Pat Curran Is Now 100% Determined, Eyes Patricio Freire Clash
Newly crowned Bellator 145-pound champion Pat Curran has been a force to reckon with in recent times. ‘Paddy Mike’ won his rematch with Daniel Straus at Bellator 112, erasing the demons of the 106 loss where Straus decisioned the title out of his hands.
Now having won his trilogy match with Straus, who had not lost since 2011, Curran is setting his sights on another rematch; this time in the form of Patricio ‘Pitbull’ Freire. Check out what ‘Paddy’ had to say when discussing ‘Pitbull’ with MMAMania:
“”There is a reason Bellator gave me the rematch,” he stated. “They saw potential in me. ‘Pitbull’ is a crybaby. All he wants to do is go out there and talk shit and feel like he doesn’t get anything handed to him. That’s just who he is. It is what it is. It doesn’t bother me too much.”
“He can say whatever he wants, but at the end me and him are fighting again. If he wants to back up everything he is saying, he can do it in the cage. I’m ready to go in there and completely destroy him whenever we get in the cage.”
The two first met in early 2013, and Curran walked away with a split decision win. Since that time, Freire has put together a four-fight win streak including finishes over Jared Downing, Diego Nunes and Justin Wilcox. Now the season nine featherweight tournament winner, ‘Pitbull’ has set himself on course for his second Bellator title shot.
Curran also discussed his mind state in the time leading up to his loss against Daniel Straus:
“I had a lot of bad thoughts leading into that fight and that shouldn’t be an issue,” the champion said, looking back on the title-losing fight. “Leading into a fight you have to be mentally ready to win. You are 100 percent knowing you are going to win. You’re confident. You are in kill mode. You are ready to go. I wasn’t in that mode the second time around.”
“The third fight I was 100 percent a different guy. I had that kill mode. I was ready to just go in there and kill Straus. I was just a monster, a beast in the gym and just completely in a different mental mindset leading into this fight, compared to my other fight.”
“I’m 100 percent more determined, more focused, more motivated than ever and I’m going to keep improving as a fighter and keep getting better and you are just going to keep seeing a better Pat Curran every time I get in the cage.”
Who knows what the future holds for Curran, or Bellator for that matter. The consensus #2 promotion has put on some great fights in recent times, but is essentially still learning. A tough champ like Pat Curran is a great asset, but will they keep him from the UFC’s lure?
