Ilima-Lei Macfarlane: Why would I go to the UFC?
Ilima Lei-Macfarlane: “Everybody always asks me, ‘Are you going to go to the UFC? What’s your plan?’ Why would I go to the UFC?”
Ilima Lei-Macfarlane signed with Bellator MMA when she was a 1-0 pro. At Bellator 201 on June 29, the 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu brown belt successfully defended her flyweight title, tapping Alejandra Lara via Armbar and pushing her record to 8-0. At the post-fight press conference, she talked about whether a move to the UFC is possible.
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Everybody always asks me, ‘Are you going to go to the UFC? What’s your plan?’” she said, as transcribed by Simon Samano and John Morgan for MMAjunkie. “Why would I go to the UFC?
You’re seeing more and more fighters come from the UFC over to Bellator and – and not just any fighter, like, high-profile fighters; [UFC] Hall of Fame fighters are coming over to Bellator. So, I think that’s just saying a lot about where our organization is going. …
Why would I want to leave the people who believed in me and signed me from the beginning? I don’t think I would’ve even got a second look from other promotions. [Bellator President Scott Coker] was the one that believed in me.
I’m Bellator through and through.”
