Yahoo Movies Juan Archuleta expected to face Enrique Barzola – but in Bellator grand prix final: ‘This is a main event in itself’
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. – Juan Archuleta thought he’d cross paths with Enrique Barzola but under different circumstances.
Both Archuleta (25-4 MMA, 7-3 BMMA) and Barzola (18-6-2 MMA, 2-1 BMMA) were recently eliminated in the quarterfinals of the bantamweight grand prix and have been matched up for Bellator 286 on Oct. 1 in Long Beach.
Archuleta was knocked out by Raufeon Stots for the interim title at Bellator 279, and Barzola was submitted by Magomed Magomedov at Bellator 282. Both fighters’ journeys in the grand prix have ended, which surprised Archuleta.
“This is who I thought I would be seeing in the finals, granted if I would have won and he would have won,” Archuleta told MMA Junkie. “Both of us are coming off of strong performances. We just unluckily got caught in a guillotine being lazy on the fence. I got caught with a slow mistake that – I blocked that kick a million times, so going into this fight, this is pretty much a main event in itself. Me and Enrique both bring a high-pace fight. We both go out there and throw down, so I’m super excited for this matchup.”
He continued, “I’m gonna take it to him. We’re gonna be a high-pressured fight. It’s whoever is gonna make that slow mistake that we both made in our last fights, who can exploit it first. So I feel like I’m gonna get the second-round finish, ground-and-pound him out.”
Related
Bellator 284 winner Pat Downey vows to not let 'cancel culture' get to him, has unfinished business with Bo Nickal
Ex-champ Ilima-Lei Macfarlane eyeing perfect Bellator retirement storyline vs. friend Liz Carmouche
Goiti Yamauchi looking for shot at interim champ Storley after Bellator 284 KO
With a win over Barzola, former Bellator bantamweight champ Archuleta isn’t necessarily chasing the title. He wants mega fights that will help cement his legacy.
“2023, for me, I’m looking to do more legacy fights,” Archuleta said. “Something that’s gonna cement my legacy in history, the sport. Right now, I’m on a trajectory of going up with my talent. I’ve proved it in my last fight. Unfortunately my record lately doesn’t speak of it. I’m 0-2 in my last two fights.
“So going into there thinking about that is just like, OK, where do I rebuild? And it starts with Barzola. Then from there it’s just like Horiguchi’s been ducking me so I don’t think I’m gonna get that fight. So it’s like who’s out there next that I could go and challenge if … Sergio’s out for a little bit, so trying to find any fight that’s 45, 55, something that’s gonna cement a legacy for me.”
