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Darrion Caldwell not worried with Gallagher, ‘Pitbull’ comments – he plans on being dual champ

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – There’s a very simple, and perhaps somewhat obvious reason bantamweight champion Darrion Caldwell is fighting at featherweight this week.

But if anyone ever was unclear about his intentions moving up for a non-title fight, rather than putting his belt on the line at 135, he’ll sort those out for you.

“It’s one reason and one reason only, and that’s to get the 145-pound belt,” Caldwell told MMAjunkie.

Caldwell (12-1 MMA, 9-1 BMMA) on Friday heads back to featherweight for a non-title bout against Noad Lahat (12-3 MMA, 3-1 BMMA) in the Bellator 204 main event at Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. The main card airs on Paramount following prelims on MMAjunkie.

Caldwell said he’s liking his return to featherweight so far.

“I started my career at 145, and when I started my career I had aspirations of being a champion,” he said. “I wasn’t sure at what weight class. I finished my career at ’45 5-0 before I went down to the ’35 weight class. For me, it’s about going up and proving to myself that I’m just as good as these ’45ers. I can win a belt there. I wrestled at ’49 my whole college career, so being a ’45-pound MMA fighter, where I get 24 hours to recover as opposed to two hours to recover – it’s night and day. I feel good at 145.”

But he’s got prospective future opponents chirping at him along the way. Conor McGregor teammate James Gallagher fights Friday at Bellator 204 in a bantamweight bout, and he has made it clear he wants to get his win out of the way, then challenge Caldwell for the bantamweight belt in his home city of Dublin.

And featherweight champion Patricio Freire knows why Caldwell is moving up – which is why, Caldwell said, “Pitbull” would prefer to move down to challenge for Caldwell’s title at 135, where he is safe from losing his 145-pound belt.

“(Gallagher) might deserve a shot (if he wins),” Caldwell said. “It depends how he wins, (and) if he wins. If he does get the opportunity to fight me, I say take it. I don’t feel he’s a problem for me stylistically. I just don’t look at him and see a problem. I’d like to fight him eventually because he brings that prestige, that international fan base – so bring it on.

“I think (Freire) wants to come down to ’35 because he doesn’t want to lose his belt at ’45. He knows he’s going to lose the fight, so at least he’d have some sort of excuse if he comes down to 135. But I’m here for a reason, and the next time ‘Pitbull’ sees me, it will be at 145, and I will be getting that strap.”

Caldwell believes one thing is certain, though. One way or another, he plans on having the bantamweight and featherweight titles at the same time, and he’ll gladly defend both.

“I know guys don’t want to fight me at 135 to become a champion … But if you want to be a champion at 135, you have to come beat me. I’m not vacating. I’m going to be a two-division champion holding the belts simultaneously. I’ll still defend the title at 135.”

For more on Bellator 204, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.

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