July 2013, he won a fight by knockout. He then entered the Season Nine Featherweight Tournament. He won his quarterfinal fight by knockout in the first round. He continued to win, taking the tournament final by TKO in the first round.

Becoming Featherweight Champion

After winning the tournament, Freire finally got his chance to fight for the Bellator Featherweight World Championship again. He faced Pat Curran in September 2014. Freire won by decision and became the new Bellator Featherweight Champion.

He successfully defended his title twice. First, he beat Daniel Mason-Straus by submission in January 2015. Then, in June 2015, he knocked out Daniel Weichel in the second round.

Losing and Regaining the Title

Freire lost his Featherweight Championship to Daniel Straus in November 2015. He lost by decision after two successful title defenses.

He then moved up to the lightweight division for a fight in August 2016. However, he suffered a leg injury during the fight and lost. It was later found that he broke his shin.

In April 2017, Freire fought Daniel Straus for the fourth time. This was for the Bellator Featherweight Championship. Freire won by submission in the second round, becoming a two-time champion. He defended this title twice more, winning by split decision against Daniel Weichel and by unanimous decision against Emmanuel Sanchez.

Becoming a Double Champion

In May 2019, Freire fought Michael Chandler for the Bellator Lightweight World Championship. He won by TKO in the first round. This made him the second fighter in Bellator history to hold two titles at the same time.

Featherweight Grand Prix

Freire defended his Featherweight Championship in the Bellator Featherweight World Grand Prix tournament. He won his first fight in September 2019 by decision. He then won his quarterfinal fight by knockout in November 2020. In the semifinals, he won by submission in April 2021.

In the tournament final in July 2021, Freire faced A. J. McKee. He lost the fight by submission in the first round, losing his Featherweight Championship. In October 2021, he decided to give up his Lightweight Championship. He did this so his brother, Patricky, could have a chance to fight for that title.

Third Featherweight Title Reign

In April 2022, Freire had a rematch with A. J. McKee for the Bellator Featherweight Championship. He won the fight by unanimous decision, becoming a three-time champion. He defended his title against Ádám Borics in October 2022, winning by unanimous decision.

In December 2022, he won a non-title fight against Kleber Koike Erbst. In June 2023, he tried to win a third world championship in a different weight class. He moved down to bantamweight to challenge Sergio Pettis for the Bellator Bantamweight Championship. He lost this fight by unanimous decision.

In July 2023, he lost a catchweight fight by knockout. In March 2024, he defended his Featherweight title against Jeremy Kennedy. He won the fight by TKO in the third round. In January 2025, Bellator announced that Freire was no longer with the organization.

Joining the UFC

On February 19, 2025, it was announced that Patrício Pitbull had signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He made his UFC debut against Yair Rodríguez on April 12, 2025, at UFC 314. Pitbull lost the fight by unanimous decision. He is scheduled to fight Dan Ige on July 19, 2025.

Personal Life

Patrício is married to Teresa. They have two sons together.

Achievements and Awards

• Bellator Fighting Championships
  • Bellator Lightweight World Champion (one time)
  • Bellator Featherweight World Champion (three times)
    • Nine successful title defenses (overall)
  • Second fighter in Bellator MMA history to hold two titles at once.
  • First fighter in Bellator history with four separate championship reigns.
  • Most wins in Bellator history (24).
  • Most wins in Bellator Featherweight division history (23).
  • Most wins in Bellator title fights (15).
  • Most title fights in Bellator history (18).
  • Most fights in Bellator history (30).
  • Most finishes in Bellator history (15).
  • Tied for most finishes in Bellator Featherweight division history (13).
  • Most knockouts in Bellator Featherweight division history (8).
  • Second most submission wins in Bellator Featherweight division (5).
  • Bellator Season Nine Featherweight Tournament Winner
  • Bellator Season Four Featherweight Tournament Winner
  • Bellator Season Two Featherweight Tournament Runner-up
• Bleacher Report
  • 2011 MMA All-Star First Team
• MMA Junkie
  • November 2015 Fight of the Month vs. Daniel Straus

Mixed Martial Arts Record

See also

In Spanish: Patrício Pitbull para niños

• List of current mixed martial arts champions
• List of male mixed martial artists