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.
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.”