Bellator 279’s Ilima-Lei Macfarlane: Pressure Off After “Kind of Mellow” Fight Camp Ahead of Return

Including Saturday itself, it will have been 500 days since we last saw Ilima-Lei Macfarlane competing inside the Bellator MMA cage.

It’s something that caught the former flyweight champ herself by surprise. “I wasn’t even aware that it was that many days until I saw it on social media,” Macfarlane (11-1) told media outlets including Cageside Press during her Bellator 279 media day appearance this week. “Wow 500 days. That seems like, really long.”

There’s a different feeling for the Hawaiian ahead of her return, she added. “Normally I’m very nervous and there’s a lot of pressure on me before the fights, but this fight, I think because of the long layoff, I’m just super excited already, and I can’t wait for Saturday to come around.”

Part of that, said Macfarlane, is “for sure” the fact that she’s not longer the champ. “It is a nice change-up, not only no longer having that invisible target on your back, but also getting a one pound allowance. That’s what I’ve really been looking forward to, because I don’t have to weigh in at 125, I get to do it at 126, which is really nice. And preparing for this fight, I was preparing for 15 minutes rather than 25, that was also really nice.”

No longer the champ, after losing the title to Juliana Velasquez in her last fight, Macfarlane described her most recent fight camp as “kind of mellow, almost.” Fight week has felt the same, allowing Macfarlane to put more time into her appearance, “and being a diva. Just, it’s chill. I’m having a lot of fun this week.”

Should Macfarlane get the win against UFC vet Justine Kish on Saturday, she’s not looking to rush into a title fight. In fact, she’s looking to take at least one more fight before that.

“If all goes well on Saturday, I would like one more fight before the title shot,” Macfarlane stated. “I’m actually keeping a very close eye on the Denise Kielholtz and Kana Watanabe fight on the London card. I’m keeping my eye on that fight because I think the winner of that fight and the winner of this fight, if it’s me, are the top contenders. That fight between us would be for the title shot.” 

Watch the full Bellator 279 media day appearance from Ilima-Lei Macfarlane above. More coverage from the event can be found below. MacFarlane faces Justine Kish on the main card of Bellator 279 in Honolulu, Hawaii on Saturday, April 23, 2022.