Darrion Caldwell’s history with immediate rematches gives him additional confidence going into his second fight with Kyoji Horiguchi at Bellator 222.

Caldwell (13-2 MMA, 10-1 BMMA) will put his Bellator bantamweight title on the line against Horiguchi (27-2 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) at the June 14 event at Madison Square Garden in New York. The fight marks a rematch of a New Year’s Eve contest under the Rizin FF banner, which saw Horiguchi win the organization’s vacant belt with a third-round submission.

The outcome marked just the second loss of Caldwell’s career, but the experience of his first makes it a familiar feeling. Caldwell suffered an upset defeat to Joe Taimanglo in 2016 but would take the rematch by decision five months later. Horiguchi is a far more credentialed opponent, but Caldwell thinks he can do it again.

“The thing is I’m human,” Caldwell recently told MMA Junkie Radio. “We’re all susceptible to losing. Like every loss I’ve encountered, I just dust myself off and come back. The thing about Horiguchi, he was destined for that. That was his time. He’s a great fighter, and that was his time to be the champion. I think moving forward, after fighting him the first time, it will play itself out. I don’t remember ever in my martial arts career or my wrestling career where I just had an opponent who I couldn’t beat. The second time will be even better for me.”

Caldwell can also breed confidence from knowing the difference in environment between the two Horiguchi fights. With the rematch taking place in Bellator, the match will be contested in a cage under the unified rules rather than a ring, where Horiguchi has fought his past nine bouts.

Although Caldwell fought well in the initial meeting, Horiguchi was able to catch him with a guillotine choke to force the tap. Now Caldwell hopes to return the favor.

“I am looking for a finish,” Caldwell said. “I am looking to shut this guy’s body off before the end of the night, before the 25 minutes is done. I’m definitely prepared for a 25-minute war. I put my body through the grind.”

Should Caldwell emerge victorious at Bellator 222, which streams exclusively on DAZN, he said a trilogy bout with Horiguchi is already in mind. He didn’t get the job done in his first crack at the Rizin FF title but said he would like to right that wrong.

“The (Rizin) belt was vacant, he won,” Caldwell said. “He’s going to come over here, I’m doing to defend my belt against him, and the trilogy he’s going to defend his Rizin belt against me in Japan. That’s how that’s going to go.”

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