In the first meeting between current women’s Flyweight champion, Liz Carmouche, and ex-title holder, Juliana Velasquez, “Gir-Rilla” defeated the previously-undefeated Brazilain bomber in the fourth round via technical knockout. Though it wasn’t without its fair share of controversy, as Velasquez felt the stop way premature.
Almost eight months removed from their initial bout at Bellator 278, the two scrappy ladies will throw down in the co-main event of Bellator 289 tomorrow night (Fri., Dec. 9, 2022). It’s a rematch Carmouche isn’t exactly thrilled to take part in, saying the way the first fight ended did not warrant an instant do-over.
“Just with a different outcome, like if it would have been I eye gouged her and she was eligible for a rematch, yeah, that absolutely makes sense in my mind,” Carmouche said during the recent media day (via MMA Junkie).. “(If) I kicked her in the groin, it was a rematch – those are circumstances where I understand, like yeah, that warrants it. But not when you’re not moving on the ground and I’m elbowing you 12 unanswered elbows. Just doesn’t really make sense in my mind.
Velasquez’s team appealed the loss, though it was eventually turned down. Now, she will get the chance to avenge her first and only loss while trying to get her belt back. Carmouche, though, sees things going pretty much the same way, sans the controversy.
“I’ve rewatched the tape, my coaches rewatched the tape, everybody went through everything and there were no doubts in any of our minds,” “So I thought, alright cool, there’s not going to be a rematch. There are women that are already scheduled, and in my mind, you have to come off a win to be able to fight to be able to be a contender for the belt.”
Carmouche is undefeated at 4-0 under the Bellator banner since making the jump over from Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in Spet. 2020. This will be her first attempt to defend the strap.
Bellator 289 is set to be headlined by an interim Bantamweight title fight as Raufeon Stots puts his belt on the line against Danny Sabatello in one of two Grand Prix quarterfinal matchups. In the other 135-pound tilt, Magomed Magomedov will take on Patchy Mix.
MMAmania.com will deliver coverage of Bellator 289 tomorrow evening on Showtime right here. To check out the latest Bellator MMA-related news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive news archive right here.
See you then!