Patricio Freire has his hands full as he prepares to defend his Bellator featherweight title for the first time since reclaiming it from Daniel Straus.

But nothing wrong with putting a little thought into the future, right?

Set to rematch Daniel Weichel in the headlining bout of next month’s Bellator 203 in Rome, Freire has an intriguing idea that would involve not only him, but the rest of the “Pitbull Brothers” team that he leads with brother and fellow Bellator fighter Patricky.

It – the public part of it, anyway – started after John Kavanagh, SBG Ireland leader and Conor McGregor’s head coach, posted a picture with Bellator President Scott Coker on Twitter.

Freire had also seen on a previous occasion that Bellator and SBG fighter Brian Moore suggested a showdown between them and another team. So “Pitbull” Freire made his Twitter pitch: Pitbull Brothers vs. SBG, McGregor tag included.

Kavanagh’s reaction to the tweet – “bring your best – let’s do this” – was nice enough. But others, like SBG lightweight Peter Queally weren’t as polite in their own replies.

Predictably, things escalated a little – particularly between Queally and Patricky. Insults were thrown. Low blows, too.

But, hey, sometimes a little animosity can be just the thing to get people interested. In this case, it seems to have worked for UFC welterweight standout Darren Till.

Whether Bellator will buy into the idea or not, we’ll have to wait and see. But champ Freire seems to like his pitch’s chances.

“If we look back at the history of vale-tudo – in the 80s, we had jiu-jitsu vs. luta livre,” Freire told MMAjunkie. “That went on for 10, 15 years. Then, at PRIDE, we had Chute Boxe vs. BTT, and that went on for another generation. Bellator will know how to make good use of that and make this generational war happen.

“I believe they have everything in their hands to make it happen. If a war between these two teams begins, with so many people in the same weight classes, this story will have plenty of chapters to unfold. I think it will work. The people at Bellator were excited. I had this idea to challenge them. They have two athletes in my division in Bellator. I think we can make a lot happen, and I hope that it works out.”

But first things first: Before any of that, Freire (26-4 MMA, 14-4 BMMA) has to get past Weichel (39-9 MMA, 8-1 BMMA) on July 14 at Bellator 203, which takes place at Foro Italico in Rome and airs on Paramount (via same-day delay).

In what will be his first fight since April 2017, when Freire finished then-champ Straus in a rare tetralogy meeting, the featherweight titleholder knows he’s got a tough task. He knows that from experience, having spoiled a seven-fight winning streak for Weichel in the co-headliner of Bellator 138 back in 2015.

“He has a simple, but very efficient game,” Freire said. “Very good takedown defense. He either hasn’t been taken down or Bellator or practically hasn’t – I couldn’t take him down. He has very good straight punches. He moves very well. He uses his back leg very well.

“He’s very efficient at what he does. His game isn’t too flashy. He doesn’t do that type of fighting you usually see among the lighter weights. He’s more basic, but he does it very well.”

He knows that the challenger really wants the title. Unfortunately for Weichel, though, Freire is not about to let him have it.

“I’m a better fighter,” Freire said. “I’m more skilled. I’m more intelligent inside the cage, for sure. I will make it hard for him in every way. I’m better at everything.”

For more on Bellator 203, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.