ABU DHABI – Bellator bantamweight champion Patchy Combine nonetheless hopes to see Leandro Higo quickly.
Combine (20-1) was scheduled to defend his title in opposition to Higo (23-6) within the Bellator Championship Sequence: Paris most important occasion on Nov. 16, however the occasion was canceled. Within the meantime, Combine has opted to stay energetic by competing at ADXC 6 on Friday, the place he’ll face former ONE Championship title holder Kairat Akhmetov in a no-gi grappling match.
“I need to keep energetic, and simply because I’m staying energetic doesn’t imply Leandro Higo is off the hook,” Combine informed MMA Junkie on Thursday. “After they rebook this, he might be accomplished in two rounds, and I’m hoping he’s watching me this weekend. … I really feel like this combat might be rebooked early subsequent yr, and we’ll see the way it goes, however I’m prepared for it.”
Combine hasn’t gotten official phrase but on what’s subsequent however is open to defending his belt in opposition to anybody – together with Raufeon Stots, who referred to as for a rematch after submitting Marcos Breno this previous Saturday at PFL: Battle of the Giants.
“I need all of them, each considered one of them,” Combine mentioned. “I’ve taken out everybody within the prime 5 of my division, I’ve fought Magomedov twice, and it doesn’t matter. I’ve seen Raufeon Stots win. There’s a ton of fellows on the market, and it doesn’t matter who, it simply issues when. You’ll be able to ship anyone, however you possibly can’t ship anybody you need again.”
PFL founder Donn Davis alluded to MMA Combating that the Bellator model would possibly now not exist in 2025. When requested his response, Combine mentioned he simply hopes to maintain drawing top-level competitors.
“So long as I maintain getting these massive fights, like there’s humongous names over there at PFL that I personally like,” Combine mentioned. “Brendan Loughnane’s been killing it, he’s within the finale this yr, he’s a world champion up to now. There are such a lot of thrilling fights, so I haven’t heard that.
“However it doesn’t matter what it’s, I’m simply excited for the longer term. Like I mentioned, I’m in my prime of my profession, and I simply need to show to the world what I do know, and that’s I’m the perfect 135-pound bantamweight strolling on this planet at present, proper now.”
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