In the brief minutes between the end of the fight and the reading of the official decision, Ilima-Lei Macfarlane sought out her parents cageside and mouthed the words “I love you.”
Was this her final time in the cage? Would the first time her mother had seen her fight in person in five years mark the end?
Is she saying goodbye?
Macfarlane herself said she thought she lost the fight, but the judges had a different take. The Punahou alumna was awarded a split decision over Kana Watanabe in the co-main event of Bellator 295 at the Blaisdell Arena on Saturday night, setting the stage for one final fight against champion Liz Carmouche.
A boisterous Blaisdell Arena crowd exploded when the official scorecards were read. Two of the three judges had Macfarlane ahead 29-28, while the third had it for Watanabe 29-28.
“In my head, I was like this could be the last time. My family would kill me, but this could be the last time if I don’t get my hand raised, so I think that was even more of a huge relief when I did, but also like a, ‘dang, I gotta keep doing this,’” Macfarlane said. “Everything feels good. I’m not at Queen’s Hospital right now in the ER, so that was a huge relief too. I’m really excited to be healthy. I’m motivated right now.”
Macfarlane (13-2) won the first round on all three scorecards and Watanabe (11-2-1) had the second. The fight was decided in the final round when Macfarlane avoided being controlled on the ground and got off just enough clean shots to eke out the victory.
Watanabe controlled the majority of the fight with her grappling, keeping Macfarlane against the cage or on her back.
She wasn’t able to land any significant strikes throughout. Macfarlane got the better of the exchanges standing and in the pivotal third round, was able to get out from Watanabe’s grasp and finish the fight landing the better of the exchanges.
“Her control was so good on the ground. We were prepared for her foot sweeps and her judo sweeps and this whole camp we were prepared for as soon as it hits the ground I need to scramble,” Macfarlane said. “I honestly thought I lost, but I always think that in the fights that go the decision.”
With Carmouche, a longtime friend and training partner, successfully defending her flyweight title on Friday night with a fourth-round submission of DeAnna Bennett, the stage is now set for the two to fight.
Bellator makes a yearly trip to the islands, but neither fighter wants to wait that long. December is the likely target date, with Macfarlane hoping the company can do her a favor and come back to Hawaii for the second time in a calendar year.
“I’d like to go home and reassess things, see how my body feels. Luckily I felt really good this camp,” Macfarlane said. “I don’t know if they have plans twice a year. That would be cool if we did two Hawaii shows with one in December like we used to, but we’ll see. I’m down to do whatever Uncle Scott (Bellator CEO Scott Coker) wants to do.”
The title fight better happen soon because another Hawaii fighter has put herself in position to contend for the belt.
Maui’s Sumiko Inaba put forth a complete effort in her first fight against a ranked opponent, carving up Veta Arteaga in an overwhelming unanimous decision in one of seven preliminary fights.
All three judges scored the fight 30-27 in favor of Inaba, who improved to 6-0 in her Bellator career.
Floating in and out, putting together combination after combination, Inaba looked a little like Max Holloway in outpointing Arteaga. At no point in the fight was she ever in any trouble, and Arteaga’s face was beaten up by the time the final bell sounded.
“I knew she was going to come with the fight. This was my home and I know she wanted to prove something, but I was ready to stick and move,” Inaba said. “I’m just taking it one fight at a time. My goal is, of course, striving for the belt and I think that a huge part of it is I train every day to fight for that belt one day and I hope it shows in the cage.”
Hawaii’s five fighters on the card finished 4-1. Makaha’s Yancy Medeiros got the biggest pop of the night when he submitted Charlie Leary by rear-naked choke at 4 minutes. 35 seconds of the first round of the second main card fight.
Kamehameha alumnus Kai Kamaka III earned a unanimous decision over Adli Edwards in a preliminary fight, winning 30-27 on all three judges’ scorecards.
Bellator 295 results
Main card
Bantamweight grand prix final
Patchy Mix (18-1) def. Raufeon Stots (19-2), KO (knee), 1:20, R1
125: Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (13-2) def. Kana Watanabe (11-2-1), split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
165: Yancy Medeiros (17-8) def. Charlie Leary (17-14-1), submission (rear-naked choke), 4:35, R1
145: Aaron Pico (11-4) def. James Gonzalez (10-6), unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Preliminary card
145: Mads Burnell (17-5) def. Justin Gonzales (14-2), unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
145: Kai Kamaka III (11-5-1) def. Adli Edwards (9-3), unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
125: Sumiko Inaba (6-0) def. Veta Arteaga (7-5), unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
155: Aalon Cruz (11-4) def. Bobby King (12-6), unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
HW: Davion Franklin (6-1) def. Kasim Aras (7-2), unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
125: Bruna Ellen (7-4) def. Ilara Joanne (11-7), unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
170: Masayuki Kikuiri (9-2-1) def. Alexey Shurkevich (13-6), KO (overhand right), 4:33, R2
