Juan Archuleta has done plenty in his decorated MMA career, but there’s still one thing that’s evaded him: fighting for the UFC.
Archuleta (29-7) is currently out from under the Bellator-PFL umbrella and, while signed to a non-exclusive deal with Rizin, is looking to make a final career push to the UFC. The former King of the Cage, Rizin, and most notably Bellator champion is excited about the possibility of adding the UFC to the promotion he’s fought for.
The 36-fight veteran is hoping to get his chance, and he sees it as a possibility given the signing of a former Bellator colleague.
“I would love to get into the UFC and kind of make that last hurrah that I have,” Archuleta told MMA Junkie. “I’m 37 years old now. I don’t know if they would sign someone (that age), but I feel I’m the best I’ve ever been in my career right now.
“I’m getting hope from Michael ‘Venom’ Page getting released and then signing with the UFC. It gives me that structure of saying, ‘Maybe I can do this. Maybe they will sign me.’ I have a strong name and a strong fan base, and I can come and bring exciting fights.”
Although Archuleta was a longtime staple of Bellator, he was let go by the promotion after it was bought out by the PFL in November 2023. There were no hard feelings from Archuleta, especially after seeing how the PFL-Bellator merger has worked out for some fighters.
“After I lost the New Year’s fight, Bellator had said, ‘Hey, we’re going to have to cut you.’ And I said, ‘Why? What happened?,’” Archuleta said regarding his split with Bellator. “I had missed weight against Asakura, and it was hard for me at 135. I was pretty much done. They were like, ‘Oh, you missed weight, and we just have to let you go because you’re not planning on fighting at bantamweight anymore.’ … So I was like, ‘OK, if that’s the case, I’m going to move up to 145 at Rizin. I went out there and did a non-exclusive deal with them, and they were more than happy to have me.
“Bellator/PFL, they weren’t having activity for fighters like the Gegard Mousasi situation, so I didn’t raise no arms about it. I was kind of like more happy than bitter about being let go from them. Not too many people are fighting.”
Archuleta is looking to build his case for a UFC shot now out of Bellator. He won the Rizin bantamweight title in summer of 2023 but then lost it to Kai Asakura last December. Since the defeat, Archuleta dropped two fights at Rizin while fighting at featherweight.
“The Spaniard” hopes to snap his losing streak, stay active and be ready for a potential UFC call – which he’s free to answer.
“I’m in a non-exclusive contract with Rizin, which hopefully leads me into the next stage of my career. Like if something pops off with UFC Spain, I can jump on a card like that,” Archuleta said. “I’ve had a huge impact in the martial arts scene out there. That’s what I’m leaning towards, but yeah, right now I’m in a non-exclusive contract with Rizin.”