Patricio Freire rates Michael Chandler’s chances in the UFC

Two-division Bellator champ Patricio Freire has shared his thoughts on how Michael Chandler will perform in the UFC’s Octagon.

Freire currently holds the Bellator featherweight and lightweight titles, and is slated to defend the former against Pedro Carvalho in the main event of Bellator 252 on Thursday night.

The Brazilian fought Chandler, the former Bellator lightweight champion, in 2019, winning by first-round KO. Despite the outcome of their fight—and their lingering rivalry—Freire believes Chandler has the skills to defeat anybody he’s matched up in the UFC lightweight division.

“It’s great for Chandler,” Freire told the media ahead of Bellator 252 (via MMA Junkie). “He can beat all those guys. He’s a great fighter, and he has the right tools to beat all those guys over there (in the UFC).

“And to tell you the truth, that’s the only way to see who’s the best in the world in each weight class is to have cross-promotion fights, because then there’s no guessing who’s better or that you have to be in a certain organization to see who’s the best,” Freire added. “I’m ready to show that I’m the best in MMA, not only in one promotion, and I’m willing to prove that at any moment.”

Chandler has yet to make his debut with the UFC, but is expected to get a top-5 foe in his first fight with the promotion. Freire sees that as proof that Bellator fighters are among the best in the world.

“That proves that the Bellator fighters are badass,” Patricio said. “We just had a guy leave, and he’s already ready to fight for the title, so that shows what we’ve known all along, that Bellator fighters are just as good if not better. It’s not about promotion; it’s about the fighters. That’s it.”

Do you agree with Patricio Freire on this? Is Michael Chandler going to make waves in the UFC?