On May 7, Team cbdMD’s Juan Archuleta defends his Bantamweight World Championship against Sergio Pettis at Bellator 258. Certainly, MMA observers are looking forward to the main event bout. But it’s also a fight Archuleta’s had his eye on for a year.
During an appearance on Live with Kelly and Ryan, he smiled when asked about his bout against Pettis. “That’s the fight I originally wanted for the belt.” Unfortunately, an illness prevented the initial matchup.
Now, the two will step into the cage with Archuleta as the reigning champion after dealing Patchy Mix his first professional loss to capture the vacant title. But as he told fellow Team cbdMD athlete Chael Sonnen in an interview this week, he’s not looking at his fight as a title defense.
“TJ Dillashaw and guys that have coached TJ, like Duane Ludwig, had told me, from this point on, you get to fight for a world title every fight. You’re not defending it. You’re fighting for a world title every fight… that’s something special for me.”
As parting words on his matchup at Bellator 258, Archuleta said, “They’re gonna see a fight of the night. Probably fight of the century, ‘cause me and Sergio, I’m gonna come out there rip his head off.”
He couldn’t help but grin as he delivered the obligatory trash talk – an indicator of his confidence, but strangely his humility as well.
It’s an understatement to call Archuleta a gifted fighter. His skill in the cage, a result of his unique and tireless training, is clear from his record (25-2). But unlike so many of his peers, he doesn’t engage in cartoonish attempts at brand building or give interviews that mimic late-90s pro wrestling promos.
Instead, he just does the work and allows the belt around his waist to do the talking.
Bellator 258 airs live on Showtime from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, on May 7, 2021. Preliminary bouts begin at 6:00 PM EDT, with main card matchups beginning at 9:00 EDT.
Alongside the Juan Archuleta (25-2) vs. Sergio Pettis (20-5) main event, Bellator 258 will also include the following fights:
Main Card:
- Anthony Johnson (22-6) vs. Yoel Romero (13-5)
- Patricky Pitbull (21-8) vs Peter Queally (12-5-1)
- Michael Page (18-1) vs. Derek Anderson (17-3, 1 NC)
Preliminaries:
- Lorenz Larkin (22-7) vs. Costello Van Steenis (13-2)
- Josh Hill (20-3) vs. Raufeon Stots (15-1)
- Logan Storley (11-1) vs. Omar Hussein (8-2)
- Weber Almeida (5-0) vs. Johnny Soto (3-1)
- Henry Corrales (18-5) vs. Johnny Campbell (20-13)
- Johnny Eblen (7-0) vs. Daniel Madrid (18-6)
- Alan Omer (24-5) vs. Bryce Logan (12-5)
- Erik Perez (19-8) vs. Blaine Shutt (8-4)
Card subject to change.