INGLEWOOD, Calif. – The next battle for the Bellator featherweight title will see SBG Ireland vs. Pitbull Brothers as Dublin-based Portuguese contender Pedro Carvalho takes on the man who picked him, Brazilian two-weight champion Patricio Freire.

And, speaking side by side Saturday at the Bellator 228 post-event press conference, Carvalho (11-3 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) was the man making most of the noise as he discussed his excitement at being picked by “Pitbull” (30-4 MMA, 18-4 BMMA) for a quarterfinal matchup scheduled for March 2020.

“I feel like a kid at Christmas,” Carvalho said. “I know the date when I’m going to become world champion, so I’m pretty happy. I’m not concerned with the name itself – I see no names, I see no faces. When I’m inside the cage, I’m just the hunter, and the other side of the cage is my prey. Mark my words, in March I will shock the world.”

Interestingly, Carvalho suggested that his decision to place himself in the final quarterfinal slot for March was, in part, with “Pitbull” in mind, having watched Freire’s post-fight interview following his co-main event decision win over Juan Archuleta.

“I was the last one to pick, and I saw his interview saying he wanted some time.” Carvalho said. “So I was kinda strategic and put myself on March and was like, ‘Who knows if he’ll pick me?’

“I don’t know why he picked me. Maybe he underestimated me. That’s pretty much the story of my life. Ever since the beginning of my career, everyone looked down on me. Everyone said that I would never do it and just look where I am now. Twenty-four years of age, I will become world champion. Mark my words.”

For Pitbull, meanwhile, picking a March date was mainly to give him time to recover from his recent travails inside the Bellator cage. But he still faced a selection dilemma as he had to choose between Carvalho and former bantamweight champion Darrion Caldwell as his next opponent. “Pitbull” chose Carvalho and briefly explained why.

“I’m 32 years old now. I’m a little old. So, after a war like that, I need some rest. But I’m feeling good,” he said. “Caldwell has come from two losses (both to Kyoji Horiguchi). I don’t like to fight a guy like that.”

Carvalho’s confidence was there for all to see, but it wasn’t without respect. The Portuguese contender gave due credit to Freire but said he would be the man to dethrone him next spring.

“He’s by far the legend in this company when it comes to featherweight. No one tops him in the featherweight division in this company, so I’m facing the very best featherweight and one of the best in the world,” Carvalho said. “I’ve always said that my main goal is to prove that I am the best in the world, so right now I have the best opportunity in my life to prove to the whole world that what I’ve been saying is true and that I am the best.

“This is my time. I’m on a new level and, fight after fight, that’s exactly what I prove. I will never look down on anyone. This is the fight game. Anything can happen. I’m fighting one of the best featherweights of all time, but he’s never faced a guy like me. I don’t know if he knows that, but he’s never faced no one like me, and in March I will show him in a war.”

Those words were a familiar refrain for “Pitbull,” however, who replied to confirm his respect for Carvalho. But Freire had a word of warning for Carvalho.

“Too many guys talk like you,” Freire said. And when Carvalho responded by saying that he’s used to being underestimated, “Pitbull” made clear that he knows about Carvalho’s game and has respect for the man he’ll prepare to face next year. “You’re good, I know that. I choose you because you’re tough.”

Ultimately, the tournament will settle all the debates, as Bellator’s best 145 pounders battle their way through the bracket with just one man left standing. It’s a format that Carvalho loves, as it sorts out the legitimate champions from the pretenders in a packed featherweight division.

“This is the best thing that anyone in MMA can do,” Carvalho said. “This is it, because the hype boys and the real men get separated in this kind of format. In a regular format, the hype boys go around and fight hand-picked guys and keep bragging themselves as if they are the best. In this thing, only the best come out on top. Only the real men come out on top. This is great because we can see who are the men and who are the boys.”

To hear more from Freire and Carvalho, watch video of their joint news conference above.