Julia Budd made a statement against Olga Rubin at Bellator 224, then called out the biggest names possible.
Julia Budd was back in action for the first time in over a year Friday night in Thackerville, Oklahoma. At Bellator 224, in the main event, she was tasked with defending her women’s featherweight title against the undefeated Olga Rubin. Rubin, unlike Budd, had managed to stay active over the past year, but the champ had not lost a fight since a meeting with Ronda Rousey in 2011.
As the main event of Bellator 224 got underway, both ladies stayed light on their feet. Budd fired off a low kick, then went high only for Rubin to catch the leg. Nothing came of it, however. Budd stayed confident with her kicks, mixing them up to the leg and body.
It was the kicks that led to the finish. Budd planted her toes right in the midsection, and Olga Rubin reacted immediately, hands instinctively dropping. Out of air, and with Budd swarming, Rubin was backed up. Budd launched bomb after bomb, connecting again and again. Overwhelmed with punches, Rubin crumpled, covering up, with the ref moving in to wave things off.
Another title defense by Budd, her third since winning the title in 2017. While Arlene Blencowe made a statement earlier in the evening, Budd holds two wins over her. Leslie Smith, however, made her debut on the preliminary card, earning a win over Sinead Kavanagh. That fight would certainly make sense for Budd, who has now won eleven straight fights. “I feel great. I feel like I’ve come into my own,” Budd said after the fight. “I think Leslie did great tonight. I’m super excited that she came over to Bellator. So that’s big,” Budd said as to who might be next. She also called out none other than RIZIN’s big lady, Gabi Garcia. Which would be a massive fight, pun fully intended.
Julia Budd def. Olga Rubin by TKO, Round 1, 2:14
