Nicknamed the “fighting scientist” by Patricio Freire, Francisco “Chikão”' Freitas is the man behind the Bellator champion’s move to bantamweight.
A nutritionist, physiologist and physical trainer, Freitas discussed how Freire reached 145 pounds three weeks ahead of schedule in his weight cut. Already the reigning 145-pound champion, Freire is scheduled to challenge Sergio Pettis for bantamweight gold at Bellator 297.
"Actually, since the [Adam] Borics fight when Bellator started to consider the bantamweight belt as a possibility, we started to change his whole preparation to make it an easy weight cut process. And when you work with a hard worker and focused champion like Patricio, every goal turns out easier,"Freitas revealed.
Freire’s measurements have impressed Freitas.
"I’ve been working with Patricio for the last five years,” Freitas said. I have all his numbers noted from every camp. His power, his hormones and the whole physiologic process … I can attest it's one of his best camps. There is no difference from what he did in the camp for [Michael] Chandler. He will reach the bantamweight division on June 16 with a featherweight’s power.”
Freitas revealed that his plans are to have Freire weighing between 150 and 154 pounds by the time he steps in the cage on fight night.
"I dont want him to be heavier than that so he doesn't lose speed,” Freitas said.
Freitas, who has experience training names like Lyoto Machida, Renan Barao, Deiveson Figueiredo, Bethe Correia, Jussier Formiga and Ronny Markes, did not discard the possibility of Freire eventually moving to Bellator’s newly-added flyweight division.
"Let´s see how he will perform in bantamweight first. As I said, the goal cannot be to lose weight, the goal must be to lose weight without losing performance,” he said. “For everything he is showing in the camp, I have no doubt he will get this third belt and write his name in MMA history once again as bantamweight. And when you are talking about a guy like Patricio Freire, I learned to never doubt his goals.”
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