Solo Hatley Jr. is a big underdog in Bellator return, but remains unfazed.
For his part, Solo Hatley Jr. doesn’t feel the pressure while entering his second fight with Bellator MMA. Set to face Aaron Pico this Friday at Bellator 242, Hatley feels he has the ability to shock a lot of people this weekend.
“I’m not really feeling pressure so far,” Hatley told media members including Cageside Press this week. “I have a lot of experience. As far as amateur and pro, this is my 21st fight altogether.” Plenty of experience in the cage, in other words.
Solo Hatley Jr. currently sits at 8-2 in his professional record. Coming off an impressive win over Gaston Bolanos. Hatley has only lost one fight in his last nine appearances. Yet he is still not getting the attention he feels he deserves from Bellator and the world.
“This isn’t a wrestling match, it’s a fight” Hatley told the media, adding that he’s trained with a lot of wrestlers before. Beyond Pico’s wrestling chops, he also sees a bit of favortism in how the fight is being promoted. “[Bellator] is mentioning me, but MMA has politics. Just like they wanted Bolanos to win, I know they want Aaron Pico to win. But after I win they have no choice but to start promoting me.”
Hatley is now entering his second fight with the promotion, an organization that he stated he had always wanted to join. He knows a win versus the hype train that is Aaron Pico only means more respect and hype for himself. Hatley has finished three of his fights via TKO, and he’s looking for another.
Opponent Pico definitely has a weak chin, Hately believes. “He’s a real good fighter but he has a very weak chin. And I do hit very hard. So I do believe once I touch him a couple times he will go out,” Hatley predicted. Pico also “leaves himself wide open a lot,” he added.
The Vegas odds have put Hatley at a near +500 for this bout; Pico closing in on -600. When asked about the odds and if he felt disrespected Hatley was calm in his demeanor.
“Everyone knows him, nobody really knows me” Hatley explained. “It’s not disrespect, I don’t have a name for myself yet, he’s hyped up. We have come up differently, they promoting him as a superstar.”
And so Solo Hatley Jr. is looking to put his name on the hype train come Friday night where he looks to finish one of Bellator’s youngest and brightest stars.
Bellator 242 goes down Friday, July 24 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT. The main card airs live on Paramount Network and DAZN.
