By The Numbers: Patricio Freire vs. Emmanuel Sanchez

The potential pot could not be much sweeter for Emmanuel Sanchez.

Sanchez will rematch reigning Bellator MMA champion Patricio Freire in the promotion’s featherweight grand prix semifinals, their five-round showdown headlining Bellator 255 on Friday at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. Whichever man emerges victorious not only punches his ticket to the tournament final later this year but does so in possession of the undisputed 145-pound title. Sanchez and “Pitbull” met once previously at Bellator 209, where Freire walked away with a five-round unanimous decision over the Roufusport standout on Nov. 15, 2018.

As Sanchez and Freire make final preparations for their main event, a look at some of the numbers that have accompanied them to this point:

33: Years of age for Freire, who was born on July 7, 1987 in Natal, Brazil—some 6,000 miles away from Bellator headquarters in Hollywood, California.

11: Freire wins by knockout, accounting for 35% of his career total (31). His list of victims includes Michael Chandler, Daniel Weichel, Wilson Reis and Georgi Karakhanyan. Freire owns 11 other victories by submission and nine more by decision.

61: Seconds needed for Freire to put away Chandler with punches at Bellator 221 on May 11, 2019. It remains the fastest finish of his 35-fight career.

4: Countries in which Freire has competed as a mixed martial artist. He has gone 17-4 in the United States, 12-0 in Brazil, 1-0 in Israel and 1-0 in Italy.

92: Combined victories between the four men—Benson Henderson, Daniel Straus, Pat Curran and Joe Warren—who have defeated Freire. They own a cumulative winning percentage of .729 (92-36).

30: Years of age for Sanchez, who was born in Milwaukee on Aug. 11, 1990. “Flatliners,” “Ghost,” “Air America,” “Presumed Innocent” and “Young Guns II” were the Top 5 movies at the domestic box office at the time.

8: Sanchez wins by submission, accounting for 40% of his career total (20). His methods of choice: three rear-naked chokes, three triangle chokes, one armbar and one arm-triangle choke. Sanchez owns one other victory by knockout and 11 more by decision.

6: First-round finishes on the Sanchez resume. Four of them occurred inside a nine-month window, as he stopped Gustavo Rodriguez, Jose Pacheco, Brady Hovermale and Stephen Banaszak in succession between Jan. 31, 2014 and Oct. 10, 2014.

.784: Cumulative winning percentage between the four men—Freire, Weichel, Curran and Lewis Gonzalez—who have beaten Sanchez. They own a combined record of 105-29.

3: Divisions in which Sanchez has competed as a mixed martial artist. He has gone 13-3 as a featherweight, 7-0 as a lightweight and 0-1 as a welterweight.