Patricio Freire is already familiar with Rizin FF’s rules.
Bellator featherweight champion Freire (34-5) will take on Rizin featherweight champ Kleber Koike (31–5–1) in the co-main event of Rizin 40 on Saturday at Saitama Super Arena just outside Tokyo. The main card will air in the U.S. on Showtime and the fights will take place in Rizin’s ring under the promotion’s ruleset.
But Freire isn’t concerned with the ruleset change, which includes soccer kicks to a grounded opponent. Having competed in Brazil in his come-up, Freire is accustomed to Vale Tudo, which translates to anything goes.
“In my debut, I was training in those rules so I’m very used to kick some heads on the ground,” Freire said during the Rizin 40 pre-fight press conference.”I’ve been fighting in MMA from when I was a little kid and in Brazil of course there’s Vale Tudo which is similar to the Rizin rules so I’m used to those too.”
Freire didn’t offer too much insight on his game plan, but with Koike boasting a whopping 27 submission wins on his resume, “Pitbull” is expecting him to try and take him down and submit him.
“He’s a jiu-jitsu guy and he’s gonna try every time to put me on the ground and finish me,” Freire said. “So maybe we will see I finish him.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Rizin FF 40: Rizin vs. Bellator.
