Atlanta, GA — With UFC women’s featherweight (and bantamweight) champion Amanda Nunes retiring over the weekend, much has been made of the state of the weight class. Especially given the 145lb division is now on the chopping block for that promotion.
Former Bellator MMA champ and current PFL featherweight Julia Budd, however, sees a division that is thriving across two promotions at the moment.
“Absolutely. I think that we bring exciting fights, I think we’re awesome athletes. I think in Bellator and PFL, they’ve been showcased, the 145’ers. They’re showcasing us. And they’re showing how exciting and good we are,” Budd (16-6) told Cageside Press in an exclusive interview on Wednesday. “I’ve been in 145, jeez, I’ve been fighting MMA for 13 years, and I’ve fought the best of the best.”
Of course, drafting talent for 145 is a little more difficult than at strawweight or flyweight, given fewer female athletes hit that weight. Budd, however, believes both Bellator and the PFL are doing well on that front.
“I think they’re doing a really good job. Even in Bellator, you see who they’ve got right now. It’s like, I think that they’re doing a really good job. All good names. We bring excitement and eyes to the sport.”
In front of Julia Budd this Friday is Martina Jindrova. More importantly, if Budd wants to keep her playoff hopes alive, she must find a finish. Early if possible.
“My goal is to make it to the next stage, and I prepared this camp differently than I’ve ever prepared for a fight before,” she noted. “So I look forward to showcasing that. I’m going for the first round— I need a six point finish. So I’m going for it.”
Fighting at featherweight, after last year’s 155lb run, is much more natural for Budd.
“It’s better for me. This is more my size. I wasn’t cutting any weight; my only fight in the tournament, the girl missed weight by six pounds,” Canada’s Budd recalled. “So she was huge, and that’s just out of my weight class.”
“So I feel better about this. This really feels like my home, I felt so great my last fight, against Pacheco. I feel ready to go.”
Watch our full interview with PFL 5’s Julia Budd above.
