Juan Archuleta is hoping Bellator’s promise is kept, even though the promotion has been acquired by PFL.
The current Rizin bantamweight champion is still the only man to ever defeat Patchy Mix, who currently holds the Bellator 135-pound title.
Archuleta defeated Mix in 2020 to win the vacant Bellator bantamweight title. Archuleta since lost the belt, but went on to win Rizin’s, while Mix was able to get back in contention and win the Bellator title by defeating then-champion Sergio Pettis last month.
Archuleta defends his Rizin belt against Kai Asakura this Sunday in the co-main event of Rizin 45 in Japan. If successful, Archuleta would like a crack at the Bellator champ.
“I hope so, that’s something that I’m pushing for,” Archuleta told MMA Junkie. “That’s something I was told was going to happen after I win this fight, so we’re just waiting to see again what Donn Davis, PFL, Mike Kogan and all those guys come up with. We’re waiting.”
Archuleta has felt a lot of uncertainty given the lack of details regarding his future following PFL’s purchase of Bellator last month. He hopes that he’s allowed to continue fighting for Rizin along with Bellator and PFL.
Now on a four-fight win streak and potentially five this Sunday, Archuleta thinks a champion vs. champion fight against Mix makes the most sense.
This position is one Archuleta has worked hard for, as not too long ago he suffered back-to-back defeats in championship fights. He thanks Rizin for his career comeback.
“Those were two title fights that I came off losing, and I was like, ‘Bro, what the hell?'” Archuleta said regarding the resurgence of his career. “… I was sitting in the back thinking (after my KO loss to Stots), ‘Man, what the hell. Two title fight losses, this is hard to come back from. It’s going to be hard to come back and become a champion. What road do I take? What’s available?’ I was just sitting in the sorrow, but then the Barzola fight happened. I felt good.
“(Scott) Coker said, ‘We’re actually having a Rizin vs Bellator fight. Do you want to be part of it?’ I was like, ‘Yes, please.’ So I got that opportunity, came here and they gave me their best guys. Kim Soo-chul, beat him. One of their rising stars, Naoki Inoue, beat him. … I was going to fight Asakura (in July), he pulled out on 10 days’ notice. I fought someone totally different, won the title and all the stress was put behind me. Again, I’m the champion like I know I should be. Going into the prime years of my life now, I’m ready to show that.”
