[autotag]Alejandra Lara[/autotag] now is a free agent.
The former Bellator women’s flyweight title challenger was released by the PFL in the wake of its recent acquisition of Bellator. Lara (9-7), who renewed her contract with Bellator after her most recent performance, had been working with the promotion prior to the sale on her return. However, those plans were put on ice with the sale, and eventually terminated after the deal was struck.
Although disappointed she was let go, it doesn’t entirely surprise her. She expected cuts with the merger.
“The news didn’t catch me completely by surprise,” Lara told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “I had considered it and spoke about it with my manager. Keeping in mind my recent record, I knew there was a possibility, but that was never something that kept me down. I had a big jump early in my career, so this is an opportunity to slow things down. Bellator wanted me to fight, and they had me waiting, but with the switch the person that now makes the decision is not the same.”
Karina Rodriguez, former Invicta FC champion, and Alejandra Lara, former Bellator title challenger, have both been released by the PFL.
The two had fights remaining on their Bellator contracts, but they've been terminated following PFL's acquisition of Bellator.
Per sources. pic.twitter.com/TvC57hRuN9
— Danny Segura (@dannyseguratv) January 24, 2024
Lara said she never spoke to anyone at the PFL and wasn’t paid for any of her remaining fights on her contract – although contractually, PFL is in no obligation to do so.
“Azul” is on a four-fight skid, which is why she thinks the PFL made the decision to cut her. However, she thinks that skid is a deceiving one given all those loses came by decision, two were splits, and two of her opponents missed weight.
“I never like to make excuses, but they were great fights and at the time I had that situation with my back where I couldn’t wrestle, and in the last camp I had difficulty just lifting my leg,” Lara said. “So after putting that behind me, I felt I was putting that part of my career behind me, but I did keep in mind the possibility that PFL maybe wouldn’t want me because they don’t know me and that hadn’t seen my fights. They just looked at my record, saw I lost the most recent ones, and that’s fine. I don’t blame them, but I have evolved so much as an athlete.
“Remember, I started at the top. I started by fighting the best in the world, and from there I began to get better. I know that now I’m at that level now, so I’m not scared of the future, and I’m very calm because you just have to go and earn what’s yours. I’m not scared of the future, and I’m living in the present.”
The 29-year-old is currently training in San Diego alongside Cat Zingano and Ilima-Lei MacFarlane and no longer working with Lobo Gym. She intends to continue fighting and is excited to see what opportunities comer her way now that she’s a free agent.
“Planning has never been my thing, but we’ve obviously looked at scenarios and there are possibilities in Latin America, the U.S., Asia,” Lara said. “A lot of things can happen, so we’ll see what offers come and what’s best for us.”
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