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With Ilima-Lei Macfarlane coming back from her longest break since turning professional, her weight cut started out a little tougher than normal.
The end result was the same as her previous 10 victories to begin her mixed martial arts career, as the Punahou alumna made weight at 124.8 pounds on Friday to make tonight’s main event of Bellator 236 against Kate Jackson at Blaisdell Arena official.
Macfarlane (10-0, 9-0 BMMA) will make the fourth defense of her women’s flyweight world title, which she won in 2017, against Jackson (11-3-1, 3-1), who had no problem making weight at 124.4 pounds.
She presented Jackson with a lei before the two fighters squared off on Friday.
>> PHOTOS: Weigh-ins for Bellator 235 and 236 in Honolulu
“I got so big in the offseason and it was almost as if I wanted even more time off so I could work the weight off before camp started,” said Macfarlane, whose last fight was in April. “It went by so fast because I was working so much. I think I was on the road the majority of those eight months, so it was super crazy.”
Now ranked No. 2 in the world at 125 pounds behind UFC champion Valentina Shevchenko according to ESPN.com, Macfarlane has found it a learning process balancing her fighting career with her other obligations as a mainstream star.
While on the road, you won’t find her in a hotel gym working out. Fun time is fun time. Fight time comes once she begins her camp.
“I just need to stay disciplined and keep the weight down,” Macfarlane said. “I know I can do it. It was just a learning experience for me. As soon as camp started I was back in the swing of things, but I don’t want to have to eat chicken and sweet potato and broccoli for six weeks again. That totally sucked.”
All 12 fighters on the main card beginning at 5 p.m. made weight. There will also be six preliminary card bouts starting at 3:30 p.m involving fighters from Hawaii. Any fights not done by 5 will take place after the conclusion of the main card.
Roughly 1,500 tickets were still available Friday, according to Ticketmaster.
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