The victorious Bellator debut of Luiz Rocha started a verbal war between the 'Pitbull' brothers, featherweight champion Patricio Freire and lightweight contender Patricky Freire, and young SBG talent James Gallagher.
Patricky posted a picture of Rocha (4-1) on his Instagram, congratulating his teammate for his Bellator 188 decision win over Almog Shay on Thursday, and suggested a fight between Rocha and Gallagher next.
"Not only will Luiz win, he will get a finish,” Patricky wrote. "145, 135, doesn’t matter.”
Gallagher, who holds a 7-0 MMA record with four wins under the Bellator record, most recently a first-round submission over Chinzo Machida in June, didn’t waste any time responding to the Brazilian, starting a back and forth on Freire’s Instagram post.
Gallagher: F*** you and your team mate!! I want you!
Gallagher: Stop being a pu**y putting your team mates to take your ass whopping you be a man and fight me! That's my belt you got so f*** you!
Patricky: @strabanimalmma you dont want me, I’m on another level & two weight classes above you , u been hit in the head too hard & dont know Who you are talking to . If u Fight me or any of the Pitbulls in @bellatormma , you wont remember what country you are from. You are like conor’s parrot but Your Mouth is writing checks your lil ass cant cash.
Gallagher: @patrickypitbull f*** You! You don't know who you're talking to. I'll whoop everyone of You's . You're a pu**y getting your team mate to take you boys beating. Yeah you're right about that part there's just so many of them I struggle to cash them all myself. But I'll struggle on.
Patricio: @strabanimalmma I’m seeing you’re really an animal, don’t even know how to diferentiate between who is who. Have some manners with your words, this trash that you say won’t scare nobody. Everyone knows @bellatormma protects you, they know the bad things I could do to you.
They said so themselves and you announced a drop to 135 after I called out your bluff. Then you moved back to 145 when we said we had @leandrohigomma.
So now we have a 4-1 guy, 1-0 in Bellator in @luizvrocha who can fight at both weights and whoop your a**. I wonder if they’ll say he’s too much as well.
You wouldn’t beat any of us. But if you’re happy running your big mouth and fighting lesser competition, do so and one day come try to touch my belt. I’ll send you straight to Tech Duinn.
Gallagher: @patriciopitbull Hahahaha f*** you too! Lets go you fight me. Don't be putting your team mates in for a hiding. Put yourself forward. You mean my belt you fool
Patricio: @strabanimalmma I already said I’d fight you in Ireland, you announced you’d run to 135. @bellatormma doesn’t want you to take a beating from me, so I gave them someone else to do it. Fight @luizvrocha, if you manage to get past him, which you won’t, perhaps Bellator would let you take a beating from me.
Patricky: @strabanimalmma yes you will struggle ...struggle to make it out of the First round!
Rocha: @strabanimalmma You talk too much, you’re trying to be @thenotoriusmma but just as your skills don’t match your talking doesn’t either. You’re way over your head on this and have no place fighting @patriciopitbull. You’re just a copy with no traits of originality. I’ll fight you anywhere, specially in Ireland, and I’ll finish you inside two rounds.
Gallagher: @patrickypitbull lets go then! Lets do it. Come to Ireland fight me. Well soon see who'll struggle.
Patricky last fought in September, when he defeated Benson Henderson via unanimous decision. His brother Patricio was slated to defend the 145-pound championship at Bellator 188, but was forced out of the contest due to a knee injury.
Gallagher also had to pull out from a fight recently, as he suffered an injury ahead of his Bellator 187 clash with Jeremiah Labiano.