Coach Javier Mendez expects a new champion at American Kickboxing Academy.
The long-time head coach of AKA and now coach of Khabib Nurmagomedov’s team sees plenty of potential in Bellator newcomer Enrique Barzola. Mendez was happy with what he saw in Barzola’s Bellator debut and is confident much more is to come from the Peruvian.
Barzola (17–5–2 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) debuted for the promotion last Saturday at Bellator 273 in Phoenix, Ariz. where he stopped former Bellator bantamweight champion, Darrion Caldwell, in a third-round TKO.
“What people don’t know yet, but I know, is that Enrique is the champion at 135 pounds,” Mendez told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “He’s going to be the champion. He’s going to be the Bellator champion.
“I keep telling him and giving him a lot of confidence because I feel it in my heart. If that kid doesn’t change and keeps growing his talents and keeps gaining experience, man, he’s going all the way to the title. He’s going to be champion. I feel it 100 percent. He just needs to stay strong and keep learning.”
Barzola, who won season two of The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America 2 back in 2015, is regarded as one of the best fighters to come out of Peru. He hadn’t competed since completing his UFC contract back in March 2020 in Brazil where he fought Rani Yahya to a majority draw.
Despite the layoff, “El Fuerte” perfectly executed the team’s game plan, which was to outwork Caldwell.
“When we got the name Darrion Caldwell, we made a plan and that was that we’re going to tire him out,” Mendez said. “If we lost the first round, that’s Ok. We come out and take the second. If we lose the first and second, that’s fine too. We’ll finish him in the third.
“That’s what we put in his mind. He had engrained in his mind to push, push and push.”
Now back in action, Mendez is excited to see Barzola continue his fighting career under the Bellator banner. The AKA boss has high expectations for Barzola and hopes the promotion keeps him busy in 2022.
“With time, Enrique Barzola is going to be champion,” Mendez said. “We’re going to fight two or three more times this year, that’s if we don’t get into the (Grand Prix) for the $1 million, and we’re going to be ready to fight for the title. I think we win two, three more fights and we’ll get a title shot.”
Coach Javier Mendez high on Enrique Barzola’s potential: ‘He’s going to be the Bellator champion’