Sherdog’s Top 10: Greatest Brazilian Fighters

8. Patricio Freire

Patricio Freire, who was the unanimous champion of Sherdog's list of the 10 greatest Bellator MMA fighters and fifth on the list of top 10 featherweights, finishes eighth here. Personally, I had him much higher, at third. It should also be noted that since his placement on those earlier lists, he has recorded another major victory, only making his career that much greater. I've written glowingly about “Pitbull” before, noting that he is an excellent striker and an outstanding grappler, but his most amazing quality is his unmatched intelligence and discipline, exploiting even the smallest opponent weakness and implementing the most complex gameplans perfectly for 25 straight minutes. Despite having fought for more than half his life and being 35 years old, Freire is an amazing 35-5, which includes three stints as Bellator featherweight champion and an eye-popping eight title defenses. He has defeated a slew of good and even great opposition, though many of his opponents don't get their due, including Wilson Reis twice, the second by knockout, Georgi Karakhanyan, Daniel Weichel twice, once by knockout, dominating Pat Curran, demolishing Diego Nunes in slightly over a minute, submitting Henry Corrales, defeating Emmanuel Sanchez twice, beating Juan Archuleta from bell to bell, going 3-1 against Daniel Straus, shutting out Adam Borics and most recently, dominating all three rounds against Rizin Fighting Federation champion Kleber Koike Erbst. Freire also became a champ-champ when he knocked out Bellator lightweight champion and fellow promotional legend Michael Chandler, a man who has knocked out multiple UFC champions and came within a whisker of becoming UFC lightweight champion himself against Charles Oliveira. Freire's time at the top seemed to be at an end when undefeated dynamo A.J. McKee beat him for the title in 2021 in just under two minutes, but one should never have counted out the brilliant Brazilian, who fought a perfect fight in the rematch to win a close decision. He may never get his proper due, but Freire is truly a legend among legends.

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