Which former title challenger will earn a second shot at women’s flyweight gold?
The women’s flyweights take center stage in Hawaii this weekend, with champion Ilima-Lei Macfarlane putting her title on the line against Kate Jackson on Saturday night. But on Friday, two aspiring contenders will seek to position themselves for a future shot at the belt in 2020.
America’s [autotag]Veta Arteaga[/autotag] knows exactly how it feels to challenge for the belt. She saw her title challenge come up short against Macfarlane in April, when the doctors intervened after she sustained a nasty cut on her forehead.
After being denied the chance to take the fight all the way to the final bell, Arteaga (5-3 MMA, 4-3 BMMA) will be keen to bounce back and earn herself a second shot. But she faces another contender looking for a second shot of her own.
Colombia’s [autotag]Alejandra Lara[/autotag] lost out to Macfarlane via third-round armbar in June 2018 in only her second bout as a Bellator athlete. But after a dominant first-round win over Taylor Turner at Bellator 225 in August, Lara (8-3 MMA, 2-2 BMMA) stands arguably one more impressive win away from another crack at the gold.
It’s a bonafide battle of the flyweight contenders between two women who are desperate to earn another shot at the title. But who will be victorious?
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