Pitbull suffered an injury at the Rizin GP. Photo: Reproduction / Rizin
New Year's Eve wasn't like Patricky Pitbull had planned. On December 31st he prepared to have two fights on the same night in the Rizin FF lightweight tournament, held in Tokyo, Japan, and hoped to emerge victorious. But he ended up suffering an injury and missing the final.
The journey started very well with a devastating victory in just 28 seconds over compatriot Luiz Killer in the GP semi-final. Despite the quick victory, the Potiguar ended up breaking his right hand, the same one he had injured in February and which ended up resulting in surgery (carried out in April 2019). Despite being injured, Patricky went to the final and fought hard against Tofiq Musayev, but ended up defeated by unanimous decision from the judges after three five-minute rounds. During the fight, the Brazilian fell from the ring and injured his shoulder and right leg.
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“I fought by race, by will. I broke my right hand, the same one I had surgery on. But that wouldn't stop me. I always had the dream of fighting twice in the same night. I worked for it. I worked my head off to fight the second fight even if I was bleeding, with one eye closed or something like that. Even though the first fight was very quick, I ended up breaking my hand. Unfortunately I didn't win the GP, but it was a very tough fight, on equal terms. I was satisfied with my performance given the circumstances”, said the tough guy.
Patricky went to the final without taking off the bandage so his hand wouldn't become swollen and at no point did he think about giving up the fight. After doing three very tough rounds, he took off the bandage and went to see a doctor, who found a fracture in his right hand. The injury was less serious than the first time, and initially Patricky will not need surgery.
“At no point did I think about giving up. If that had crossed my mind, it would have been better not to have entered the ring. Going in thinking like this is defeatist thinking. I went in with the thought that I could win the fight and overcome the injury. Now I'm going to rest to recover. The doctor asked me for a month of rest. I won't need to undergo another surgery, thank God. But I can't lift weights, much less train. It’s just rest,” he explained.
It's time for recovery, but Patricky is already looking forward to returning to the cage. And his plans include a rematch against Tofiq Musayev. The fight between the two took place in a ring (similar to Boxing), and, in a possible rematch, Patricky would like it to take place in a cage, where he believes he will have the advantage.
“I think about having a rematch with him, but this time a fight in the cage. I'm more used to the cage and I believe I have an advantage in some cage issues. On the ring ropes, it's a little more difficult to work on Westling's part, on the fence, and I think I would have a little more advantage in this type of game if the fight took place in the cage. But now it’s time to recover and then see what Bellator is planning for me,” he concluded.
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