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Former bantamweight champ Darrion Caldwell wants to win the Bellator featherweight title as early into the grand prix as possible.
Darrion Caldwell’s path to the Bellator featherweight grand prix wasn’t exactly what he thought it would be, but he’s thrilled to be part of it nonetheless.
For starters, Caldwell, a former Bellator bantamweight champion, didn’t expect to be on a two-fight skid. Caldwell is coming off back-to-back losses to current titleholder Kyoji Horiguchi — one in Rizin FF, one in Bellator.
“I didn’t plan to lose to Horiguchi then come up to 45,” Caldwell told Bloody Elbow at Bellator 228 media day Thursday in Los Angeles. “I knew they were gonna put together the tournament, and I asked my management if we could potentially get in this thing. When he came back with ‘you’re in,’ I was stoked, I was excited to be in this sh-t.”
It should be no surprise, however, to see Caldwell in the tournament. He fought at 145 pounds earlier in his career, and returned to the division last summer in a fight with Noad Lahat, which preceded the two Horiguchi fights.
Caldwell meets Henry Corrales in one of four first-round matchups scheduled for Bellator 228, which takes place Saturday night at The Forum in Inglewood, California.
As far as what intrigues him about the tournament, “The Wolf” said it’s a bit of everything.
“You got 16 of the best guys that are gonna compete,” Caldwell said. “And then there is a belt that’s circulating though that tournament. And then there is an end prize of a million dollars. But at the same time, the fact that we got legends and future legends in this tournament, guys that are gonna be around for a while and remembered for a while, it makes it that much more fun.”
After beating Lahat 13 months ago, Caldwell wanted to fight Patricio Freire for the featherweight title. Of course, the Horiguchi losses derailed his plan. Or, according to Caldwell, it was just a delay.
“Once the time comes, me and Pitbull will fight,” Caldwell said. “Whether it happens in this tournament or not, we will fight. That’s one person I want to fight. He has all the accolades that I want. To beat a guy like that, it makes everything sweet.
“In an ideal world, I’m picking Pitbull next, as my very next fight. I like being a target. I like being that guy that everyone is chasing. … Fighting a legend will solidify everything I’m doing.”
Caldwell plans to walk away from the grand prix as the new featherweight champ, but he has not closed the door on a return to 135 pounds to recapture the belt. In fact, he still considers himself the current titleholder.
“I’m the 135-pound champ,” Caldwell said. “When you think of the Bellator bantamweight division, who do you think of? What’s the first name that pops up? … I built this division; I’m gonna continue to build it. I’m gonna go get this 145-pound belt, but I’m still the champ at 135.”