Scouting Report: Patricio Freire

Patricio Freire

Born: July 7, 1987 (Age: 35) in Mossoro, Brazil
Division: Bantamweight
Height: 5’6”
Reach: 65.5”
Record: 35-5 (23-5 Bellator)
Association: Pitbull Brothers
Stage of Career: Prime/Post-Prime

Summary: Freire is an all-time great who demonstrates how exceptional intelligence, technique and martial arts skill can overcome physical limitations of height and speed. Freire, with his unorthodox stance, stands at a considerable distance from his opponents until he springs forward when he senses a weakness, either battering them with kicks, his highly dangerous left hook, his overhand right or his money punch: the right cross. Freire’s own defense is quite good and difficult to penetrate despite his short height and reach. Freire is also a major threat with his grappling, as he combines underrated wrestling with an excellent submission game. Cream-of-the-crop strikers may be able to exploit his standup and elite wrestlers may be able to take him down, but no one can match his outstanding discipline and decision making in the heat of battle.

STRIKING

• Stance: Orthodox.
• Hand Speed: Average.
• Jab: He rarely uses it by itself and instead favors it as part of a one-two.
• Cross: By far his fastest shot, on top of which it is beautifully straight, sudden and carries knockout power.
• Left Hook: Somewhat slow with slightly unorthodox technique, but it is short and powerful, having stunned Emmanuel Sanchez, among others.
• Overhand Right: Thrown with a perfect, tight arc. He is accurate with the punch and even managed to counter Michael Chandler’s jab with it.
• Uppercuts: Rarely throws them.
• Solitary Striker or Volume Puncher: Likes short combinations of a couple punches, but he is often a one-shot sniper when he is more cautious.
• Favorite Combinations: Loves the one-two and the left hook-right hook series.
• Leg Kicks: He occasionally telegraphs and throws them naked, leaving himself open to counters or being caught.
• Body Kicks: Powerful and accurate, but he does not throw them nearly enough.
• Head Kicks: Rarely throws them.
• Chains Kicks to Punches: No.

Freire patiently waits from a distance before springing into action with his punches and kicks. He has two disadvantages: He is short, with a limited reach, and his hand speed is only average. However, “Pitbull” overcomes those hindrances with stellar intelligence and technique. His most dangerous strike, a gorgeous right cross, remains one of the best shots you will find anywhere in MMA. Freire’s hook and overhand right are also quite good, and if he finds himself out of range, he can punish opponents with powerful kicks. The Brazilian could benefit from attacking the body with his legs a little more often.

CLINCH

• Physical Strength: Usually matches or exceeds even strong wrestlers like Juan Archuleta.
• Technique: Masterful, with textbook balance.
• Knees: Rarely throws them due to his height.
• Elbows: Does not throw them.
• Defense Against Knees and Elbows: Normally avoids getting hit with them despite his diminutive stature.

Freire is too short to throw knees in the clinch, but he is immensely strong and able to neutralize opponents’ attempts to strike or take him down. Meanwhile, he himself can attain takedowns in close quarters against many opponents.

GRAPPLING

• Wrestling from a Shot: Lacks some speed and explosiveness but technically proficient, with nice rotation on his single-leg.
• Wrestling in the Clinch: He can change levels for a single and offers an array of beautiful, sudden trips.
• Takedown Defense: Exceptionally difficult to get to the ground.
• Ability to Return to Feet: Leans on nice hip escapes with which he utilizes perfect technique.
• Submissions: Wields one of the best guillotines in the sport. It is quick, tight and technical, and he has used it to submit solid Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners like Sanchez, Henry Corrales and Daniel Straus. Also owns a solid rear-naked choke and dangerous arm-triangle, along with various other maneuvers, including heel hooks.
• Defense and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu from the Bottom: Takes minimal damage there.
• Top Control: Only highly skilled opponents can escape from underneath him.
• Ground-and-Pound: Surprisingly average and basic. Does not inflict much damage with strikes on the mat.

Freire is an excellent grappler overall, if not quite among the sport’s elite. He is an underrated wrestler, especially so from the clinch, where he can land an array of takedowns and compete on even terms with former NCAA wrestlers like Archuleta. “Pitbull” can be taken down but only by the best wrestlers and with an especially good attempt; even so, Freire is fantastic at getting back to his feet. If Freire gets a takedown, his ground-and-pound is unfortunately limited, but his submissions are highly dangerous, his repertoire anchored by one of the premier guillotine chokes in MMA.

INTANGIBLES

• Athleticism and General Physical Strength: Stout in both areas.
• Cardio: A definite strength. He often looks strong for all five rounds, even fighting against opponents with exceptional stamina like Archuleta and Sanchez. Freire manages his energy especially well.
• Chin: Durable. He absorbed a thudding kick from Sanchez when he ducked in the opposite direction, only stumbling when he was struck by a hard straight right soon after. The best evidence? Freire has never been knocked out in his 38-fight career.
• Recuperative Powers: Remarkable.
• Intelligence: An all-time great. Freire is an extraordinarily disciplined martial artist who consistently comes up with brilliant gameplans, executes them marvelously, makes great decisions under fire and finds ways to win despite physical disadvantages.