Ilima-Lei Macfarlane could have faded off into the sunset, started a family, and life would have been as great as can be.
The competitor in her wouldn’t allow it.
A year after she left the Blaisdell Arena on a stretcher following a neck injury suffered in a loss to Justine Kish, the former flyweight champion is back home for one more run at the title.
Macfarlane will fight in the co-main event of Bellator 295, which will be the second of a two-night mixed martial arts showcase at the Blaisdell Arena on April 21-22, the organization made official on Tuesday.
Bellator 294 will happen on April 21, with the current 125-pound women’s champion, Liz Carmouche (18-7), defending the belt against No. 4-ranked DeAnna Bennett (13-7-1) in the main event.
That card will be open only to military and first responders.
The following day’s show, which is headlined by the Bantamweight World Grand Prix final between interim champion Raufeon Stots (19-1) against Patchy Mix (17-1), will be open to the public.
Tickets go on sale Friday morning. Both shows will be broadcast on Showtime.
Macfarlane, ranked No. 3 at 125 pounds, will fight No. 2-ranked Kana Watanabe (11-1-1). It will be the fourth — and last — time she fights at the Blaisdell Arena.
“I’m done after this, so if you want to see me fight again, you better come to the Blaisdell,” Macfarlane said this afternoon after landing in Hawaii. “This is my last run to get back my belt. I know the winner of this fight is going to get the next title shot, and that fight is going down Friday night (April 21) with the current champ and my former teammate, Liz Carmouche.”
Eight years after turning pro at 24 years old, Macfarlane, 32, will fight for the 14th time in a Bellator cage.
She won the inaugural 125-pound title in her sixth fight with the company and successfully defended the belt four times, including once in Hawaii when she brought Bellator to Hawaii for the first time and submitted Valerie Letourneau in front of a capacity crowd.
She eventually dropped the belt to Juliana Velasquez in her first fight after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and came to Hawaii last year looking to get back on track.
Instead, an injury early in the fight led to a decision loss.
“I couldn’t frickin’ end (my career) like that with the nature of how I lost,” Macfarlane said. “I couldn’t use my left side. My neck was broken basically. But I was just like, I can’t go out like that. I want to go out on my shield with a good fight.”
Macfarlane won’t be the only fighter representing Hawaii on the card.
Makaha’s Yancy Medeiros, Kamehameha alum Kai Kamaka, Maui’s Bobby King and Sumiko Inaba and Keoni Diggs are scheduled to fight on the undercard of Bellator 295. Inaba (5-0), who has moved into the flyweight top 10 at No. 9, will fight No. 7-ranked Veta Arteaga (7-4).
Medeiros (16-8, 1 NC), who was a fan favorite in his Bellator debut last April in Hawaii, will challenge Charlie Leary (17-13-1) at 155 pounds.
King (12-5) will face Aalon Cruz (10-4) at lightweight, while Diggs (10-2) will fight Brazil’s Weber Almeida (7-1) and Kamaka (10-5-1) will challenge Adil Edwards (9-2) at featherweight.
More fights will be announced.
