Ilima-Lei Macfarlane isn’t interested in running things back with Juliana Velasquez after what she calls a “boring as sh*t” fight.
In the main event of Bellator 254, Macfarlane was defending her flyweight title against a fellow undefeated fighter in Velasquez. In the lead-up to the fight, many expected it to be a very entertaining back-and-forth scrap, but it wasn’t. Instead, it was Velasquez using a point-fighting style to edge out a decision.
Since the loss, Macfarlane says she feels a sense of relief not being the champ and admits she isn’t interested in an immediate rematch.
“Nah, I’m good,” Macfarlane said to MMAFighting when asked about a second fight. “I’m totally fine. I was joking with my corners right after the fight in the cage: ‘Does this mean I don’t have to train for five rounds anymore?’”
Although Bellator 254 served as Ilima-Lei Macfarlane’s first career loss, she knows it is a good thing.
“I feel like people thought I was too comfortable, and in some senses, I think I was getting like that, too,” she said. “I needed to feel a loss, and I think everybody does in every sport. In anything. You need to feel what it’s like to lose and respond accordingly.”
For now, Macfarlane will continue training and wait for her next fight which she is happy that it will only be three rounds.
