Juan Archuleta defeated Soo Chul Kim when the pair squared off at Saitama Tremendous Enviornment in Saitama, Japan on New Yr’s Eve, Saturday, December 31. The bout was featured on the Bellator MMA vs Rizin battle card on Showtime in the US and FITE in different nations.
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Former Bellator bantamweight champion, Archuleta, took the victory by cut up resolution and improved to 27-4. Kim dropped to 18-7-1.
“I’m feeling very glad, very fortunate, and lucky,” Juan Archuleta stated after the battle. “I simply bought in a battle with Soo Chul Kim, and I’m glad to get the victory.”
“I knew it was going to be a detailed battle. Soo Chul Kim is an animal and so am I and that he was going to push the tempo.”
“I knew it was going to be a tricky battle, however I’ve much more respect as a result of I hit him with plenty of laborious pictures. I sort of damage my arms a bit as a result of he had such a tough head, and he saved shifting ahead. I’m sort of shocked.”
“It was so superb [to fight here in Japan on New Year’s Eve]. There’s all the time one thing you would like you could possibly do extra. It’s in my blood and I’m so honored to battle right here.”
“I’m ‘The Spaniard’, my battle identify is ‘The Spaniard.’ My father’s aspect comes from Spain, however on my mother’s aspect, my household comes from Mexico, from Native Meso-Individuals. [My walkout costume paid tribute to] these warriors that characterize what the emperor chosen; actual, true warriors hand-selected by the emperor. Right here in Rizin, I used to be capable of characterize the opposite aspect of my tradition. It’s not solely the samurai, it means one thing to me: the jaguar warrior. I wished to convey that to your eyes, to indicate you that there are different warriors. Identical to the bushido code in Japan. That was honor, and that was actual respect. To pay homage to that was to pay tribute to my Aztec household, and that was the ‘jaguar warrior.’”
“I simply wish to keep lively, I wish to get again into the ring as quickly as potential. I like combating. I used to be already hitting mitts with my cornermen after the battle as a result of I used to be like “what ought to I’ve carried out higher?”. We’re all the time critiquing ourselves like “I want I did this.” Proud of the efficiency, glad to get the win. Particularly towards an opponent like Soo Chul Kim, and now come subsequent yr, if Rizin and Bellator placed on one other occasion, I hope I left [enough of] an impression on the followers and confirmed my love, respect, and honor in your guys’ tradition to have me again.”
“I inflicted the primary injury; bloodied him up. Then, I began the takedowns. It was slippery. It was my first time within the ring; I attempted to not let it get to my head. I knew the place I needed to take the battle to win the battle. I knew I needed to take him to the bottom to get management, to determine dominance and trigger injury, and that’s what I did. And keep in mind, [Rizin President Nobuyuki] Sakakibara didn’t convey us right here for a simple [Team Bellator] win. He’s a former champ. These fights are shut; they’re gonna be dogfights for us to win. I had one of the best of Soo Chul Kim, and he had the easiest of me.”
“His physique pictures had been fairly damaging. There are marks on my physique. He hit me with some good physique pictures, so anybody with weaker conditioning, he would’ve dropped.”
‘I positively want to come again and battle for the title’
Commenting on the place he would rank Soo Chul Kim in Bellator’s bantamweight division, Archuleta stated: “Undoubtedly within the High 6, above the High 10 that’s for certain. I feel he finishes plenty of guys we have now in Bellator simply due to toughness and his grit. It jogged my memory plenty of my final opponent I fought, Enrique Barzola.”
“I positively want to come again and battle for the title. I feel beating one among Rizin’s prime fighters places me in title rivalry. I feel Asakura if he needs the problem. I’m greater than prepared to take the battle, I’ve provided the battle. If I’m able to come again to Japan I’ll battle anybody who Sakikabara wished.”
“I feel their confidence [has been a deciding factor in Team Rizin’s struggles]. They’re missing in dictating their offense. With Soo Chul Kim, if he had began his offense somewhat earlier, he would have had me on the again foot extra. I feel their confidence is missing somewhat extra. It’s scary although, since you’re crossing the road. Generally while you cross the road and get hit, it makes you second guess your subsequent transfer. I feel fighters on each side had been questioning the best way to cross the road with out getting damage.”
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