Pedro Carvalho says he’ll finish Patricio Freire inside three rounds to bring another belt to SBG Ireland

Pedro Carvalho is confident he will become Bellator’s new featherweight champion on Friday.

In the main event of Bellator 241, Carvalho is set to battle Patricio Freire in the quarter-finals of the featherweight grand prix. It is a fight “Pitbull” picked during the selection show, which for Carvalho shows it is destined he becomes a world champion on Friday.

“I just felt that it was meant to be. That happened because me being a world champion is meant to be,” Carvalho said to BJPENN.com. “I knew that he would pick February or March and when it was my time to pick I had January or March so I went in March. Just happy that I know the day I become a world champion.”

Entering this fight, Freire is around a -1000 favorite, so for many, they believe Carvalho has no shot at winning the belt. But, for the SBG Ireland product, he says that just gives him extra motivation to shock the world.

“All that just gives me extra fun, just seeing everyone planning Patricio vs. McKee or Patricio vs. Caldwell. That has been the reflection of my whole career everyone looks over me. Fight after fight people underestimate me,” he explained. “This one is not any different. People think this is a done deal Patricio wins. This just gives me extra fun as when I go out there and beat Patricio it will give me great pleasure to look around and see all the shocked faces.”

Pedro Carvalho is undefeated in Bellator and set to fight for five rounds for the first time.

Yet, the Portugal native says Freire has to be worried about his cardio as he will be the one pushing the pace.

“He is the one who has to worry about my pace. He knows my condition. I work way better in five rounds than in three rounds. Fighting in five rounds is an advantage for me,” Carvalho said. “I have a good ratio of finishes because people can’t keep up with my pace. That is what is going to happen for five rounds. That is the difference-maker in this fight is my pace, pressure, and conditioning.”

In this fight, Carvalho is not only confident he’ll get his hand raised but he promises to finish the Brazilian inside three rounds.

“I’m looking for the head of Patricio Pitbull. I’m going to finish him. Submission or knockout, I don’t care,” he said. “Just go out there and perform and when I find the breaking point I will finish him. He won’t last three rounds.”

In the end, Pedro Carvalho remains confident he’ll be bringing another major world title back to SBG Ireland and the first since Conor McGregor won the lightweight belt. It will also be the first Bellator belt the gym wins.

“This will happen, March 13, SBG Ireland will have a third major world title and first Bellator title. That’s it. I don’t need to say anything else, this will happen,” Carvalho concluded.

Do you think Pedro Carvalho will finish Patricio Freire inside three rounds?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.com on 3/11/2020.