Bellator lightweight champion Patricky Freire has started tweeting in Japanese! The Brazilian decided to use the language to tell fans he was expecting to fight Roberto de Souza in Japan next year:
おはようございます
こないだ日本に住んでいる仲間からすごいニュース聞きました。来年僕とサトシの試合Rizin でやりたいて、榊原さん言うたみたいです。日本の皆様その試合見たいですか？
— Patricky Freire (@PatrickyPitbull) December 29, 2021
There are a few obstacles towards making this fight. It would pit the Bellator lightweight champion against the Rizin lightweight champion in an all Brazilian clash.
But first of all de Souza will need to successfully defend his lightweight title at Rizin 33 tomorrow night. The Brazilian faces Yusuke Yachi in a rematch.
Secondly Japan will need to ease travel restrictions. There are no overseas based fighters on the upcoming Rizin New Year’s Eve extravaganza because they aren’t currently allowed into the country.
But if de Souza wins, which he is expected to do, and the travel restrictions are eased the two champions could be set to face off. Freire won the Bellator lightweight title last month, stopping Peter Queally in the second round of their rematch.
The relationship between the two promotions doesn’t appear to have been damaged by Kyoji Horiguchi‘s decision to sign an exclusive contract with Bellator. The former Rizin 135lbs champion rescinded his title in order to make the move.
