NEW YORK – Juan Archuleta made an emphatic claim toward a title shot with a brutal one-punch, walk-off knockout of Eduardo Dantas at Bellator 222.
Archuleta (23-1 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) extended his winning streak to 18 fights when he stopped Dantas (21-7 MMA, 11-4 BMMA) with a pinpoint right hand on the chin with just one second remaining in the second round. Dantas was down for several minutes after the knockout, but eventually made it back to his feet and left the cage under his own power.
The featherweight fight was part of the main card of Friday’s Bellator 222 event at Madison Square Garden. The main card streamed on DAZN following prelims on MMA Junkie.
Prior to the finish, the action was rather mundane. Both men tried to pressure each other and throw hard shots and diverse techniques, but nothing overly damaging landed.
During the final moments of the second round, though, Dantas came forward and was met with a right hand that put him down and out cold at the 4:59 mark of Round 2.
Afterward, Archuleta made a passionate plea for the next title shot at newly crowned 135-pound champion Kyoji Horiguchi.
Up-to-the-minute Bellator 222 results include:
- Juan Archuleta def. Eduardo Dantas via knockout (punch) – Round 2, 4:59
- Kyoji Horiguchi def. Darrion Caldwell via unanimous decision (48-47, 49-46, 49-46) – to win bantamweight title
- Taylor Turner def. Heather Hardy via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 3:53
- Adam Borics def. Aaron Pico via knockout (flying knee) – Round 2, 3:55
- Valerie Loureda def. Larkyn Dasch via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
- Lindsey VanZandt def. Rena Kubota via technical submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 4:04
- Haim Gozali def. Gustavo Wurlitzer via submission (triangle choke) – Round 1, 4:02
- Mike Kimbel def. Sebastian Ruiz via split decision (28-29, 30-27, 30-27)
- Robson Gracie Jr. def. Oscar Vera via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 3:15
- Marcus Surin def. Nekruz Mirkhojaev via split decision (30-27, 27-29, 29-27)
- Phil Hawes def. Michael Wilcox via TKO (doctor stoppage) – Round 1, 5:00
- John Beneduce def. Kenny Rivera via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)
For complete coverage of Bellator 222, check out the MMA Events section of the site.
For complete coverage of Bellator 222, check out the MMA Events section of the site.
