Bellator Bantamweight Champ, Juan Archuleta (25-2) takes on No. 1-contender Sergio Pettis (20-5) on May 7 in his first scheduled title defense since winning the title last September.
The two 135 pound competitors were in attendance at Bellator MMA’s press event at The Mohegan Sun in Connecticut and the fight was announced with the news that Bellator MMA would be moving to SHOWTIME. Archuleta sat down with Luke Thomas and Brian Campbell at Morning Kombat who hosted their show after the press conference to talk about the fight.
“It’s going to fireworks,” said Archuleta, and that Pettis was the fight he wanted for the title when it was vacant. Archuleta added, “I knew his accolades, I knew how much of a gamer he is and he brings so much to the table. He brings super-stardom, he’s a household name and you got a guy in Duke Roufus who says ‘this is my prodigy’, and I train under Duane Ludwig. You got two Muay Thai styles that are going to go in there and bang to show which style’s best.”
With Kyoji Horiguchi vacating the bantamweight title due to injury at the end of 2019, the path was set for Archuleta to make a move for the bantamweight title.
Archuleta was in the opening round of the Featherweight Grand Prix where he lost to Patricio Pitbull. After that loss, he returned to the weight-class he seems to do best in and handed the then, undefeated Patrick Mix his first loss to win the vacant title at Bellator 246. Now, it seems he is getting the fights he wants as champion.
While the loss to Pitbull is still fresh in his mind, his focus is on Pettis. That does not mean he would not want a chance to avenge the loss.
“It’s definitely on my radar,” Archuleta said when asked if he would face Pitbull again, “I had to hit rock bottom with Patricio to remind myself of what I’m doing.” Archuletta said he would not mind being a “multiple division champ.”
He has to get past Pettis first though.
