Ilima-Lei Macfarlane
Ilima-Lei Macfarlane | |
---|---|
Born | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States |
April 2, 1990
Other names | The Ilimanator |
Residence | San Diego, California, United States |
Nationality | American |
Height | 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m) |
Weight | 125 lb (57 kg; 8.9 st) |
Division | Flyweight |
Reach | 66+1/2 in |
Fighting out of | San Diego, California, United States |
Team | San Diego Combat Academy[1] |
Rank | Brown belt in 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu |
Years active | 2014–present |
Mixed martial arts record | |
Total | 12 |
Wins | 11 |
By knockout | 2 |
By submission | 6 |
By decision | 3 |
Losses | 1 |
By decision | 1 |
University | San Diego State University |
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog |
Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (born April 2, 1990) is an American professional mixed martial artist currently competing in the flyweight division of Bellator MMA.[2] She is the inaugural and former Bellator Women's Flyweight World Champion. As of March 29, 2021, she is #3 in the Bellator Women's pound-for-pound Rankings and #1 in the Bellator Women's Flyweight Rankings.[3]
Contents
Background
In her youth, Macfarlane played basketball, but her aspirations in the sport came to a stop due to series of knee injuries.[1] Macfarlane graduated Punahou School in 2009 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Although she got a scholarship for wrestling to Menlo College, she decided to study Anthropology at San Diego State University from where she earned Bachelor Degree in 2013.[1] After earning her Bachelor Degree in 2013, she continued her education at SDSU to study Master of Arts in Liberal Studies.[4]
During the summer before grad program, she decided to lose some weight she gained in the college and joined a CrossFit gym and Liz Carmouche's MMA gym. She grew affinity for mixed martial arts and continued training at the San Diego Combat Academy.[1]
Personal life
In April 2020, Ilima-Lei, her sister Mahina, and one other female who chose to remain anonymous to the public filed a lawsuit against Punahou School for failing to take action over years of alleged sexual abuse from the school's assistant basketball coach, Dwayne Yuen. In the lawsuit, all three allege Yuen of years of sexual abuse, harassment, lewd gestures, and showing young girls several pornographic photos.[5]
Mixed martial arts career
Xplode Fight Series
Macfarlane began her amateur MMA career in 2014. She fought five times during that year, mainly with Xplode Fight Series, and went undefeated as an amateur.
Macfarlane's first professional fight was an unsanctioned match against Katie Castro for Xplode Fight Series in 2015. Macfarlane won via technical knockout ten seconds into the bout. In the aftermath of the lopsided affair, the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) launched an investigation into the organization's unsanctioned MMA events. Castro had a 0-2 record before fighting Macfarlane and footage of the match was posted on the internet and labeled "Soccer mom loses to MMA fighter". The video went viral, garnering over a million views on YouTube and was discussed on a few television news networks.[6]
Bellator MMA
Following the bout with Castro, Macfarlane signed a three-fight contract with Bellator MMA.[7][1] She made her debut in August 2015 at Bellator 141 where she defeated Maria Rios by split decision.
Macfarlane fought Amber Tackett at Bellator 148 where Macfarlane won by armbar submission in the first round.
Macfarlane's next bout was against Rebecca Ruth at Bellator 157 where she won by standing rear-naked choke in the second round.
Macfarlane would then fight Emily Ducote at Bellator 167 where she was victorious via unanimous decision.
Macfarlane faced Jessica Middleton at Bellator 178 and won by armbar submission in the first round.
Bellator Women's Flyweight World Champion
Macfarlane and Emily Ducote had a rematch at Bellator 186 for the inaugural Bellator Women's Flyweight World Championship. Macfarlane won the bout with an armbar variation in the fifth round to win her first MMA championship.
Macfarlane faced Alejandra Lara at Bellator 201 for the first defense of her flyweight title. Macfarlane won the fight in the third round via armbar.[8]
Macfarlane faced Valérie Létourneau at Bellator 213 in Macfarlane's hometown of Honolulu, Hawaii. Macfarlane successfully defended her title for a second time, defeating Létourneau by third round submission.[9]
In her third title defense, Macfarlane faced Veta Arteaga at Bellator 220 on April 27, 2019.[10] She won the fight via TKO due to a doctor's stoppage in the third round.
Macfarlane made her fourth title defense against Kate Jackson at Bellator 236 on December 21, 2019.[11] Macfarlane was victorious via unanimous decision.
On February 10, 2020, it was announced that Macfarlane had signed a ten-fight, five-year extension contract with Bellator.[12][13]
Macfarlane attempted her next defense against undefeated challenger Juliana Velasquez on December 10, 2020 at Bellator 254.[14] She lost the fight and her title via unanimous decision.[15]
Post Title Reign
After more then a year off due to knee surgery and rehab,[16] Macfarlane is scheduled to return against Justine Kish on April 23, 2022 at Bellator 279.[17]
Championships and accomplishments
Combat jiu-jitsu
- Eddie Bravo Invitational
- Combat Jiu-Jitsu Women's Flyweight Championship (One time, inaugural)
Mixed martial arts
- Bellator MMA
- Bellator Women's Flyweight World Championship (One time, inaugural)
- Four successful title defenses
- Second most submission wins in Bellator history (6) - tied with Michael Chandler and Neiman Gracie
- Most wins in Bellator amongst women (10)[18]
- Most stoppage wins in Bellator amongst women (7)[19]
- Most wins in Bellator Flyweight division history (10)[18]
- Most fights in Bellator Flyweight division history (10)[19]
- Bellator Women's Flyweight World Championship (One time, inaugural)
- MMAjunkie.com
- 2018 Breakthrough Fighter of the Year[20]
Mixed martial arts record
Professional record breakdown | ||
12 matches | 11 wins | 1 loss |
By knockout | 2 | 0 |
By submission | 6 | 0 |
By decision | 3 | 1 |
Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Loss | 11–1 | Juliana Velasquez | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 254 | December 10, 2020 | 5 | 5:00 | Uncasville, Connecticut, United States | Lost the Bellator Women's Flyweight World Championship. |
Win | 11–0 | Kate Jackson | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 236 | December 21, 2019 | 5 | 5:00 | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | Defended the Bellator Women's Flyweight World Championship. |
Win | 10–0 | Veta Arteaga | TKO (doctor stoppage) | Bellator 220 | April 27, 2019 | 3 | 1:50 | San Jose, California, United States | Defended the Bellator Women's Flyweight World Championship. |
Win | 9–0 | Valérie Létourneau | Submission (triangle choke) | Bellator 213 | December 15, 2018 | 3 | 3:19 | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | Defended the Bellator Women's Flyweight World Championship. |
Win | 8–0 | Alejandra Lara | Submission (armbar) | Bellator 201 | June 29, 2018 | 3 | 3:55 | Temecula, California, United States | Defended the Bellator Women's Flyweight World Championship. |
Win | 7–0 | Emily Ducote | Submission (triangle armbar) | Bellator 186 | November 3, 2017 | 5 | 3:42 | University Park, Pennsylvania, United States | Won the inaugural Bellator Women's Flyweight World Championship. |
Win | 6–0 | Jessica Middleton | Submission (armbar) | Bellator 178 | April 21, 2017 | 1 | 2:15 | Uncasville, Connecticut, United States | |
Win | 5–0 | Emily Ducote | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 167 | December 3, 2016 | 3 | 5:00 | Thackerville, Oklahoma, United States | |
Win | 4–0 | Rebecca Ruth | Submission (standing rear-naked choke) | Bellator 157 | June 24, 2016 | 2 | 3:00 | St.Louis, Missouri, United States | |
Win | 3–0 | Amber Tackett | Submission (armbar) | Bellator 148 | January 29, 2016 | 1 | 2:09 | Fresno, California, United States | |
Win | 2–0 | Maria Rios | Decision (split) | Bellator 141 | August 28, 2015 | 3 | 5:00 | Temecula, California, United States | |
Win | 1–0 | Katie Castro | KO (punches) | Xplode Fight Series – Hurricane | January 17, 2015 | 1 | 0:10 | Valley Center, California, United States |
Amateur record breakdown | ||
5 matches | 5 wins | 0 losses |
By knockout | 1 | 0 |
By submission | 3 | 0 |
By decision | 1 | 0 |
Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Win | 5–0 | Angela Hancock | Submission (armbar) | Xplode Fight Series - Wasteland | November 8, 2014 | 3 | 1:32 | Valley Center, California, United States | |
Win | 4–0 | LaToya Darby | TKO (punches) | Xplode Fight Series - Tornado | September 20, 2014 | 1 | 0:50 | Valley Center, California, United States | |
Win | 3–0 | Breanna Bland | Submission (kimura) | Xplode Fight Series - Tidal Wave | August 23, 2014 | 1 | 1:47 | Valley Center, California, United States | |
Win | 2–0 | Monique Martinez | Decision (split) | Archangel Worldwide MMA – Tournament of Truth 2 | May 2, 2014 | 3 | 2:00 | Riverside, California, United States | |
Win | 1–0 | Stephanie Houser | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Xplode Fight Series - Fire | March 22, 2014 | 1 | 0:46 | Valley Center, California, United States |
Combat jiu-jitsu record
See also
- List of current Bellator fighters
- List of current mixed martial arts champions
- List of female mixed martial artists
- List of Bellator MMA champions
References
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External links
- Ilima-Lei Macfarlane at BellatorLua error in Module:WikidataCheck at line 28: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
- Professional MMA record for Ilima-Lei Macfarlane from SherdogLua error in Module:WikidataCheck at line 28: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
- Articles with short description
- 1990 births
- Living people
- American practitioners of Brazilian jiu-jitsu
- Female Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners
- American female mixed martial artists
- Mixed martial artists from Hawaii
- Flyweight mixed martial artists
- Mixed martial artists utilizing wrestling
- Mixed martial artists utilizing Brazilian jiu-jitsu
- Bellator female fighters
- Bellator MMA champions
- Punahou School alumni
- San Diego State University alumni
- Sportspeople from Honolulu
- 21st-century American women