Bellator 278: Liz Carmouche Sees “Zero” Evolution in Champ Juliana Velasquez’s Game

Liz Carmouche has no problem if Bellator women’s flyweight champ Juliana Velasquez is, in fact, overlooking her.

Velasquez told Cageside Press during the Bellator Hawaii media day on Wednesday that Carmouche, a former two-time UFC title challenger, was not the toughest test of her career. “The Girl-Rilla,” who will attempt to dethrone Velasquez at Bellator 278 this Friday, isn’t buying it.

“I think in part it’s a front, and if I am being overlooked, great,” the 38-year old told Cageside Press and other media outlets. “I love being the underdog and being underrated. It just makes it that much sweeter for me.”

Carmouche (16-7) has watched the champ’s last few fights, and has not seen any growth. “Zero. She looked like the same fighter in every fight that I’ve seen so far.”

Just shy of 40, Liz Carmouche is well aware that title shots and big name opportunities are harder than ever to obtain — and you never know how many more chances will come. That’s shaped her entire approaching to fighting in Bellator.

“Each of my fights with Bellator, I’ve been thinking about that exact thing. I have to capitalize and live in the moment and give everything I have in this fight,” Carmouche explained. “As much as I focused towards the belt and that’s what I was saying when I came to Bellator, I was really identifying each fight as being the most important fight I had, and trying to put everything into it. And this is the same. This has to be the most important fight, get the belt, and the next one will be the most important fight, and so on and so forth.”

Watch the full Bellator Hawaii media day scrum with Liz Carmouche above. Carmouche challenges women’s flyweight champ Juliana Velasquez this Friday, April 22, 2022 at Bellator 278 in Honolulu, Hawaii.