SAN JOSE, Calif. – Patricky Freire has a few missions to achieve at Bellator 183 on Saturday. But family revenge is not one of them.

One could certainly understand if that was the case. After all, Patricky (17-8 MMA, 10-7 BMMA) has in fellow headliner Benson Henderson (24-7 MMA, 1-2 BMMA) not only a former WEC and UFC champion, but also a man who holds a win over his own brother, 145-pound champ Patricio Freire.

Still, Patricky doesn’t see it that way.

First of all, Freire has a simple goal: winning. And he believes adding emotional components like a personal vendetta might get in the way of his focus. Second of all, while official records might show a TKO win for Henderson, neither of the “Pitbull” brothers believe that paints an accurate portrait of the Bellator 160 encounter.

“He didn’t do anything against Patricio,” Freire told MMAjunkie in his native Portuguese. “He only got hit. He unfortunately blocked one kick after getting kicked about 10 times in the first round. He blocked it off of reflex and, unfortunately, hurt my brother.

“If he thinks getting beat up for a round-and-a-half is an advantage (for him) … I have a heavier hand, and I’m bigger. I’m the big ‘Pitbull.'”

Patricio, who was present in the room, couldn’t help but chime in when the question about revenge was asked – wondering why this narrative kept coming up when “Smooth” was the one who actually got beat up in their lightweight encounter.

To their credit, the Freires are not exactly off in the assessment that Henderson was looking quite lost in their bout before Patricio’s injury. Whether the merit for checking the kick was Henderson’s or not, which is an age-old MMA argument, fact is that Freire was the one who declared himself unable to continue due to a hurt shin.

Both Patricio and Henderson have fought since. Patricio went back to his 145-pound division and won a tetralogy bout with Daniel Straus to reclaim the belt, while Henderson lost a split decision to then-champ Michael Chandler in a 155-pound title affair. Patricky, in turn, is coming off a big knockout win over Josh Thomson.

With two losses – and this one reasonably awkward win – making up his most recent three-fight record, Henderson walks into Saturday’s headliner (knee injury or not) seemingly different than the same guy who terrorized the UFC’s lightweight division a few years ago.

But as someone who’s had his share of setbacks, including a three-fight losing skid in 2012-2013, “Pitbull” knows better than reducing his opponent to this tough break.

“He’s certainly one of the top fighters in the world,” Freire said. “I’m not going to take that away from him. There are good times and bad times in careers. I think he’s going through a bad time – a whirlwind.

“He’s going through a turbulent time in his mind. He’s coming off practically three losses. So he’s probably trying to find himself, to re-create himself, to do something to win this fight. He’s probably demanding a lot from himself. I know it, because I’ve been through this.”

In any case, Freire has his own plan to worry about. Hoping to become Bellator’s lightweight titleholder in the not-so-distant future, for instance, the bigger “Pitbull” wants him and Patricio to be the first pair of brothers to be simultaneous world MMA champions – even better that it’s at a major promotion like Bellator.

But there are a few other things Freire wants to see happening both before and after the lightweight belt – currently held by Brent Primus – is placed around his own waist.

“I want to win in a flashy, beautiful manner,” Freire said. “And to send a message to the champion. I am going to beat up Brent Primus. He asked to fight me twice. Twice the fight was scheduled, and he ran.

“Then, I want a rematch with Michael Chandler.”

To hear from Freire, with the help of wrestling coach/interpreter Eric Albarracin, check out the video above.

And for more on Bellator 183, visit the MMA Rumors section of the site.