Pitbull eyes Bellator release: 'I have to fight in the UFC'

Bellator featherweight champion Patricio "Pitbull" Freire wants to leave his longtime home and join the UFC.

Freire was one of several fighters who recently expressed frustration with the PFL, which owns Bellator, over a lack of fights. Freire told MMA Fighting's Guilherme Cruz that he's nearing the end of his contract and plans to request his release from the promotion.

"I need to stay active," Freire said. "We know I'm not getting any younger, too. So I spoke with my managers and since my contract is not that long, it's close to the end, we'll ask to leave."

The 37-year-old Brazilian didn't say how many fights he has left on his Bellator deal.

Freire, arguably the most accomplished fighter in Bellator history and still one of the top featherweights in the world, said his No. 1 priority is to sign with the UFC.

"I have to fight in the UFC," Freire said. "I have to face those guys. I see myself doing a good job there. I don't see anything very special there. I can fight anyone there, even the champion. Ilia Topuria has some holes we can take advantage of. ... This is the time."

Freire said he was promised multiple opponents - including Chihiro Suzuki and Aaron Pico - for a planned Dec. 31 event in Japan but none of the matchups came to fruition. He said some fighters "lost part of our careers waiting for something that never came," adding it would "look bad" for the PFL to keep a disgruntled champion under contract.

"They know they're in the wrong, and I hope we can come to an agreement and they release me," Freire said.

Freire believes he could compete with anyone in the UFC's 145-pound division from Topuria and Alexander Volkanovski to Max Holloway and Diego Lopes.

"I can go in there and add fuel to that fire. ... Unleash me against the lions there," Freire said.