Did you know that Bellator female featherweight champion Julia Budd has won her last eight fights?
In fact, the last time Budd (10-2) lost was when she faced off against Ronda Rousey at Strikeforce Challengers: Britt vs. Sayers back in 2011, suffering the same fate as so many of Rousey’s victims when she succumbed to an armbar.
Since that time, Budd has proven herself as one of the leading female fighters in MMA. And Friday night, she gets the chance to shine in the spotlight.
Budd will defend her title in the main event of Bellator 189 against Arelene Blencowe in a rematch of their 2016 encounter that went to Budd via majority decision.
That win allowed “The Jewel” to be matched up with Marloes Coenen this past March, earning a fourth round TKO victory to win the inaugural Bellator crown.
Budd, 34 and with 12 kickboxing bouts to her credit, has been active in MMA since 2010. She made her debut that year with a victory over Shana Nelson, falling in her second pro fight to current UFC bantamweight titleholder Amanda Nunes in 2011.
Later that year, Budd scored a decision victory over former UFC featherweight champion Germaine de Randamie, taking on Rousey a few months later.
Four of her last eight wins have been finishes, as Budd has also stopped Elina Nilsson, Danielle West and Mollie Estes. All of those bouts, along with a decision win over Charmaine Tweet, came under the Invicta FC banner.
In 2015, after taking a year off from active competition, Budd signed with Bellator and defeated Gabrielle Holloway. She also scored a victory vs. Roberta Rovel that year.
Budd and Blencowe put on a show back in 2016 and you can bet both ladies want to tear the roof off this Friday when they go live on Spike.
