MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom breaks down the Bellator’s top bouts. Today, we look at the main event for Bellator 228.
Bellator 228 takes place Saturday at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles. The main card streams on DAZN following prelims on MMA Junkie.
Patricio Freire (29-4 MMA, 17-4 BMMA)
Staple info:
- Height: 5’5″ Age: 32 Weight: 145 lbs. Reach: 65″
- Last fight: TKO win over Michael Chandler (May 11, 2019)
- Camp: Pitbull Brothers MMA (Brazil)
- Stance/striking style: Orthodox/kickboxing
- Risk management: Good
Supplemental info:
+ Bellator lightweight and featherweight champion
+ Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt
+ 10 KO victories
+ 11 submission wins
+ 10 first-round finishes
+ KO power
+ Explosive athlete
^ Deceptive distance closer
+ Accurate hooks and crosses
^ Coming forward or off the counter
+ Hard leg kicks
+ Underrated wrestling ability
+ Good transitional grappler
+ Dangerous guillotine choke
Juan Archuleta (23-1 MMA, 17-4 BMMA)
Staple info:
- Height: 5’7″ Age: 32 Weight: 145 lbs. Reach: 69″
- Last fight: Knockout win over Eduardo Dantas(June 14, 2019)
- Camp: The Treigning Lab (California)
- Stance/striking style: Switch-stance/kickboxing
- Risk management: Fair
Supplemental info:
+ Regional MMA accolades
^ Titles at lightweight, featherweight and bantamweight
+ Wrestling base
+ 11 KO victories
+ 1 submission win
+ 5 first-round finishes
+ KO power
+ Relentless pace and pressure
+ Improved striking flow
^ Combos, bodywork, stance shifts
+ Excellent wrestling ability
^ Defensively and offensively
+ Good transitional grappler
^ Solid scrambles and ground-and-pound
Point of interest: Taming the bull
The main event in Inglewood features a fantastic title fight that will take place within the confines of Bellator’s featherweight grand prix.
Although the sitting champion is the one who holds the nickname of “Pitbull,” Juan Archuleta might be the proverbial bull in a china shop for this matchup.
With his wrestling base, Archuleta naturally floated toward the mold of a pressure fighter early on. Storming through space with overhands and hooks that carry palpable power, the native of Hesperia, Calif., always has looked far more seasoned than his resume leads on.
However, since his time spent working with Duane Ludwig and other pros associated with The Treigning Lab, we have seen an uptick in Archuleta’s striking technique. The 32-year-old now attaches kicks to his combinations much cleaner than before, shifting his stance accordingly in the process.
In fact, Archuleta seems to be a sponge in the most complimentary of ways, almost mimicking stablemates like T.J. Dillashaw, at times. Nevertheless, even though Archuleta appears to have impressive, preternatural pocket awareness, he will be playing with fire anytime he steps into boxing range with the champion.
Enter Patricio Freire.
Initially hitting the Bellator scene as a heavy-handed brawler with a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, Freire steadily sharpened his striking skills during his formative fighting years with the promotion. He quickly demonstrated the ability to work forward off of feints and pressure, as well as be able to sit back and counter when needed.
In recent times, we have seen Freire and other fighters from his camp embrace more of a karate-centric form of kickboxing. Staying lighter on his toes than you might expect to see from a power puncher, the 32-year-old can either enter space quickly to intercept his opposition (as seen in his last fight opposite Michael Chandler) or exit to safety when appropriate.
But improvements aside, Freire’s newfound role of a playing the matador could get tricky if he does not show the ability to tame the bull early and often.
Next point of interest: Winning the wrestling exchanges
Point of interest: Winning the wrestling exchanges
Considering both men are used to having a grappling edge in fights, I will be curious to see who ends up winning the wrestling exchanges.
Archuleta may be the man with the on-paper edge/more motive in that department, but Bellator’s double champ has quietly made a strong account for himself in this area.
Training for years under the tutelage of acclaimed wrestler Eric Albarracin (wrestling coach to the likes of Henry Cejudo and Paulo Costa), Freire has been able to improve his wrestling ability by applying high-level techniques to his already impressive athleticism. Whether he’s balancing on one leg while shutting down takedowns or changing his level to dump an opponent, the 14-year pro has been increasingly difficult to control over the most recent stretch of his career.
Freire also has gotten tighter and more conservative with his jiu-jitsu prowess, playing more of a positional savvy game when the occasions call for it. Nevertheless, Freire still carries a deadly guillotine choke for overzealous opponents who are looking to grapple – which could come in handy for this matchup.
Although striking coaches like Ludwig have equipped Archuleta with the proper tools to win a fight on the feet, it’s hard to argue that the crux of the challenger’s game doesn’t stem from the wrestling wrath he possesses.
Resembling more of a honey badger on the regional scene, Archuleta has a knack for attaching himself to an opponent’s limb and exercising chain wrestling to make hay. In fact, Archuleta’s propensity to either shoot low or execute takedowns from the clinch may lower the chances of his neck ending up in grasping range of the champion.
Archuleta is also trained by UFC veteran Joe Stevenson, who knows a thing or two about the guillotine choke. Still, even though the challenger appears well-prepared and has shown the ability to grapple hard for five rounds prior, I believe Archuleta will still need to show another level of execution and control if he means to contend with the ultra-savvy Freire.
Next point of interest: Odds, opinion and prediction
Point of interest: Odds and opinions
The oddsmakers and public are siding with the sitting champ, listing Freire -160 and Archuleta +130 as of this writing.
Despite my official pick, I’m surprised to see the challenger getting this much respect on the betting lines, as I expected a bit of a wider spread here. Not only is the love at an all-time high (and deservedly so) for Bellator’s second double champion, but Freire has a proven, well rounded skill set that makes him difficult to bet against.
Although he’s been hurt and in trouble multiple times throughout his career, the smaller “Pitbull” brother always seems to recover if not come out on top entirely. However, even after begrudgingly picking against him in his last outing, I find myself sitting here as a man swayed by his own studies.
Though initially leaning toward the champion to retain, I can’t help but see an upset on the horizon.
Don’t get me wrong: If we’re going by their recent interviews, it’s hard not to like the veteran self-assuredness that Freire is putting off, thereby picking the more proven commodity. But if you’re looking at this fight from strictly a stylistic standpoint, then you could make the argument that Archuleta is the most potent archetype of fighter to dethrone the champion.
Archuleta comes from a strong wrestling base that is deeply embedded within his arsenal and attacks at an incredible pace that he can apply through 25 minutes. Archuleta’s head coach also specializes in Freire’s submission specialties, while his striking coach has a knack for teaching wrestlers how to outstrike sitting Brazilian champs. And most importantly: Archuleta appears to have a granite chin.
Whether it be flush head kicks, knees to the noggin or old fashioned overhands, Archuleta seems to eat adversity with little issue, showing the intelligence to change gears and collect himself when something does bother him.
Now, does that recipe guarantee Archuleta a win on the night? Of course not.
What it does portend, however, is that this will not be an easy fight for either man to win should neither crack the near-mythical armor of the other. For that reason, I will side with Archuleta’s pace, pressure and output to win crucial cards en route to an upset that few see coming.
