Coenen vs. Budd at Bellator 155 for inaugural women’s fw title
Dutch women’s featherweight Marloes Coenen will be back in a big way at Bellator 155 on May 20, when she fights Julia Budd for the league’s inaugural women’s featherweight championship.
Dutch women’s featherweight Marloes Coenen has not fought since August of 2015, due to injury, but will be back in a big way at Bellator 155 on May 20. Coenen will fight Julia Budd for the league’s inaugural women’s featherweight championship.
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Coenen has gone 2-0 in Bellator since her debut in October 2014. Her first victory in the promotion came via rear-naked choke on Annalisa Bucci. She finished her second fight with a submission as well—an armbar on Arlene Blencowe in August 2015.
The 16-year MMA veteran lost the Strikeforce belt to current UFC bantamweight champion Miesha Tate and has victories over UFC fighters Sarah Kaufman and Liz Carmouche. Prior to her Bellator debut, Coenen lost the inaugural Invicta FC Featherweight Championship to Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino via TKO in July 2013.
The bout will also be Budd’s third in the promotion. She won her first two, against Gabrielle Holloway and Roberta Paim Rovel, by unanimous decision. Like Coenen, Budd fought under the Strikeforce banner; she moved to Invicta FC following a loss to Ronda Rousey via armbar in 2011. She has since racked up a six-fight win streak. This will be her first title fight.
Bellator has been cultivating its women’s divisions, featherweight and flyweight, since Coker replaced founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney as Bellator’s president. The divisions are an attractive home for 125- and 145-pound female fighters who fail to prosper at strawweight and bantamweight (the UFC’s two women’s divisions).