Bellator bantamweight champion Sergio
Pettis will not be part of Bellator’s bantamweight grand prix
as originally planned.
An injury has forced Pettis to withdraw from a proposed opening
round clash against Raufeon
Stots at
Bellator 279, and as a result, Juan
Archuleta will step in for the reigning 135-pound champion.
Promotion officials confirmed the news following an initial report
from
CBS Sports. An interim title will be on the line when Archuleta
and Stots square off on April 23.
The exact nature of Pettis’ injury was not disclosed, but the
Roufusport standout did release a statement via social
media revealing that his ailment will require surgery and a lengthy
recovery process.
“Well, some things aren’t meant to be,” Pettis wrote.
“Unfortunately hurt myself bad last week during training, was
waiting for the results and it turns out I’ll be out for the next
[six to nine] months. I’ll be getting my first surgery after years
of competing which happens to be the worst timing ever. I lose out
on a chance to make a [$1 million] dollars. Definitely depressing
af but I’m a get the ball rolling on getting healthy and back to
work. Good luck to the rest of the bantamweights in the tournament
but just know y’all got lucky as f—k.”
The 28-year-old Pettis is in the middle of a five-bout winning
streak that includes four victories in Bellator competition. He
claimed the 135-pound belt with a five-round verdict over Archuleta
at Bellator 258 before defending the crown with a spinning backfist
KO of Kyoji
Horiguchi at Bellator 272 this past December.
Bellator 279 takes place at the Neil S. Blaisdell Center in
Honolulu, Hawaii, and will also see Cristiane
Justino defend her featherweight title against Arlene
Blencowe in a rematch, while Horiguchi locks horns with
Patrick
Mix in another bantamweight grand prix pairing.
Prior to relinquishing the bantamweight strap to Pettis, Archuleta
captured the title with a unanimous decision over Mix at Bellator
246 in September 2020. The former King of the Cage champion has
also challenged for featherweight gold in the California-based
promotion, falling to Patricio
Freire at Bellator 228.
“I’m very honored, obviously, and excited and grateful for the
opportunity,” Archuleta told CBS Sports. “There’s more to being a
champion than just having the belt, right? When I won the Bellator
world title I always knew how to carry myself as a champion. This
is just to show that I’m always ready and always in the gym
training. When you’re always prepared, you can get the opportunity
of a lifetime. I’m ready to get my belt back.”
Stots, who like Pettis trains at Roufusport, takes a nine-bout
professional winning streak into the tournament. He is coming off a
unanimous decision triumph over Magomed
Magomedov at Bellator 264.