Tag: Bellator 246

Liz Carmouche explains how she could slide into shot at Ilima-Lei Macfarlane’s Bellator belt

COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on foreign fighters’ ability to get into the U.S., and that could open the door for a Liz Carmouche title shot in Bellator.

UNCASVILLE, Conn. — [autotag]Liz Carmouche[/autotag] is no stranger to title shots: She gave the legendary Marloes Coenen all she could handle in Strikeforce; gave Ronda Rousey a run for her money before falling in one of the most important fights in MMA history at UFC 157; and last time out, went the distance with dominant UFC flyweight champ Valentina Shevchenko.

With that in mind, Carmouche (13-7 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) didn’t see any reason to rush to the front of the line when she signed with Bellator earlier this year. Sure, she and her friend and training partner, Bellator flyweight champ Ilima-Lei MacFarlane, have long agreed that fighting one another wouldn’t be a problem.

But the “Girl-Rilla,” who makes her Bellator debut Saturday night against DeAnna Bennett at Bellator 246 at Mohegan Sun Arena, didn’t see a rush to jump the line when there are others out there who could face Macfarlane and have been with Bellator longer.

“I had initially anticipated that, I wanted to prove that this was a fresh start, this was a clean slate, and I’ll work my way through just like everyone else,” Carmouche told MMA Junkie on Wednesday. “Because there have been people who have been waiting for their chance for years and I’m not about to take that from anybody.”

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But then, well, the COVID-19 pandemic happened. Much of the pack at 125 pounds resides outside the United States, and with the U.S. lagging behind the bulk of the developed world in controlling the spread of the virus, many nations have been travel to the country, which has prevented fighters from getting into the country.

“With the current scene state of COVID, and people not being able to get in the country, there are a lot of people that, like, yeah, definitely they deserve the contender’s spot, but they can’t get into the country to get on a fight card,” Carmouche said. “I don’t want to sideswipe them and get ahead the front of it, but there are only so many options so if that happens to me, I’m going to be ready.”

So, should Carmouche defeat Bennett (10-6-1 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) on Friday night, Carmouche believes things just might play out in such a manner that her fight with her San Diego compadre might come sooner than you’d expect.

“Both of our original opponents are from outside the country, and neither of us were able to book our original fights because of the restrictions,” she said. “So we’re limited on the pool we can actually dip into for possible fights, and that’s very limited.”

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Bellator 246’s Juan Archuleta says he thought COVID was a hoax – until he got the virus

Bellator bantamweight title challenger Juan Archuleta called COVID-19 “One of the craziest sicknesses I’ve ever dealt with.”

UNCASVILLE, Conn. — [autotag]Juan Archuleta[/autotag] was a COVID denier until he tested positive for the virus.

“I was the type of person that didn’t believe in this,” Archuleta told MMA Junkie on Wednesday. “But it’s like, ‘I’m healthy, I’m not going to catch this, this thing is a hoax.’ And then catching it is like, kind of sets you back, and I started experiencing the symptoms, and I’m like man, I don’t want my give my kids this.”

Archuleta (24-2 MMA, 6-1 BMMA), who headlines Saturday night’s Bellator 246 at Mohegan Sun Arena in a fight with Patchy Mix (13-0 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) for the vacant bantamweight title, was preparing for the same opponent during Bellator’s July return, when he found out he had tested positive for the virus which has led to the deaths of nearly 200,000 Americans.

“Fourth of July, I was cutting the weight down, I was within striking distance down to 153 pounds, but at the same time, I compromised my immune system and I ended up catching COVID, so that next week there was the testing and stuff like that,” Archuleta said. “I had to reach out to Bellator and let them know, ‘Hey, I caught COVID.’

“Even though some of the test results were negative, I got the nose swab and it was positive, and then it was like, ‘I gotta let them know right away,’ and they if they gotta adjust the main event or co-main event, if they gotta pull me, they gotta pull me.'”

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Archuleta was not an asymptomatic carrier of the virus. He detailed what he called “one of the craziest sickness(es)” he’s ever experienced.

“No asymptomatic for me,” Archuleta said. “I had all symptoms besides throwing up. Other than that, the chest pressure, the swollen neck, the sore throat, felt like a strep throat, the body chills, body pain, just everything. It was one of the craziest sicknesses that I’ve ever dealt with.”

Fortunately, Archuleta is recovered, and he’s ready for one of the most highly anticipated fights during a big fight weekend. Archuleta’s not going to lie: His first choice of opponent was Sergio Pettis, but Mix is an exciting up-and-comer who has been on a hot streak, and Archuleta is ready for the challenge.

“It was either going to be Sergio, or it was going to be Patchy Mix,” Archuleta said. “My request was Sergio, but they said, ‘We believe Patchy Mix is a better fit in our organization for the 135 for the contender,’ and I said, ‘Let’s do it, whoever has the best momentum, put them in front of me because I’m going to put them away and bring the belt home.'”

The Bellator 246 main card airs on Paramount and streams on DAZN following prelims on MMA Junkie.

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Video: ‘Bellator 246 Countdown’ for Juan Archuleta vs. Patchy Mix

Watch along as Juan Archuleta and Patchy Mix set the stage for their bantamweight title clash at Bellator 246 in Uncasville, Conn.

The Bellator bantamweight title has sat vacant ever since Kyoji Horiguchi vacated the belt due to injury back in November 2019. But the promotion hopes to have a new champion in his ranks by the end of Saturday night.

The battle for the 135-pound title forms the main event of Bellator 246, as contenders [autotag]Juan Archuleta[/autotag] and [autotag]Patchy Mix[/autotag] get set to face off for the strap inside Bellator’s “FightSphere.”

Bellator 246 takes place Saturday at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. The main card airs on Paramount and streams on DAZN following prelims on MMA Junkie.

Bellator’s cameras followed along as Archuleta (24-2 MMA, 6-1 BMMA) and Mix (13-0 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) prepare to do battle for the vacant belt. So, while you count down the hours to their bantamweight showdown, enjoy “Bellator 246 Countdown: Archuleta vs. Mix” via the video above.

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