Olympic resources vs. Compton upbringing: Patricio Friere, A.J. McKee coaches debate matchup X-factors

Coaches Cpt. Eric Albarracin and Antonio McKee both succeeded to guide their fighters to elite status. When it comes to the Bellator 263 main event, however, the two disagree not only on the outcome but the x-factors that will boost their fighter to victory.

For Albarracin, who serves as the head coach for Bellator featherweight and lightweight champion Patricio Freire, wrestling is his specialty. The officer-in-charge of Modern Army Combatives, Albarracin represented the United States in the 1997 Pan American Championships and 2000 Military World Wrestling Championships. He also served as a mentor and head coach for former UFC double champion Henry Cejudo.

Through his experience and connections, Albarracin thinks he’s provided Freire with the necessary bodies and resources to elevate “Pitbull’s” ground abilities. In doing so, Freire has become one of the trickiest fighters to prepare for, according to Albarracin.

“I think it’s more so that they don’t know how to prepare for Patricio ‘Pitbull’. It’s ‘Pitbull’ who’s the best on the planet. It’s ‘Pitbull’ who’s the champ-champ. It’s ‘Pitbull’ who has the best coaches in the game,” Albarracin said at a virtual news conference Wednesday. “They just don’t know how to prepare for that. So I think, although A.J. is very unpredictable and he’s finishing champions out there in pretty fast fashion, I still think ‘Pitbull’ changes and evolves every fight you could prepare for him. You may think you have the answers, but we going to change the questions.”

Training with Olympic wrestlers is one thing, but according to McKee, the lessons his son A.J. McKee learned through a difficult childhood have more than made up for any possible gap in training resources.

“Let me explain something to you,” Antonio McKee responded to Albarracin during the news conference. “Not all Afro-Americans in an environment that would allow them to even go that far. It’s not a matter of being black or white. But unfortunately, we come from a distressed life. We’re not afraid to talk about it. He grew up in the streets of Compton with drivebys and AK-47s, going through his house. He lived with me part-time.

“This kid had odds against him. So, again, what you’re talking about, ‘Olympic-level wrestling’ and whatnot, look, we don’t have any of that. We were just good at what we do. And when it comes to fighting and transitioning, we’re the best at it.”

When Freire (32-4 MMA, 20-4 BMMA) and A.J. McKee (17-0 MMA, 17-0 BMMA), square off, it won’t just signal the next Bellator featherweight title fight but also the final of the grand prix tournament.

McKee enters the fight off finishes of Georgi Karakhanyan, Derek Campos, and Darrion Caldwell in the first three legs of the tournament. Freire won a unanimous decision over Juan Archuleta before he knocked out Pedro Carvalho and submitted Emmanuel Sanchez.

Bellator 263 takes place Saturday, July 31 at The Forum in Los Angeles. The main card airs on Showtime after prelims on MMA Junkie.