Juan Archuleta talks to MMA Junkie at Bellator 238 media day
Belltor 238: Juan Archuleta media day interview
Juan Archuleta talks to MMA Junkie at Bellator 238 media day
Tag: Bellator 238
Bellator 238: Alfred Khashakyan media day interview
Alfred Khashakyan talks to MMA Junkie at Bellator 238 media day
Alfred Khashakyan talks to MMA Junkie at Bellator 238 media day
Bellator 238: Sergio Pettis media day interview
Sergio Pettis talks to MMA Junkie at Bellator 238 media day
Sergio Pettis talks to MMA Junkie at Bellator 238 media day
Cris Cyborg happy to be away from UFC, starting fresh in Bellator
Winning another championship would be nice, but the opportunity for a fresh start is what excited Cris Cyborg most about being in Bellator.
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — For those who care about mixed martial arts history, [autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag]’s main event against [autotag]Julia Budd[/autotag] on Saturday at Bellator 238 is a fight to watch. If Cyborg (21-2 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) can wrest the Bellator featherweight title from Budd (13-2 MMA, 7-0 BMMA), it will give her a world title in a fourth promotion, to go with belts won in Strikeforce, Invicta FC, and the UFC.
But while Cyborg admits another championship in her collection would be nice, to her, Saturday night is mostly about a fresh start.
Cyborg will make her Bellator debut after a successful but acrimonious stint in the UFC. That, for Cyborg, means as much as any prize she can attain in her new promotion.
“I feel young. I feel motivated,” Cyborg told MMA Junkie at Thursday’s media day. “I feel happy, for new chapter in my career. Excited to have this fight.”
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Cyborg’s 13-year stretch without a loss came to an end in Dec. 2018, when she lost the UFC title to Amanda Nunes. In hindsight, though, Cyborg views the loss as a blessing. After all, if she was still holding the title, she’d have been bound to the company through a champion’s clause. Instead, she’s freed from her tense business relationship with UFC president Dana White.
“I feel in my heart, that loss is God’s gift,” Cyborg said. “Because if (it did) not happen, I would not be here now. And now I am so happy for this new chapter, new era for me. I’m so happy in Bellator. If not happen, I would have to stay unhappy and struggling every day. And now I’m happy here, you know? Now I am focused on training, fighting.”
Now free of the stress of her previous promoter, Cyborg looks to enhance her legacy with another title. She’s found her own happiness already, but said taking the title from Budd will spread joy to those around.
“I think the belt means a lot of me, for me, just be thankful to have a belt around me,” Cyborg said. “For me, to use this platform to share my faith and touch people’s hearts and do what I love to do. You know? This belt is important to touch people’s hearts I’m going to hold their hand for a long time.”
Bellator 238 takes place at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif. The main card streams on DAZN following prelims on MMA Junkie.
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Darrion Caldwell says Bellator champ Patricio Freire avoided grand prix clash
Darrion Caldwell is surprised “Pitbull” didn’t choose to fight him when he had the opportunity.
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – [autotag]Darrion Caldwell[/autotag] is surprised Bellator champion [autotag]Patricio Freire[/autotag] didn’t choose to fight him when he had the opportunity.
At the Bellator featherweight grand prix selection show September, dual-champion Freire (30-4 MMA, 18-4 BMMA) elected to fight Pedro Carvalho instead of Caldwell (14-3 MMA, 11-2 BMMA) .
Caldwell was then matched up against Adam Borics, who he takes on Saturday in a tournament quarterfinal bout, which also serves as the co-main event of Bellator 238 at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif.
Freire’s decision surprised Caldwell, as well as Bellator president Scott Coker, who voiced his displeasure with Freire’s choice at the post-event press conference. Caldwell confronted Freire backstage following the selection show. The altercation was captured on video. In Caldwell’s eyes, Freire’s strategy is to avoid him when possible.
“I was surprised,” Caldwell told MMA Junkie. “Obviously, there’s been some talk back and fourth. The fact he had an opportunity to pick the fight after we were verbally disagreeing for a while, I figured he’d pick me. Overall, I think his strategy was to stay away from me more than anything.”
Whether it’s now or later, Caldwell said a matchup with “Pitbull” will materialize. It’s just a matter of time.
“That fight has got to happen,” Caldwell said. “Eventually ‘Pitbull’ and I will be in the cage with the doors locked. It’s just inevitable.”
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Regardless of how the bracket unfolded, Caldwell said he knew he’d be up against a stiff test in the second round of the 16-man tournament. Hungary’s Borics (14-0 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) fits the description. Borics is undefeated, but Caldwell said he hasn’t met anyone of his caliber.
“Adam has never faced a star like me,” Caldwell said. “He’s never fought a guy who won’t bow down to him. I’m not willing to give him anything. I don’t think he’s ever fought a world-class fighter like myself – a guy who’s been in five round fights and fought for world championships.
“I think he’s got a lot of attributes. He’s got a lot of things that he does well. All in all, I think the pressure I’m going to bring, the strength I’m going to bring, and the speed I’m going to bring will overwhelm him.”
Caldwell said he expects an exciting fight against Borics, and he envisions a memorable finish that will move him to the final four of the grand prix and one win away from competing for the $1 million prize.
“You’re going to see Adam Borics put on his head,” Caldwell said. “You’re going to see some bodies flying. You’re going to see a guy who’s true to my word. There’s no way I’m leaving the octagon without a win. … I will be ready to take Adam’s head off.”
Check out MMA Junkie’s full pre-fight interview with Darrion Caldwell in the video above.
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Bellator 238: Adam Borics media day interview
Adam Borics talks to MMA Junkie at Bellator 238 media day
Adam Borics talks to MMA Junkie at Bellator 238 media day
Bellator 238: Julia Budd media day interview
Julia Budd talks to MMA Junkie at Bellator 238 media day
Julia Budd talks to MMA Junkie at Bellator 238 media day
Bellator boss Scott Coker: UFC was in ‘Cyborg business’ and never intended to build her division
“I don’t think the UFC ever had an intention to start a 145-pound weight class.”
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – Bellator’s 2020 schedule kicks off Saturday with Bellator 238 – and the promotion’s president Scott Coker is excited.
When he spoke to the media Thursday, Coker dished on numerous topics, including Bellator 238 title challenger [autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag]. The former UFC women’s featherweight champ Cyborg (21-2 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) makes her promotional debut vs. champion Julia Budd in the DAZN-streamed headliner at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif.
Cyborg’s tenure in the UFC had ups and downs. One of the consensus greatest female fighters of all-time, the Brazilian’s departure from the UFC was nothing short of ugly.
In the lead-up to her free agency, Cyborg and UFC president Dana White went back-and-fourth in a public spat. Eventually, the UFC opted not to re-sign Cyborg and announced her departure in a lengthy sit-down interview with White.
The UFC women’s featherweight division has always been different than the promotion’s other weight classes. No more than 10 fighters have ever populated its roster. In Coker’s eyes, the UFC never fully committed to building Cyborg’s division.
“I don’t think the UFC ever had an intention to start a 145-pound weight class,” Coker told MMA Junkie on Thursday. “I think they wanted to be in the Cyborg business. That’s what it was.
“To build a division around her takes time and effort. You’ve got to go out and sign the people and nurture the fights. I think that was really one of the things that happened. They tied her up. Now, she’s free. Now, she’s here.”
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Bellator has been putting on women’s featherweight fights for years. Coker said Cyborg will see more challenges in the Bellator ranks because of the depth of the division he’s put together. First up, though, she must get through Budd (13-2 MMA, 7-0 BMMA), who is the only champion the division has seen to date.
“We have a lot of girls she can fight and it starts with Julia Budd, who by the way looks like she’s in amazing shape,” Coker said. “She’s going to come and bring it. I tell everyone, ‘Don’t underestimate her. This girl can throw down and she’s dangerous. I’m expecting a great fight on Saturday night.”
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Video: Bellator 238 media day faceoffs from Hollywood
Check out the faceoffs for Julia Budd vs. Cris Cyborg, Darrion Caldwell vs. Adam Borics, and all the big fights at Bellator 238.
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – Bellator 238 media day took place Thursday, and MMA Junkie was on the scene for the proceedings, which concluded with fighter faceoffs.
A women’s championship fight tops the card, as [autotag]Julia Budd[/autotag] (13-2 MMA, 7-0 BMMA) attempted to defend her title for the fourth time when she takes on former UFC champ [autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag] (21-2 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) in the main event.
The co-headliner sees former Bellator titleholder [autotag]Darrion Caldwell[/autotag] (14-3 MMA, 11-2 BMMA) takes on [autotag]Adam Borics[/autotag] (14-0 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) in a quarterfinal matchup in the promotion’s featherweight grand prix.
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In addition, notable names set as Juan Archuleta (23-2 MMA, 5-1 BMMA), Sergio Pettis (18-5 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) and Raymond Daniels (1-1 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) are set to compete.
You can watch the faceoffs for all of the main-card bouts, which took place at Paramount Studios, in the video above.
Bellator 238 takes place Saturday at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif. The main card streams on DAZN following prelims on MMA Junkie.
Bellator 238: Julia Budd vs. Cris Cyborg faceoff
The main event for Bellator 238 square off ahead of their bout
The main event for Bellator 238 square off ahead of their bout