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HONOLULU, HI. – Ahead of this weekend’s championship-doubleheader of BELLATOR 294: Carmouche vs. Bennett 2 and BELLATOR 295: Stots vs. Mix, several of the card’s world-class athletes spoke to the media today before descending upon the Neil Blaisdell Arena for two nights of can’t-miss MMA action in Honolulu, Hawaii. BELLATOR 294 will air this Friday, LIVE on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT/4 p.m. HST, while BELLATOR 295 will take place this Saturday LIVE on SHOWTIME at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT/5 p.m. HST.
Headlining BELLATOR 294, which is free to military and first responders, will be a Flyweight World Championship rematch when defending titleholder, women’s MMA pioneer, and Marine Corps veteran Liz Carmouche (18-7) puts her undefeated BELLATOR record on the line against former rival and No. 4-ranked contender DeAnna Bennett (13-7-1). In the co-main event, National Guard sergeant and No. 7-ranked heavyweight Tim Johnson (15-9) will go toe-to-toe with American Top Team’s Said Sowma (8-4).
Elsewhere on the BELLATOR 294 main card will be the promotional debut of Olympic silver medalist Sara McMann (13-6), who takes on hard-hitting No. 2-ranked Arlene Blencowe (15-9) at featherweight. Plus, rising star Danny Sabatello (13-2) brings his trash-talking ways to Oahu when he challenges Brazil’s Marcos Breno (15-2) as he climbs back to title contention. Welterweight up-and-comers Levan Chokheli (11-2, 1 NC) and Michael Lombardo (13-3, 1 NC) round out the main card action.
BELLATOR 295 is topped by the finale of the $1,000,000 BELLATOR World Bantamweight Grand Prix, pitting Interim Bantamweight Champion Raufeon Stots (19-1) against surging No. 2-ranked Patchy Mix (17-1) in one of the most highly anticipated fights in BELLATOR MMA history. Representing her hometown state, former Flyweight World Champion Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (12-2) will look to set up one last title shot against Japan’s No. 2-ranked Kana Watanabe (11-1-1).
Also, at BELLATOR 295, highly touted No. 4-ranked featherweight Aaron Pico (10-4) will make his long-awaited return against short-notice replacement and grizzled veteran James Gonzalez (10-5), who upset top prospect Cody Law in his BELLATOR debut in June. Plus, former Bantamweight World Champion Kyoji Horiguchi (31-5) returns to American soil when he welcomes former world title challenger Ray Borg (16-5) to the promotion at flyweight.
Here’s what the BELLATOR 294 and BELLATOR 295 fighters had to say:
Liz Carmouche — BELLATOR Flyweight World Champion
On Her New Traveling Training Camps: “This camp was similar to my rematch with [Juliana] Velasquez. It’s a lot, in the sense that taking so many days to do the cross-country drive takes time away from my wife and my son, but it paid off in the Velasquez fight and I think it will pay off in this one. I’ve entrusted all the success and my wins in BELLATOR to my working with my coach full-time, so I don’t want to sacrifice that.”
On Her First Fight with DeAnna Bennett: “I think her best representation of herself is when she faced me the first time, and she didn’t get the job done. In her mind, I think if she can come out fast, she can get the finish, but I don’t think she can go five rounds. I can go ten rounds. I’m ready for wherever the fight goes.”
On a Potential Fight with Friend Ilima-Lei Macfarlane: “I think everyone focuses on benchmarks for their career. You should, you have to have goals. She has hers, and I have mine. While we’re focused on the end goals, we have to focus on the short-term goals. Friday night happens before Saturday, and Saturday has to happen before anything else. I anticipate that’s what’s going to happen. We’ve always talked about it. At some point, it’s gonna be you and me. We were always like, ‘If it’s you and me, we’re going to throw down even harder.’ We’re always there for each other. When we would train together, we were the two who gave each other the most problems. I think we’ll still be able to be friendly and put on a great fight.”
“There have been moments where my friends’ kids will be like ‘Did you know you’re in the ‘culture’ section of a textbook?’ There are moments where I step back. My wife was explaining why I train as many hours as I do, and my son was like, ‘When are you gonna get a real job?’ My real job? My job provided everything we have. I was explaining to him my career, and I was like ‘Holy crap, I’ve actually done a lot.’ My nickname is Girlrilla, but it really should be History Maker. Whenever someone’s needed to step up, it’s been me. I don’t mind taking the heat.”
On Bennett’s Strength: “There was such a significant weight difference. The commission wanted to pull it because she was so far off weight. I don’t know if her strength was because of the weight or her, but I won’t know until Friday night.”
“She might try to stand and bang, she might try to take me down, who knows? I’m ready for all of it.”
DeAnna Bennett — No. 4-Ranked BELLATOR Flyweight
On Rematching Liz Carmouche: “You have to take each fight independently. It’s been a couple years. I’m a different fighter; she’s a different fighter. But you have to go back to the first fight and look at what she did wrong, what I did wrong. I knew I would see her again. I knew she would be champion, so I knew it would be for the title, so I hoped that when I worked my way back to title contention she would still be the champion. My hopes paid off, and the rematch is for the title. I’m so excited for this. I can’t stop smiling because the opportunity is finally here. I’m just happy.”
On Upsetting Carmouche’s Plan to Face Friend Ilima-Lei Macfarlane: “To be an agent of chaos and uproot the apple cart, I love that. That’s how I live my life. That’s not my main motivation; I never want to ruin anyone else’s storyline, but I have goals of what I want to do, so if that upsets anybody, that’s just the way it works. I have goals that I want to accomplish, that every day I wake up and work on. On the mirror I wake up and look into every morning, my post-it note say get my jiu jitsu black belt and win the BELLATOR Flyweight World Championship. I’m coming for that.”
On Being a Sizable Betting Underdog: “Who was it, Rodney Dangerfield? ‘I don’t get no respect.’ I’m not even fazed by it. I don’t expect anyone to know who I am. My manager always says I need to do more self-promotion, and of course I want to do that, but my focus has been on training and fighting… I know what I did in that fight, and I proved a bit to myself. If people don’t see the fight, and they just see the result, cool. If they want to make the betting lines that, I’ll make some people who bet on me some money.”
Raufeon Stots — BELLATOR Interim Bantamweight World Champion
“I feel like this is the biggest test. I wouldn’t have said that at the beginning of the tournament; I don’t think many people thought he would beat [Kyoji] Horiguchi. But now, I think this is the two best bantamweight fighters in the world, and I stand by that.”
“I do a lot of studying, and when I look at Patchy, I see a highly skilled grappler. I see somebody who’s improving and somebody who’s changed their life. But I’m hella confident, and I’m sure I’ll end up the bantamweight champion.”
On Patricio Pitbull’s 135lb Move: “[Patricio Pitbull is] not a big guy, so hopefully he makes a good move to 135. I think this is super exciting for the bantamweight division. Granted I win this fight, I have the chance to fight the BELLATOR GOAT. I couldn’t be happier that he’s making that step. He’s on the cusp of something nobody’s done in MMA. You hear people talk about it, but nobody’s done it. He’ll be remembered forever if he accomplishes that. But look on the other side of it, too — Sergio [Pettis] has the chance to beat somebody trying to do that, too. I was looking at the landscape, and at the end of it, I’ll have $1,000,000. And everybody knows I’m not eager to fight Sergio. I knew he was itching to get back, so this gives me a chance to enjoy the $1,000,000 in the bank and grab an extra-large popcorn to watch this. I had to scratch and climb to get here. I didn’t always have all this hype; now I’m getting recognized for being one of the best in the world. I’m happy this fight is happening, so I’ll get some time off.”
“I feel like I will myself to these big stages. The way I prepare and think about myself is championship level. I try to do everything to the best of my ability, and I hold myself to a high standard.”
“I started at Roufusport, but I moved to Houston because I have family there that can help with the kids so I can put more time into martial arts. Then I moved camps to Xtreme Couture, and I’ve just been rolling with the punches. I’ve watched a lot of great fighters before me and great coaches; I’ve had a lot of good knowledge, so now I can replicate good coaching. I’m blessed that I’m able to work with the people I work with.”
On His Trash Talk Adding Pressure: “The more chips I put out, the more I have to defend. I want to be able to lose something. I want it to be like, ‘Hey man, you were talking a lot, so if you don’t live up to what you say, you’re gonna have some backlash.’ Like I told [rival Danny] Sabatello in the airport, now I can say anything I want to say. That’s part of the game.”
Patchy Mix — BELLATOR Bantamweight World Grand Prix Finalist, No. 2-Ranked Contender
“I expect the biggest challenge, I’m ready for the biggest challenge. I don’t mind if it’s harder than my first two fights. By no means do I underestimate his skills. I have belief in his skillset, and I believe my skill set matches well with his and I can put him away.
On If the $1,000,00 Is His Motivation: “I fight to be the best, and that’s what I’m chasing. With this belt, it’ll give me more notoriety to say that. The money? I didn’t get into this for the money. Saturday night, it won’t just be for the money, it’ll be to call myself the best bantamweight in the world. It’s been a longer road than just this tournament. I had to fight Albert Morales on short notice. I had to fight James Gallagher in Ireland. Styles make fights, and I took a long road to get here. Saturday, it’s all about claiming this gold.”
“I didn’t know who to expect. I just let the bracket play itself out; I didn’t look too far into it. All I thought was that Kyoji Horiguchi would’ve been the toughest guy. It surprises me when all these people overlook me. I’ve never been finished, he has. I’ve never been knocked out, he has. My only loss was a razor-close split-decision that I was dominating before I got tired. Maybe that would’ve been different if training was so difficult during COVID. Now, I’m stronger and better. No man has ever trumped me, one has survived me. Saturday is going to be my coming out party. I’m the dangerous guy. I have more finishes than him. I’m ready to go out there and finish my business. All that other stuff, it doesn’t matter. Saturday night, it’s one vs. one, and I’m gonna beat up Raufeon Stots.”
“I think it’s great for the division, great for the promotion. I have a lot of respect for Patricio Pitbull for going down and chasing history. I think it’s great he went up and knocked out Michael Chandler at 155. He was the only person to beat AJ McKee at 145 and held the belt for a long time. Now he gets to chase history. I hope he gets it done. I want to test myself against the No. 1 guy. But if Sergio gets the job done, he’ll be the one to get the No. 1 guy. Either way, I have a super-fight waiting for me. Saturday night, I want to punch myself into a super-fight for the ages. I believe I’m the best bantamweight in the world. My team, myself, we know I’m the best.”
“Inside the training rooms now, I only train with world champions. I only train with guys who are undefeated. Guys who are competing for titles. I have so many training partners, and I train in Vegas with a lot of jiu jitsu competitors. So many of the highest level jiu jitsu competitors. The best coaches in the world. We set out to win a world title a few years ago. Having the training partners and coaches overseeing this, I feel like I’ve leveled up not just in the past few years, but the past few months. This is a very dangerous version of myself. I just want to give it my all, because if I do that, I’m dangerous.”
“On Saturday, it’s just style versus style. I don’t want to hurt [opponent Raufeon Stots] any more or less because he’s talking [trash]. Maybe it would make me feel better, but I’m going out there to finish him as fast as I can. Him and his antagonizing ways, I feel like it’s insecurity talking. It won’t change my gameplan at all. I will go out there and dominate him, and as I do that, he’ll soon realize that all that shit he was talking doesn’t matter.”
Danny Sabatello — No. 5-Ranked BELLATOR Bantamweight
On the Loss to Raufeon Stots: “It fucking sucks. It still burns, to be honest. I’m still not over it, and I won’t be until I get that back against Stots. I’ve got to put one foot in front of another and that’s what I’ll do against Marcos Breno. He’s got a lot of potential, he’s dangerous and can put people out, but I’m gonna beat the fuck out of Marcos Breno.”
On Fighting Marcos Breno Next: “Everything’s the same, no matter who I fight, I’m gonna give it my all. This is a game where if you’re out of place for just a second, you get put out. With this Breno fight, I take it just as seriously as I did Stots. I don’t like this guy. He hasn’t been talking any trash, and I wanted to get in his head, but he doesn’t any English. Any time you fight Danny Sabatello, the lights are bright; it’s a different type of pressure. I think I can take advantage of him and get in his head, then break his face in the fight.”
On the Breno Fight as a Must-Win: “On paper, I lost that fight, in the back of my mind, I won that fight. I don’t look at this as a bounce-back or a must-see or to re-establish myself to the fans. Everybody knows I’m the best guy in the bantamweight division. This is what I do. I get in there and drown him with takedowns, break him, and break his face. I love fucking fighting. I can’t wait to go out there and put on a show for the Hawaiian fans and finish this guy.”
On Running into Stots During Fight Week: “I have seen him this fight week. It’s not ideal. The hate is very real between us. This is a rivalry that will never be fine. It’s a lifelong hatred. I have run into him [this week], but not face-to-face. He’s insecure. He knew I won the fight. But, I do have my eyes on Marcos Breno. First things first, I take care of Marcos Breno.”
On Fan Criticism of His Persona: “I don’t know too much what the fans are saying; I don’t put too much into it. I don’t care what the fans say. But I am very calculated with everything I do, even my trash talk. This guy’s only had one fight in BELLATOR, he’s young, and I can take advantage of that. The reason I can talk so much shit and back this up is because I train at the best gym in the world: American Top Team. I do this game, and that’s all I do. I study it. There’s a reason I’m saying what I’m saying and there’s a reason why I’m doing what I’m doing.”
Aaron Pico — No. 3-Ranked BELLATOR Featherweight
“I’m just really trying to enjoy it. I’ll go to the beach and walk around; I want to enjoy Hawaii. It’s been good, it’s been fun. The weather’s good. I’m not much of a beach person, but here, it’s awesome. And I’m really enjoying learning about the culture.”
“I found out on Thursday. I got a call from Ali, and I knew it was going to be something. The first words I said were, ‘Otto’s out, right?’ He said yeah, and I said, ‘Yes to whoever it is.’ We got it done. It would’ve sucked, but I would’ve adjusted. I just called Ali when I got cleared with my shoulder and said I wanted to fight as soon as possible. I feel like I’ve been in camp since my surgery. I really just rested and worked out. It would’ve sucked to have not fought.”
“[James Gonzalez is] a tough guy, he’s a tough opponent. I’m not taking this guy lightly. He’s a southpaw, I believe he’s under Matt Serra and Ray Longo. We’re not taking this guy lightly, we’ve done our homework, and I’m ready… I fought Adli Edwards on a week’s notice, so I’ve been here before. My coaches, we have so many notes. That’s the beauty of having a striking coach like Brandon [Gibson]. I just have to go out there and fight, simple as that.”
“Last fight was a big wake-up call for me. I work really hard, sometimes too much. This camp, it was just smooth. I wasn’t overworking. I really listened to all my coaches and myself, and I think that comes with age and experience. We all know that I’m tough; I can go through hard practices, but it’s reassuring that sometimes my coaches are like, ‘Just rest.’ I have to take care of my body, and the last fight was a big wake-up call.”
On the Featherweight Title Picture: “If there’s an opportunity for a vacant title to fight Jeremy Kennedy, I think that makes the most sense. Then when [Patricio] Pitbull’s ready to come back up, I’ll welcome him back to the division.”
“Last fight, I don’t look at it as a loss. Mentally, I’m still on a six-fight win streak. It was a freak accident. My shoulder was out in the first 30 seconds, and I kept fighting. I would’ve kept fighting. I just didn’t get the opportunity. I really, truly thought I could win that fight.”
Ilima-Lei Macfarlane: No. 3-Ranked BELLATOR Flyweight
“I’m so happy that you mentioned BELLATOR giving me this platform and being supported. I feel like you don’t have that autonomy or support [elsewhere]. Having that support from them has definitely catapulted me into that realm [of Hawaiian MMA pioneers], and I’m very grateful to have this platform to continue to fight for issues I hold dear to my heart.”
“When you’re in the public spotlight, you’re under so much scrutiny. It doesn’t matter what you do; you’re always going to have trolls. But for every negative remark I’ve heard or felt, I get tenfold in love and support. That’s why I say Hawaii, I can say this hands-down, has the best support system. Especially when I shared my story of what happened when I was younger, the support has been overwhelming, and I credit Hawaii for that.”
“I think like you said, one-foot-in-one-foot-out, that’s how I’ve felt going into every fight. Even when I was going for the belt, when I got the belt, I was always like, ‘I don’t know if I want to do this.’ But I am in a different chapter in my life now where it is coming to a close, so I want to finish strong and leave a legacy behind that I belong at the top, I did my work, and I’m respected as a fighter for my skills and what I do in the cage as well as outside the cage. I want to end on a good note; even if it’s a loss, I want it to be a badass fight.”
“I am disappointed that all my last wins have been by decision, because I do pride myself of having the most finishes of any woman in the finish and being a member of 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu – where we pride ourselves on getting the finish. I want a legit knockout; I think that would be super cool. Especially in Hawaii, where we love to stand and bang.”
On Her Career: “It has been the most unexpected, crazy roller-coaster I’ve ever experienced. I never thought I would fight. I walked into a gym on my way into work. I was waitressing and I thought, ‘This looks cool, I should get back into shape.’ I couldn’t make it through warm-ups because I was so out of shape. I never thought in a million years it would take me as far as it has. It was almost a total accident. I think that this has been the most amazing journey ever. The most amazing, wonderful experience I’ve ever had.”
“I think Sumiko [Inaba] is going to be amazing. She’s definitely on that path now. I think when it comes to Hawaiian fighters, I would love to pass the torch to her. She would have made her own path without me; she’s killing it on her own. She doesn’t need any advice from me.”
Kana Watanabe — No. 2-Ranked BELLATOR Flyweight
On Her Training Camp: “I can’t tell you the details, but I’m doing very well with the camp and training, and I think I’ll do great in the fight.”
“[My opponent Ilima-Lei Macfarlane] a really good grappler, but I’m also confident in my grappling. If the fight turns into a striking fight, that is okay with me, too. I’ve watched her past bouts a lot, and I’ve studied her past fights and patterns. I’m prepared for the fight.”
On Liz Carmouche Speaking Highly of Her Ability: “I’m very happy that Liz [Carmouche], the champion, is wishing for me to fight again with her. I wasn’t able to show my own strength last time, so in the next fight against her, I hope to show my strength more. It’s been two years since I lost to Liz, and I’ve improved a lot since.””
“I’m planning to win this Saturday’s fight, so I’m very happy to fight whoever wins. It doesn’t matter if it’s Liz or DeAnna [Bennett], I want to fight the champion.”
“People think that Japanese fighters are not strong enough to fight at the world level, so I want to show how strong Japanese fighters are in this fight. Definitely, I’m looking to finish [this fight].”
Kyoji Horiguchi — No. 6-Ranked BELLATOR Bantamweight
On Ray Borg: “[Ray Borg is] a good wrestling and boxing style. I do everything, so I will show up for an MMA fight… I can do MMA, I think he just has boxing and wrestling. I’m better.”
“[I worked with] a lot of wrestlers and a lot of boxers, and as always, I trained with the ATT family. So, I’m ready to fight.”
“Of course, I want to finish him. It doesn’t matter, submission or KO, but I will finish him.”
On This Fight Launching a Flyweight Division: “That sounds good. I want to fight for BELLATOR at flyweight, so I hope they open this division.”
On Whether Other Japanese Fighters Should Move to the U.S.: “I think moving to America is better [for my career], so that’s why I’m moving. I hope they realize that coming here is better.”
“I’m the best flyweight in the world.”
Ray Borg — BELLATOR Athlete
“It’s good to be here; I’m excited. I’ve been in the sport a long time, and I’ve fought at a high level for a long time. BELLATOR’s been great. There were a couple of options on the table, but I went to BELLATOR because I’m not in the business to rack up regional wins, I’m here to beat the best that there is. I didn’t want to go backward in pay or competition. BELLATOR struck me because the lighter weights are developing well; they’re some of the highest levels in the world.”
“I would’ve been kind of bummed if they didn’t give me someone like [opponent Kyoji] Horiguchi. He’s been fighting high-level guys forever, too. The fact that we haven’t fought in the past is surprising. I couldn’t ask for a better debut. He’s a great fighter, he’s a veteran in the sport as well. I’m excited.”
“[Horiguchi] was always a name that was on my list of guys I thought I’d fight. Sergio Pettis was higher on the list because timeline-wise, we were always neck and neck. Here we are, years later… this sport’s unpredictable, and we’re going to have a great fight.”
“He’s been in the game a little bit longer, but I think one thing that’s gonna be the difference between the two of us — it was a mental revelation: I’m a dog when I’m in there. He’s gonna try to hit me with stuff, blitz me, but I’m a dog when I’m in there and that’s a big difference… I’m a kill-or-be-killed fighter. I’m here to throw down, have some fun, and win a fight.”
“I don’t see why winning this fight wouldn’t throw me right into the title mix. I don’t know why winning this fight wouldn’t catapult me into the front of the line for the division. There’re some great fights this weekend, but let’s see what happens… I mean, arguably one maybe two [fights away from the title]. I’m just focused on winning fights. That’s what I do. I’m really good at winning fights, and that’s all that’s been on my mind. If I win this fight, I’m probably one or two fights away.”
Sara McMann — BELLATOR Featherweight
“It’s a normal fight week for me. I’m monitoring my weight, which has been fantastic, and getting my last little workouts in. I’ve been doing it for almost 14 years now.”
“[Liz Carmouche] and I have always had a pretty cool relationship. A lot of times when I see fighters, it’s like seeing an old friend. We’ve always had respect for one another. She’s a really hard worker and a good fighter. Nothing but respect.”
“I stay pretty narrowly focused because I don’t like to put the cart before the horse, so my focus has been on [opponent] Arlene [Blencowe], but I really want to get the belt from Cris [Cyborg]. If you want to do this, and be a champion, it matters more to get it from the right people, and she’s been around for so long. But, my focus is on Arlene.”
On Facing No. 2-Ranked Blencowe in Her Promotional Debut: “It told me that they took my title aspirations seriously. It’s okay building your way through, but I’ve fought for so long that I think I’m past that phase; I’m a contender. I think it’s a strong division; for me, it’s the strongest 145lb division in the world.”
On Cris Cyborg’s Status: “I don’t know how long you can hold on for someone. I think Cyborg should make a decision. If she’s going to go somewhere else, or if she’s going to come back… I just want to fight for a title. I understand interim titles, but when it’s something like this, you have to choose whether you’re going to vacate or come back.”
“It was challenging to make weight for 135. It was manageable, but now I’m really excited to see. 145 is closer to what I competed at in wrestling, so I feel like in the third round, I’ll feel better with the strength and the cardio. I don’t always feel like I was executing as fast or as quick as I’m used to. Now, at 145, that weight is lifted off my shoulders, and I feel excited about going into the later rounds… It was making the jump to BELLATOR [that led to my 145lb move]. I’d be a liar if I didn’t say, ‘Maybe a move to 145 might be better for me.'”
On Her Decision to Join BELLATOR: “I wanted another high-level promotion; a world championship that meant something to me was really important. [BELLATOR] has the premiere featherweights, and BELLATOR made it very lucrative. Sponsorships, and getting a higher price to fight, it was wonderful… It was wonderful to learn that my first fight would be in Hawaii, because I really love it. I love the fighting spirit; it really amps me up. I feel better [in Hawaii]. It’s a great place, and it’s a great place to fight.”
Kai Kamaka III — BELLATOR Featherweight
“I think it’s a good matchup. It’s a fight, style-wise, where I can show a lot of my skills. [Adli Edwards is] a tough guy. He’s a student of the game. He’s got to be good to be at this level. I’m excited.
On Fighting in His Home State of Hawaii: “I could fight in an empty room; it doesn’t matter. I want to fight. I want to fight as a professional. I like to do this every day – it’s my job. There’s no added pressure [on fighting in Hawaii]. The only pressure is to win. It’s not about having fun; you’ve got to win. That’s the sport.”
On BELLATOR Bringing World-Class MMA to Hawaii: “I don’t know what BELLATOR’s doing different, but they’re getting it done. And I appreciate it. Now fighting in the biggest promotion that comes to my home state, in the arena I grew up going to as a fan. That arena means a lot to me, to Hawaii, and to a lot of fighters on this card. I grew up in there in the 90s, watching my uncles Ray and Ron fight. Those are guys I’ve looked up to, and now I’m one of those guys to carry the torch and be in the big show representing Hawaii.
“I’m always relevant. I’m always getting better. I’m trying to be a name in this sport. A household name, not just a hometown hero.”
Sumiko Inaba — No. 9-Ranked BELLATOR Flyweight
On Opponent Veta Arteaga: “100%, I know she’s gonna bring the fight. Especially in my home. She has experience. She’s fought for the title before, she’s gone 15 minutes, she has a gas tank. But I’m prepared. I’m ready to go.”
“I think I gain experience every time, so I get more comfortable. I take it all as positive energy. I love fighting at home; fighting in Hawaii is amazing. The energy here is amazing.”
On Her Improvements: “I definitely have improved my takedown defense. I’m ready to go to the ground as well. I’m ready to show that, as well… once that door closes in the cage, I know it’s time.”
On Comparisons to Macfarlane: “I would love [to take the torch from Ilima-Lei]. She paved the way for us, especially in BELLATOR, being as good as she is. I’m grateful to have that [comparison made of me]. It’s amazing to see how well she did and what she did for the sport in Hawaii, and I’m just happy to be behind her.”
BELLATOR 294: CARMOUCHE VS. BENNETT 2 MAIN CARD:
Friday, April 21 – live on SHOWTIME
10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT/4 p.m. HST (local)
Flyweight World Title Bout: C-Liz Carmouche (18-7) vs. #4-DeAnna Bennett (13-7-1)
Heavyweight Co-Main Event: #7-Tim Johnson (15-9) vs. Said Sowma (8-4)
Featherweight Bout: #2-Arlene Blencowe (15-9) vs. Sara McMann (13-6)
Bantamweight Bout: #5-Danny Sabatello (13-2) vs. Marcos Breno (15-2)
Welterweight Bout: Levan Chokheli (11-2, 1 NC) vs. Michael Lombardo (13-3, 1 NC)
BELLATOR 294: CARMOUCHE VS. BENNETT 2 PRELIMINARY CARD:
BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel | SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel | Pluto TV
8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT/2:30 p.m. HST (local)
Lightweight Bout: Killys Mota (14-3) vs. Kenneth Cross (13-3)
Heavyweight Bout: Tyrell Fortune (12-3, 1 NC) vs. Sergei Bilostennyi (10-2)
Featherweight Bout: Cris Lencioni (10-3) vs. Blake Smith (7-3)
Middleweight Bout: Anthony Adams (9-3) vs. Sharaf Davlatmurodov (18-4-1)
BELLATOR 295: STOTS VS. MIX MAIN CARD:
Saturday, April 22 – live on SHOWTIME
11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT/5 p.m. HST (local)
Bantamweight World Grand Prix Final: IC-Raufeon Stots (19-2) vs. #2-Patchy Mix (17-1)
Flyweight Bout: #3-Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (12-2) vs. #2-Kana Watanabe (11-1-1)
Featherweight Bout: #3-Aaron Pico (10-4) vs. James Gonzalez (10-5)
Flyweight Bout: Kyoji Horiguchi (31-5) vs. Ray Borg (16-5)
BELLATOR 295: STOTS VS. MIX PRELIMINARY CARD:
BELLATOR MMA YouTube Channel | SHOWTIME Sports YouTube Channel | Pluto TV
8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT/2 p.m. HST (local)
Contract Weight Bout (165 lbs): Yancy Medeiros (16-8, 1 NC) vs. Charlie Leary (17-13-1)
Featherweight Bout: #6-Mads Burnell (16-5) vs. #7-Justin Gonzales (14-1)
Featherweight Bout: Kai Kamaka III (10-5-1) vs. Adli Edwards (9-2)
Flyweight Bout: #9–Sumiko Inaba (5-0) vs. #7-Veta Arteaga (7-4)
Contract Weight Bout (148 lbs): Keoni Diggs (10-2) vs. Weber Almeida (7-1)
Lightweight Bout: Bobby King (12-5) vs. Aalon Cruz (10-4)
Heavyweight Bout: Davion Franklin (5-1) vs. Kasim Aras (7-1)
Flyweight Bout: #8-Ilara Joanne (11-6) vs. Bruna Ellen (6-4)
Welterweight Bout: Alexey Shurkevich (13-5) vs. Masayuki Kikuiri (8-2-1)
*Card subject to change.
OFFICIAL WEIGH-IN PHOTOS (PLEASE CREDIT: BELLATOR MMA/LUCAS NOONAN)
HONOLULU, HI – The first of two weigh-ins for BELLATOR’s return to Hawaii are in the books ahead of Friday’ BELLATOR 294: Carmouche vs. Bennett 2 event at the Blaisdell Arena.
In the main event, DeAnna Bennett weighed in at 126.2-pounds and officially missed weight for her bout against Liz Carmouche for the BELLATOR World Flyweight Championship.
Carmouche has chosen to keep her title on the line in the bout tomorrow, meaning that if she were to lose the fight, the BELLATOR Flyweight Championship would become vacant.
BELLATOR MMA’s double-header weekend full of action begins with Friday’s BELLATOR 294: Carmouche vs. Bennett 2 which will be headlined by a highly anticipated rematch between reigning women’s flyweight champion Liz Carmouche (18-7) and No. 4-ranked challenger DeAnna Bennett (13-7-1).
The evening’s co-main event will see a heavyweight clash between No. 7-ranked Tim Johnson (15-9) and American Top Team’s Said Sowma (8-4). Elsewhere on the main card, former title challenger No. 2-ranked Arlene Blencowe (15-9) welcomes Olympic wrestler Sara McMann (13-6) to the BELLATOR cage, while Danny Sabatello (13-2) looks to get back in the win column when he takes on Brazil’s Marcos Breno (15-2). In a welterweight affair, Levan Chokheli (11-2, 1 NC) and Michael Lombardo (13-3, 1 NC) take center stage to round out the main card.
The main card of BELLATOR 294 can be seen live on SHOWTIME beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, while the preliminary portion of the card will kick off at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT and can be viewed live and free on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, the SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel, and Pluto TV.
Full weigh-in results are below.
BELLATOR 294: CARMOUCHE VS. BENNETT 2 MAIN CARD:
Friday, April 21 – live on SHOWTIME
10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT/4 p.m. HST (local)
Flyweight World Title Bout: C-Liz Carmouche (125) vs. #4-DeAnna Bennett (126.2*)
Heavyweight Co-Main Event: #7-Tim Johnson (262) vs. Said Sowma (239.2)
Featherweight Bout: #2-Arlene Blencowe (146) vs. Sara McMann (145.6)
Bantamweight Bout: #5-Danny Sabatello (135.6) vs. Marcos Breno (136)
Welterweight Bout: Levan Chokheli (169.6) vs. Michael Lombardo (170.8)
BELLATOR 294: CARMOUCHE VS. BENNETT 2 PRELIMINARY CARD:
BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel | SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel | Pluto TV
8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT/2:30 p.m. HST (local)
Lightweight Bout: Killys Mota (156) vs. Kenneth Cross (155.2)
Heavyweight Bout: Tyrell Fortune (259.6) vs. Sergei Bilostennyi (240)
Featherweight Bout: Cris Lencioni (152.4*) vs. Blake Smith (146.4*)
Middleweight Bout: Anthony Adams (185.6) vs. Sharaf Davlatmurodov (185.4)
* Denotes fighter missed weight
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