After undergoing a delicate surgical operation in the cervical region in mid-2023, Patrício Freire returned to competition last Friday (22) with one goal in mind: demonstrate that he still reigns supreme in the featherweight category (66 kg) of Bellator. And the Brazilian’s goal was successfully achieved. Facing challenger Jeremy Kennedy, “Pitbull” fought in a competitive duel in Belfast, capital of Northern Ireland, and defeated his Canadian rival by technical knockout in the third round. (see below or Click here).
With this result, Patrício ends the first streak of two defeats that he suffered during his career, when he ventured into different weight categories: bantamweight (61 kg) and lightweight (70 kg ). The triumph also marks the Brazilian’s first appearance since spinal surgery in August last season. At 36 years old, the native of Rio Grande do Norte continues to perform at a high level and is looking for new challenges.
The fight
In the first round, the athletes began to study each other from the first seconds. But the one who took the initiative in the fight was Pitbull, who used low blows to attack and undermine Kennedy’s base. Troubled by the blows, the Canadian suffered in the partial. In the second round, Jérémie managed to balance the actions of the duel by mixing strikes and takedown attempts.
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