HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – What happens pre-fight stays in pre-fight for new champion Christine Ferea.
Ferea became the first BKFC women’s 125-pound champion after defeating Britain Beltran with a dominant decision for the title on the main card of Saturday’s KnuckleMania 2 event.
It was a heated rematch. In 2019, Ferea beat Beltran with a second-round TKO. Ferea said before the fight that the rematch was personal due to on-going banter that ended their friendship.
Ferea is glad to have a belt around her waist, but took no pleasure in handing Beltran another loss despite their personal feud.
“This is for me,” Ferea told MMA Junkie following the bout. “This is for my family, for my team. I don’t feel any greater killing her dreams, but I am satisfied that I won. But does it make me feel any better to break someone’s heart or dreams? That’s not my personality, even though I come out savage and I’m ruthless. After the fight, this is just a sport.”
Ferea, a former Invicta FC fighter, now is on a three-fight winning streak. The win at KnuckleMania 2 is the biggest victory in Ferea’s combat sports career. The 39-year-old said there’s still work to be done.
“It feels amazing,” Ferea said. “It hasn’t really fully set in yet, but I’m super satisfied. … I just want to defend the belt. Once you defend it a couple of times, then you can really, really say you’re a champion.”