Patrick Mix eyes submission win over Juan Archuleta for vacant belt, trashes James Gallagher

Patrick Mix is looking to claim Bellator’s vacant bantamweight title.

Bellator MMA is currently on pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the promotion is eyeing a July return. If they do return in July, Mix is hoping to be on the first card and is eyeing a fight against Juan Archuleta for the vacant bantamweight title.

“My number one goal right now is to fight for the vacant title. I believe I’m the best bantamweight in the world and that’s my next goal. If I’m thinking about it, it will probably be against Juan Archuleta. He’s supposed to be the baddest guy in the division so that’s who I’m chasing,” Mix said to BJPENN.com. “But, if we fight, I will go out there and finish him. All those other guys, [James] Gallagher, Sergio [Pettis], the other named guys, I don’t see them getting the shot yet.”

Patrick Mix is currently 13-0 as a pro and went 10-0 as an amateur. In Bellator he has three submission wins all in the first round including a win over Ricky Bandejas in 66 seconds.

If the fight against Archuleta happens, Mix is confident in his skill set he would be able to gas out “Spaniard” and submit him as he does to all his opponents.

“I’ll be the bigger man and have a bigger stature. He may weight more than me, but I’m taller and I’ll bully him as I have to everyone else,” he explained. “I will submit him just like I do with everyone else. Everyone talks about his cardio but I’ll tire him out and bring him into deep waters and finish him.”

Mix knows he will be holding the strap in 2020 and welcomes a fight against Darrion Caldwell to try and reclaim his belt if he loses in the featherweight grand prix.

Another name many believe could receive a Bellator title shot soon is James Gallagher. The Irishman trains with Conor McGregor and has a lot of hype behind him. For Mix, he believes all Gallagher is, is hype as the Irishman isn’t close to his level.

“James Gallagher doesn’t mention my name for a reason. If they lock me up with him it would be a bad night for him. He would last 90 seconds max. He’s fought journeyman and look at his opponents then look at mine. He’s nowhere in my league,” Mix said. “His grappling isn’t even close to mine, I’m on a different level. When I got to Bellator I was chasing him but now I’m way ahead of him. I need bigger fights than him now. I’m all game for fighting him in any part of the world.”

Patrick Mix would be interested in that fight down the line as he says it’s easy money for him.

“It’s all smoke and mirrors. He gets hyped up but he isn’t about it. I’m about that real life, I’ve been fighting since I was a kid,” Mix said. “If you put him against who I’ve fought, he wouldn’t be where he is at. He’s nothing, he’s a journeyman .500 fighter if he fights the guys I fought. He’s nothing man, it’s easy money.”

For now, Mix continues to train and awaits word of when and who he will be fighting next, where he hopes it will be for the vacant bantamweight title.

Do you think Patrick Mix should fight for the belt? And, what do you make of him trashing James Gallagher?