Bellator featherweight champion Patricio Freire has been speaking ahead of his title defence at Bellator 145 on Friday night.
The Brazilian fighter is the currently the number one featherweight in the rival MMA franchise, Bellator. He has just become the latest person to weigh in on the showdown between McGregor and Jose Aldo on December 12th.
Despite fighting in what's considered a weaker organisation Freire believes he'd have the measure of the Dubliner and doesn't fancy his chances when he enters the Octagon in just over a months time.
Freire went on to say that McGregor is purely at the level he's at now because of his ability to promote the sport.
It’s the commercial aspect of the business, McGregor isn’t the best featherweight on the planet. The best in the world is Jose Aldo, alongside with me, and everyone knows that.
I have the Bellator title, and I’m going into my third title defense, and Aldo has the UFC belt. McGregor is there to promote the sport, and that’s good.
In 100 years, when you open the MMA history book, my name is the one that will be there.
Freire said McGregor had some qualities but he went on to add that Conor stood little chance in his unification fight with Jose Aldo and that he'd struggle to beat Freire himself.
McGregor is a good fighter, he has flashy striking, but he’s not good enough to beat Aldo.
I’m sure he will try to keep it standing and try to talk some trash during the fight. Aldo has a good chin, and it appears that McGregor does too, but McGregor is too slow for this division, and he has holes in his wrestling and ground game.
Aldo is too patient, and a guy like that is way too dangerous
Asked about whether he'd fancy his chances against McGregor the Brazilian had this to say.
I don’t think it would be an easy fight for me or Aldo, he offers some dangers, but he’s not good enough so he won’t win.
He sells well, has some knockouts over guys that aren’t well known, but that’s not going to happen when you put him against the best.
Freire also refused to recognise McGregor as the Champion or even interim Champion during the interview, relating to Aldo as the only Champion in the UFC featherweight division.
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