Leandro Higo Details Strategy for PFL Debut, Predicts KO Win for Patricio 'Pitbull'

The Pitbull Brothers team will have two veterans making debuts in new promotions this weekend.

First, Leandro Higo will make his Professional Fighters League debut on Friday in the evening’s main event against Josh Rettinghouse. The next day, Patricio Freire will make his Octagon debut against Yair Rodriguez at UFC 314.

Higo, who has won five of his last six bouts, discussed sharing a camp with Patricio “Pitbull” and offered insight into both of their upcoming fights in a recent interview with Sherdog.

“I´m really happy to make my PFL debut fighting in the main event. I was so lucky to have Patricio making his Octagon debut in the same weekend, so the camp couldn't have been better,” the Bellator veteran said. “Since I was going to fight a Russian initially, we brought a wrestler from Kazakhstan, who helped me a lot.”

Fighters only get one shot! Watch the PFL World Tournament LIVE Friday, April 11 at 11 p.m. ET on ESPN2..

According to Higo, his approach did not change when Rettinghouse replaced original foe Magomed Magomedov.

“Josh is pretty well-rounded and already fought a couple of tough guys in World Series of Fighting and M-1 Global, like Marlon [Moraes] and Alexis Vila,” Higo said. “Of course he will be hungry to beat me, but I’m ready to use the same game plan against him we worked on for the Russian, which is to hit him hard, take him down and take his neck out.”

The Brazilian declined to look ahead in the PFL bantamweight tournament, instead choosing to focus on the task in front of him.

. “The experience of having participate in Bellator grand prix taught me that in a tournament you always have to focus on each challenge you have ahead of you. After I beat Josh I will think about the semifinal,” he said.

Meanwhile, Higo has high expectations for Freire’s UFC debut against Rodriguez.

“Patricio is an example of work ethic for all of us on the team,” Higo said. “Yair is really tough, but I think his style fits Patricio´s. I'm sure he will leave that Octagon with a KO win. [He’s] starting to write his legacy now in UFC, as he always dreamed.”