Patricio Pitbull, a dominant figure in Bellator for many years as featherweight champion and also a former lightweight titleholder after defeating Michael Chandler, further expanded his legacy by beating RIZIN champion Kleber Koike in Japan. Now, as he prepares for his first fight in the UFC octagon, his Pitbull Brothers teammate Leandro Higo is highly confident he will succeed.
Both Higo and Pitbull are scheduled to compete in Florida this week. Higo will make his PFL debut headlining PFL 2 in Orlando on April 11, facing last-minute replacement Marcirley Alves. The following night, Pitbull is set for his highly anticipated UFC debut against Yair Rodriguez at UFC 314.
“I believe he will become champion in the UFC,” Higo stated. He drew parallels with other fighters who transitioned from Bellator to the UFC, noting their general success, citing examples like Michael Chandler performing well and Eddie Alvarez becoming champion. “Patricio has all it takes to become champion, and he’s starting with a good fight,” Higo added.
While the main event of UFC 314 in Miami features Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes competing for the UFC featherweight belt, Higo feels that a strong performance from Pitbull could position him as the next potential contender in the 145-pound division.
“Depending on the performance, he may also become the next challenger, he has everything to become champion,” Higo reiterated. “He trains with champions, and he’s the best in the world.”
Due to their separate fight locations being approximately 230 miles apart in Florida, the Pitbull Brothers team had to split for the final stages of their training camps. However, Higo plans to travel to Miami immediately after his own fight to witness Pitbull`s inaugural walk to the UFC octagon. “I’ll hit the road to Miami as soon as my fight is over,” Higo confirmed, expressing his eagerness to see the debut and predicting, “I believe he knocks him out.”
Regarding his own bout on Friday, which marks his first step towards the $500,000 prize in the PFL bantamweight tournament, Higo is facing his second short-notice opponent. Marcirley Alves stepped in after Josh Rettinghouse, who had initially replaced Magomed Magomedov, was not medically cleared on weigh-in day. Higo views these changes as necessary challenges on the path to becoming a champion. “My opponents are always changing but if you want to be a champion you have to go through adversities,” he commented. He acknowledged the unfortunate situation of fighting a fellow Brazilian under these circumstances but stated, “we’re both grown ups and we have a job to do.” Higo is focused on securing this first win in the tournament, looking ahead to subsequent victories and ultimately claiming the half-million dollar prize.
Murray Blackwood