Just five or so months ago, Hawaii’s Ilima-Lei Macfarlane told Cageside Press that she feared enduring grueling weight cuts was “significantly impacting” her chances at motherhood.
Ahead of Bellator 300, Macfarlane, the promotion’s former women’s flyweight champ, missed weight for a title fight with Liz Carmouche.
With three chances to weigh in, Macfarlane officially clocked in at 126.6, though she actually weighed more on her final trip to the scales. As a result, only Carmouche can win (or in her case retain) the flyweight title in San Diego on Saturday.
Addressing the miss on social media, Macfarlane revealed that she told Carmouche, a former training partner and good friend, in advance that she was going to be heavy.
“First person I told when I knew I was going to miss weight and what did she say? She said she loves me wants me to be healthy and asked if I wanted to use her sauna,” revealed Macfarlane. “Words can[not] express how much this person means to me or what an absolute gangster she is for still taking this fight despite me f*cking it up. We’ve been through hell and back together and can say without a doubt she is my sister wife for life.”
Macfarlane previously missed weight for an April 2022 fight with Bruna Ellen, which the Hawaiian went on to win. She had her weight back under control ahead of a victory against Kanako Murata in April.
During the Bellator 300 press conference this week, Ilima-Lei Macfarlane addressed her relationship with Carmouche, noting she wasn’t certain they’d gone full-out in training.
“I’m not sure if we’ve gone super 100% before, so that’s what makes it fun and exciting to look forward to. Just really feeling each other’s true, true power.”
Bellator 300 takes place Saturday, October 7, 2023 at the Pechanga Arena in San Diego, CA.
