MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom breaks down the Bellator’s top bouts. Today, we look at the main event for Bellator 236.
Bellator 236 takes place Saturday at Neal S. Blaisdell Center in Honolulu. The main card streams on DAZN following prelims on MMA Junkie.
Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (10-0 MMA, 9-0 BMMA)
Staple info:
Height: 5’4″ Age: 29 Weight: 125 lbs. Reach: 66.5″
Last fight: TKO win over Veta Arteaga (April 27, 2019)
Camp: Team Hurricane Awesome (San Diego, Calif.)
Stance/striking style: Orthodox/kickboxing
Risk management: Good
Supplemental info:
+ Bellator women’s flyweight champion
+ 10th Planet jiu-jitsu brown belt
+ EBI women’s flyweight title
+ 2 knockout victories
+ 6 submission wins
+ 3 first-round finishes
+ Consistent pace and pressure
+ Steadily developing striking game
^ Shows fight-to-fight improvements
+ Strong inside the clinch
^ Knees, elbows, takedowns
+ Solid wrestling ability
+ Good submission grappler
Kate Jackson (11-3-1 MMA, 3-1 BMMA)
Staple info:
Height: 5’6″ Age: 33 Weight: 125 lbs. Reach: 67″
Last fight: TKO win over Lena Ovchynnikova (June 22, 2019)
Camp: Koncept Gym (England)
Stance/striking style: Orthodox/muay Thai
Risk management: Good
Supplemental info:
+ Karate black belt
+ Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt
+ Judo brown belt
+ Regional MMA title
+ 6 knockout victories
+ 1 submission win
+ 5 first-round finishes
+ Solid striking ability
^ Puts together combinations well
+ Strong inside the clinch
^ Trips, takedowns, knees
+ Good transitional grappler
^ From top or bottom
Point of interest: Striking in space
The main event for Bellator 236 features a flyweight title fight between two savvy grapplers who aren’t afraid to strike in space.
The challenger, Kate Jackson, was introduced to the art of karate at a young age, and she seems to be quite comfortable when playing at range.
Whether she is sitting back and looking to counter or coming forward with vigor, Jackson strings her shots together accordingly, often punctuating her presence with kicks off the lead side. The English fighter – despite previously competing at strawweight – seems to carry real power at what is her more natural weight class of 125 pounds.
Regardless of Jackson’s approach here, she can’t afford to get complacent if she means to take rounds from the sitting champion, Ilima-Lei Macfarlane.
Initially starting off her career a bit raw in the standing department, Macfarlane has made legitimate strides to her game throughout her title reign. The Hawaiian champ still shows patience to play on the outside or the ability to pressure her way forward, but she does so in a much more efficient manner than before.
Utilizing a steady dose of fakes and feints, Macfarlane now throws her punches straighter and with more purpose, smartly variating between simple combinations to maximize her effectiveness. That said, Macfarlane is not beyond mixing things up when feeling in stride, showing the occasional Superman punch or drop-step to keep her opposition honest and on their heels.
The 29-year-old talent has also has displayed upgraded head movement, rolling her head offline when committing to her crosses – something that will come in handy given the power Jackson will likely be throwing her way.
Though gameplans can always vary, I have to imagine that striking exchanges will only last so long before one of these fighters decides to push into grappling space.
Next point of interest: Jiu-jitsu driver’s seat
Bellator 236 breakdown: Can unheralded Kate Jackson spoil Ilima-Lei Macfarlane's latest homecoming?
