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Sunday, Sep 11, 2011

Kurt Pellegrino Returning to Action vs. Patricky Freire at Bellator 59

By FCF Staff

After announcing earlier this year that he was stepping away from active competition, UFC veteran Kurt Pellegrino will return to action November 26th to fight Patricky Freire at Bellator 59. The lightweight bout will be hosted by Caser’s in Atlantic City.

“It was like Rocky II when Adrian awoke from the coma and told Rocky to ‘win’,” said Pellegrino (pictured), who decided to exit from the sport after he lost by split decision to Gleison Tibau at UFC 128 in March . “I was retired, sitting home watching videos with my son, but I was also training at that time and was in great shape when my wife walked up to me and said ‘If you want to do it again, go for it’. Before that, I felt bad for being away training and missing my daughter’s first words, changing diapers, etc. I was so happy that I was able to be there for my son’s big moments – but the fact that my family supports me returning to fight means everything to me.”

The loss to Tibau was Pellegrino’s (16-6) second in a row after winning four straight fights in the Octagon. In Freire (9-2), the UFC vet will take on one of Bellator’s more notable lightweights, whose only loss with the promotion came via unanimous decision to Michael Chandler in March.

“I had a choice to fight at Boardwalk Hall or fight in the Ballroom at Caesars and I chose Caesars,” Pellegrino said. “I want Patricky to feel suffocated. I want to suffocate him before I ever take his back and choke him out. I’m going to put a thousand of my family and friends in this Ballroom and I want him to feel the pressure. This is going to be the biggest fight of his life.”

Bellator has also announced that Polish prospect Marcin Held will take on former UFC lightweight Phillipe “The Filipino Assassin” Nover at the November 26th event.

The Bellator 59 card will be broadcast live on MTV 2.

 

 

posted by FCF Staff @ 12:38 pm
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