Not interim for long: It’s time to put more respect on Bellator Bantamweight champion Raufeon Stots’ name

Not interim for long: It’s time to put more respect on Be...

Raufeon “Supa” Stots. Remember the name, ladies and gents. He’s been putting Bellator’s Bantamweight division since 2019. Now, he’s paid his dues and has a shiny gold strap to show for it.

Growing up in Houston, Texas, Raufeon Stots began his athletic career as a talented wrestler, earning a scholarship to Labette Community College. He blossomed upon transferring to the University of Nebraska-Kearney and competed in NCAA Division II Wrestling, where he won two titles as a junior and a senior.

As with most collegiate wrestlers, a transition to mixed martial arts is always an option. Raufeon Stots got introduced to MMA by Jens Pulver and Pat Miletich, who were both early champions of the UFC. He was even mentored by reigning UFC Welterweight champion, and arguably the best pound-for-pound fighter right now, Kamaru Usman.

Backed by his work ethic and natural talent, it didn’t take long for Raufeon Stots to excel in MMA. He won his first eight MMA bouts in a decisive fashion. However, he ran into a major setback when he got knocked out by Merab Dvalishvili in 2017. He never tasted defeat since.

Raufeon Stots made it to Bellator two years later and has quietly made a name for himself. After racking up five straight wins, the 33-year-old MMA rising star finally booked a title shot over BW champ Sergio Pettis. But an injury forced Pettis to withdraw from the bout, as Juan Archuleta stepped in to face Raufeon Stots for the interim crown.

It didn’t matter. Raufeon Stots was gunning for gold, regardless of who was in front of him. “Supa” put on the performance of his life and knocked out “The Spaniard” with a laser head kick followed by vicious elbows to the ground.

Here’s the defining moment of Raufeon Stots ' career so far.

.@raufeonstots gets it done, becoming the @BellatorMMA bantamweight interim titleholder and advances to the semi finals of the Bellator Bantamweight World Grand Prix pic.twitter.com/CU9oGBULVk
— Bellator Public Relations (@BellatorPR) April 24, 2022

Raufeon Stots tasted gold for the first time, winning the Bellator World Grand Prix Tournament Quarter Final bout and the interim title.

While we all can’t have Raufeon Stots’ newly-won world championship, owning commemorative merchandise in his honor might just be the next best thing.

Hurry and cop your Raufeon Stots “World Champ” merch available exclusively on the Fan Arch website!

Following his victory, Raufeon Stots will face the winner of the Leandro Higo and Danny Sabatello bout scheduled for June 24. While we’re not looking past these two fighters, it’s clear that Sergio Pettis is still the fight to make for Raufeon Stots.

A win versus Pettis will solidify his champion status and erase any doubts surrounding his legitimacy. If you’re not on the Raufeon Stots hype train just yet, we suggest you hop aboard.

Do you want to kick ass like Raufeon Stots? Make sure you check out the Bellator interim BW champ’s personalized merchandise available at the Fan Arch store! Fan Arch’s website is home to 700+ athletes and their personalized merch across all sports!

Fan Arch aims to transcend the narrative by making it easier to bridge the gap between athletes, influencers, and their fans. Check out our creative and personalized collection through Fanarch.com.

SHOP Raufeon Stots

Raufeon Stots
"World Champ" t-shirt

Regular price

$24.99

Regular price

Sale price

$24.99

Unit price

per
Raufeon Stots
"World Champ" Hoodie

Regular price

$39.99

Regular price

Sale price

$39.99

Unit price

per
Raufeon Stots
"World Champ" Sweatshirt

Regular price

$32.99

Regular price

Sale price

$32.99

Unit price

per
Raufeon Stots
"World Champ" Long Sleeve Tee

Regular price

$29.99

Regular price

Sale price

$29.99

Unit price

per