Juan Archuleta hopes PFL-Bellator merger doesn’t affect Rizin career

PFL’s buy of Bellator has introduced a ton of uncertainty to many fighters signed by each organizations. Nevertheless, for Juan Archuleta the priority is even greater.

Archuleta is a particular case. The MMA veteran has been preventing for Bellator since 2018 and has positioned himself as one of many extra well-known names within the promotion, difficult for the Bellator featherweight title and changing into champion at bantamweight. In his newest profession chapter, Bellator permitted Archuleta to combat in Japan below the Rizin Combating Federation banner – a combat promotion that’s labored with Bellator through the years in each exchanging expertise and having promotion vs. promotion occasions.

Archuleta has fought 3 times for Rizin and received the 135-pound title in July. He defends it on New Yr’s Eve towards Kai Asakura at Rizin 45 in Japan.

That is the place it will get difficult. Bellator is not autonomous, as rival promotion PFL lately bought it in November. Archuleta has no concept how it will impression his standing as champion at Rizin and if he’ll be capable to proceed preventing in Japan.

“I nonetheless don’t know,” Archuleta instructed MMA Junkie relating to his future at Rizin. “I’ve even requested some folks like, ‘Hey, what’s occurring?’ I even requested Don Davis, ‘Hey, man. I used to be promised the Patchy Combine title (combat). Is that also occurring?’ And he was similar to, ‘Oh there’s going to be loads of fights all year long, so we’ll see.’ I’m like, ‘Properly, that’s fairly grey.’ I don’t know what’s going to occur with that.”

Archuleta is solely targeted on defending his Rizin belt, however he does admit that there’s an uneasy feeling given the lack of awareness surrounding his future.

“Undoubtedly uncomfortable, proper?” Archuleta mentioned. “Such as you mentioned, that is my residing. I used to be assured three or 4 fights with Bellator, and now you’re saying there’s not going to be as many playing cards in Bellator all year long? That’s sort of unusual.

“You wish to take for certain cash, at the very least for me. When you’ve got a job, you may go, ‘OK, that is my wage. I’m going to make this all year long. I do know for a reality that is what I’m going to make. I may need to work further, I may need to work much less, who is aware of.’ For me, Rizin is a bit more leaning on this fashion. OK, I’m assured fights over right here, however on this aspect of the river, there’s no telling. You don’t also have a 135 (pound) weight class. If I’m going up a weight class, am I going to nonetheless be energetic? Am I allowed to be within the match? I don’t know. The uncertainty of the unknown is uncomfortable.”

Ideally, Archuleta hopes that PFL honors the present deal he had with Bellator, which means he might combat for Rizin whereas additionally preventing for the PFL and Bellator manufacturers, which for now will probably be stored separate.

Given PFL’s message, promoting they’re a extra fighter-friendly promotion than the UFC, Archuleta sees this as a chance.

“A mixture of all three is the best state of affairs,” Archuleta defined. “Say I win this combat, they usually say once they have their Saudi Arabia card, champion vs. champion, and we don’t have a 135-pound weight class, we wish you to combat Patchy. So I combat Patchy, and when is the subsequent Bellator card? ‘Oh, we don’t know but. Perhaps October.’ OK, if it’s October and also you want me to combat in October, I’ll combat on that card. However in case you don’t know if I’m preventing till October, let me go defend my belt or go for the 145 belt in Rizin.

“You’re speaking about being a world fight neighborhood, pay it ahead for the fighters, let the fighters do extra of what they need, that is your alternative to point out that. Present me I can have my profession with Rizin in addition to PFL and Bellator. That is what you’re saying you do as a promotion. Be completely different, be a world fight. I’m in a really superior place to unite three organizations below one roof. Nobody else goes to have the ability to try this. So why burn this bridge or give it up simply to have me there?”