Patricio Pitbull is intensely isolating himself in Brazil to prepare for a crucial fight against Dan Ige at UFC 318, aiming to rebound from a disappointing UFC debut loss and maintain focus by minimizing distractions.
Patricio Pitbull’s got a crucial fight in New Orleans this weekend, and he’s prepping in a rather unique way.
Back in April, he made his UFC debut with high hopes for a title shot, but things didn’t go as planned against Yair Rodriguez. Now, with everything on the line, he’s chosen to “isolate” in a house in Natal, Brazil, focusing solely on his fight with Dan Ige at UFC 318 this Saturday.
He even forgot his birthday! “I was very distracted,” Pitbull admitted. Personal issues crept into his camp, so he decided to hit pause on social life.
His routine? Wake up, train, recover, train again. In between, he’d gather his trainers to study Ige’s tapes, always looking to improve.
Why all this focus? Simple. “I can’t lose,” he said. Anything that distracted him, he pushed aside. His oldest son visits because he’s disciplined, but the younger one? Brief visits only. Training, rest, and meals are solitary affairs.
Debuting in the UFC was a big deal, with high expectations. Losing to Rodriguez stung, but Pitbull’s looking forward. “My next step is this fight,” he emphasized. He’s filtering out all distractions.
Unhappy with his Miami performance, Pitbull believes Ige’s style will make for an exciting fight. In Bellator, he had a 24-6 record with 14 finishes, and Ige’s no pushover either.
“Ige’s the gatekeeper,” Pitbull noted. “I need an above-average performance. He’s never been knocked out or submitted, but he’ll definitely bring out the violent Pitbull in me.”