PFL signs former Bellator champion Julia Budd to contract; debut set for Oct. 27

Julia Budd is no longer a free agent after finding a new promotion to call home and already booking her first fight.

Budd, the former Bellator women’s featherweight champion, has signed a contract with the PFL, the promotion announced Wednesday. She’s set to make her debut against Kaitlin Young on Oct. 27 on the undercard of the 2021 PFL Championship event in Hollywood, Fla.

Budd, 38, will take part in the PFL’s 2022 season, although it has not been determined if the promotion will have a women’s featherweight or lightweight division. The promotion currently has only the latter 155-pound weight class.

Budd (15-3) told MMA Junkie last month that she fought out her Bellator contract, which gave her the liberty to test the free agent waters. Budd will enter her fight with Young (12-11-1) on a two-fight winning streak after decisions against Jessica Miele and most recently Dayana Silva this past April at Bellator 257.

Prior to her current streak, Budd lost by fourth-round TKO to Cris Cyborg to give up her Bellator title in January 2020. The defeat snapped an 11-fight winning streak that dated back to 2012.

The only other two losses of Budd’s career came at the hands of Ronda Rousey and Amanda Nunes under the Strikeforce banner in 2011.