Patricio Pitbull, now set to debut in the UFC against Yair Rodriguez at UFC 314, has expressed an openness to a potential showdown with Jose Aldo.
This comes as both fighters, who dominated their respective featherweight divisions in Bellator and UFC for years, find themselves under the same promotional banner.
Pitbull, with a stellar 24-6 record in Bellator, sees the fight as a resolution to a long-standing "what if" scenario.
I don’t have this desire to fight Aldo, nothing like that, but for the context, if an offer comes from the UFC, I would be happy to take it," Pitbull stated to MMA Fighting.
While Pitbull doesn't believe a victory over Aldo would definitively crown him the greatest featherweight of all time, he recognizes its significance in settling a long-debated topic. He feels that there's a bias towards UFC fighters in these discussions.
For Aldo and people in the UFC, everybody is sure he’s the best featherweight of all time," Pitbull said, "But some people that know fighting [say], ‘There’s also Patricio, and maybe he could be fighting for the title of who’s the greatest.’
He proposes that a fight would provide a tangible answer, even if it wouldn't fully define their legacies.
We know it wouldn’t determine who was the best or who has done more, but in a fight we would at least have an answer, we’d know who catches fire first, and the winner would leave a great mark.
Pitbull's career boasts titles in both Bellator's featherweight and lightweight divisions, including a victory over RIZIN's featherweight champion Kleber Koike. His attempt to capture the bantamweight title from Sergio Pettis was unsuccessful, but he remains open to exploring different weight classes within the UFC.
"Depending on the challenge, we’d do it," Pitbull said, indicating his willingness to compete from 135 to 170 pounds. He emphasizes the importance of the opponent's history and experience, suggesting he'd be more inclined to fight a seasoned veteran.
The potential fight between Pitbull and Aldo carries significant weight, representing a clash of two eras and promotions. It would serve not only as a spectacle for fans but also as a means to settle a debate that has persisted for years. Pitbull's entry into the UFC and his openness to this matchup have added an intriguing layer to the promotion's landscape, generating anticipation for what could be a historic encounter.