A previously reported bout between Bellator Featherweight Champion Patricio Pitbull and Juan Archuleta, plus a rematch between Lyoto Machida and Gegard Mousasi will headline Bellator 228 this September.
The Pitbull/Archuleta bout will not just be for the featherweight title, but will also serve as an opening round bout in the Bellator Featherweight World Grand Prix. The duo of Machida and Mousasi first met back at UFC Fight Night 36 in February of 2014, with Machida scoring a unanimous decision win on that night.
Bellator MMA issued the following press release on the event:
PATRICIO ‘PITBULL’ & JUAN ARCHULETA COLLIDE FOR BELLATOR’S 145-POUND TITLE IN OPENING ROUND OF FEATHERWEIGHT WORLD GRAND PRIX
MIDDLEWEIGHT SUPERFIGHT BETWEEN LYOTO MACHIDA & GEGARD MOUSASI ALSO SET FOR SEPT. 28 AT THE FORUM IN INGLEWOOD, CALIF.
TICKETS FOR BELLATOR 228: PITBULL VS. ARCHULETA ON SALE NEXT FRIDAY, JULY 19
LOS ANGELES – The opening round of the Bellator Featherweight World Grand Prix will see Bellator’s two-division champion Patricio “Pitbull” (29-4) defend his 145-pound title against Juan Archuleta (23-1) in the main event of Bellator 228 on Saturday, September 28 at the “Fabulous” Forum in Inglewood, Calif.
In addition, a battle between two of the sport’s most prolific middleweights will also take place, as Lyoto Machida (26-8) looks to improve to 2-0 against former Bellator 185-pound champion, Gegard Mousasi (45-7-2). Additional bouts will be announced in the coming weeks.
Tickets for Bellator 228: Pitbull vs. Archuleta go on sale to the general public Friday, July 19 at 10 a.m. PT and can be purchased at the Forum box office, as well as www.Bellator.com and Ticketmaster.com. A special presale is scheduled to take place Wednesday, July 17 through Thursday, July 18 using code “BELLATOR” upon purchase.
Bellator 228: Pitbull vs. Archuleta will stream live exclusively on DAZN at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com, DAZN and globally on the Bellator Mobile App.
Hailing from Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, two-time featherweight champ Patricio “Pitbull” will enter the Bellator cage for a promotional record 22th time on September 28. With impressive wins to his name over Daniel Straus (x3), Daniel Weichel (x2) and Pat Curran, the 32-year old returns to featherweight fresh off his lightweight championship win over Michael Chandler in May. Having earned a finish in 21 of his 29 wins as a professional, the simultaneous two-division champion has become synonymous with excitement and fans can certainly expect more fireworks when he meets Juan Archuleta in LA.
A winner of 18 consecutive fights, including five under the Bellator banner and a highlight reel-knockout over former champ Eduardo Dantas at Bellator 222, Juan Archuleta has solidified himself as the rightful No. 1 contender to “Pitbull’s” title. “The Spaniard” was a standout collegiate wrestler at Purdue University before turning pro in MMA and going on to win championships in four different divisions on the regional scene. Training alongside fighters the likes of “Rampage” Jackson, Cheick Kongo, Cub Swanson and T.J. Dillashaw at HBUTC in Huntington Beach, Calif., the 31-year-old old Southern California native now looks to add Bellator gold to his trophy case with a win on September 28.
After signing with Bellator last year, Machida has successfully defeated Rafael Carvalho and Chael Sonnen en route to his upcoming rematch with Mousasi. The former UFC light heavyweight champ is a two-division threat, who spends time training in both his native Brazil and Los Angeles. “The Dragon” owns notable career wins over Ryan Bader, Tito Ortiz, “Shogun” Rua, Dan Henderson, Rashad Evans and Randy Couture, and is looking to move up the divisional ladder and challenge for Rafael Lovato Jr.’s newly won middleweight title.
On September 28, Gegard Mousasi will look to even the score with Machida a little more than five years after they met previously in Brazil. On that night, Machida took home the decision, but Mousasi now has revenge on his mind. Training out of The Netherlands, Mousasi holds one of the most impressive resumes in all of the sport, having held the Bellator middleweight title, the Strikeforce light heavyweight title and both the Dream light heavyweight and middleweight titles. With victories against some of the sport’s best, including Rory MacDonald, Alexander Shlemenko, Chris Weidman, Vitor Belfort, Uriah Hall, Dan Henderson, “Jacare” Souza, Mark Hunt and Ovince Saint Preux, the Judo black belt is looking to earn his way back to the belt.
Updated Bellator 228: Pitbull vs. Archuleta Fight Card:
Featherweight World Grand Prix Title Bout: Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (29-4) vs. Juan Archuleta (23-1)
Middleweight Co-Main Event: Lyoto Machida (26-8) vs. Gegard Mousasi (45-7-2)
*Card subject to change.
Please visit Bellator.com for more information.
About Bellator:
Bellator is a leading global mixed martial arts and kickboxing promotion featuring many of the best athletes in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator events take place in major cities worldwide and can be seen on television in over 160 countries to an available audience of over one billion people. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on both Paramount Network and DAZN, the world’s first truly dedicated LIVE sports streaming service. Bellator is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Hollywood, Calif. and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world's premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.
About DAZN:
DAZN is the largest global sports streaming platform in the world. Since launching in 2016, DAZN had expanded across four continents with the service available in the United States, Canada, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Japan, and Brazil. DAZN guarantees no long-term contract, no bundles, just affordable access to all the service's sports on connected devices including smart TVs, smartphones, tablets, games consoles and PCs. In the U.S., DAZN has made its mark as an attractive alternative to pay-per-view within the combat sports industry. The platform features more than 100 fight nights per year from Matchroom Boxing, Golden Boy Promotions, GGG Promotions, Bellator MMA, the World Boxing Super Series and Combate Americas. DAZN also features live MLB action each day of the season with its new daily show, ChangeUp.
About the Forum:
The award-winning “Fabulous” Forum, is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2018. The Forum, located in Inglewood, California, is the largest indoor performance venue in the country designed with a focus on music and entertainment, in addition to select sporting events. The interior of the bowl features flexible seating that ranges from 17,500 seats to 7,000 seats, enabling the venue to attract a wide variety of premier events. Fans at the Forum enjoy approximately 8,000 square feet of event level hospitality offerings, including merchandise, along with food and beverage options from some of SoCal’s most celebrated brands. A tinted glass wall separates this concession area from the arena, ensuring fans do not miss a moment of the performance. A 40,000 square foot outdoor terrace surrounds the perimeter of the building and offers food and beverage options, as well as comfortable furnishings, to further elevate guests’ enjoyment. The Forum delivers a one-of-a-kind experience for all thanks to its superior acoustics, intimate ambiance and state-of-the-art facilities. Designed with entertainers and performers in mind, the Forum includes nine, star-caliber dressing rooms that provide unparalleled comfort. The Forum is owned and operated by The Madison Square Garden Company. In addition to the Forum, The Madison Square Garden Company owns or operates Madison Square Garden, The Theater at MSG, Radio City Music Hall, the Chicago Theatre, the Wang Theatre, and the Beacon Theatre. For more information on the Forum, please visit www.fabulousforum.com.
