HONOLULU – We’re just hours away from Liz Carmouche’s latest title defense, and it looks like there’s already another one on the horizon.
Bellator president Scott Coker says former champion Ilima-Lei Macfarlane is next in line following the pair of events this weekend in Hawaii; Bellator 294 on Friday and Bellator 295 on Saturday.
Carmouche (19-7 MMA, 6-0 BMMA) successfully defended her women’s flyweight belt against DeAnna Bennett, submitting her with an arm triangle in the fourth round of their Bellator 294 main event. In the co-main event of Bellator 295, Macfarlane (13-2 MMA, 12-2 BMMA) edged Japan’s Kana Watanabe in a split decision.
Coker says the next step is a championship bout between the two teammates.
“The first step for her is to fight Liz Carmouche,” Coker told MMA Junkie and other reporters at the Bellator 295 post-fight news conference. “That’s the top priority. By winning this fight against Watanabe, who’s extremely competitive and skilled, a lot of folks thought it could go either way. It was a tight fight, but given the decision, it puts her on the sights of Liz, and we have to do that fight.
“Do we do it here? I don’t know because the Blaisdell is being closed for remodeling. We’ll talk to Stan Sheriff (Center) and see what’s available, but that fight we can put anywhere. That’s a bigtime fight and those two girls have had great runs in their Mixed Martial Arts career, and we would love to promote that fight at the end of the year.”
Macfarlane, a Hawaii native, is always looking to fight on her home island, if possible. But due to the circumstances relating to the availability of the arena, that may not be in the cards. Coker believes that shouldn’t be an issue and the two parties will work things out.
“We’re a fight company that needs to continue to put fights, so if we can’t get into Stan Sheriff, and we can’t come here, what are you going to do? Wait another two years while it remodels?,” Coker said. “It’s something that we’ll have dialogue. We have a good relationship with these athletes, and we’ll have a conversation and do our best to accommodate her.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 295.