Bellator
The pair meet in a women’s featherweight clash at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland on Saturday night to kick off Bellator’s 2020 European Series.
Judith Ruis receives the biggest opportunity of her career this weekend while also making a little bit of history.
The original main event of Bellator Dublin was supposed to be a meeting between local star, James Gallagher, and Cal Ellenor but after the Irishman suffered an injury, the women take centre stage. Judith Ruis and Leah McCourt were both scheduled to compete on the Bellator Dublin main card but they were promoted to become the evening’s headlining act. It is the first time in the year-long history of the European Series that women will main event a show and Ruis (6-4) is delighted to sit atop a card on her promotional debut.
“It’s amazing to be fighting for a promotion as big as Bellator,” discussed Ruis. “This is a big step up and it’s an honour to be given an opportunity like this. When I first signed, I definitely wasn’t expecting to be one of the headliners. I’m so excited and happy but winning is the most important thing whether I’m in the main event or on the preliminary card.”
At the age of 26, Ruis was introduced to the sport by a friend who went on to recommend her current coach, Jan Bjorn Gromann. She was curious about what MMA was about and was immediately fascinated by it when she began training. To Ruis, fighting was just a challenge and a hobby so she’d have never thought that one day something big would come out of it. Now that she is 34-years-old, Ruis wouldn’t have believed back then that at a time in the future, she’d be about to compete on an international stage.
For this upcoming fight, Ruis has been training home in Germany at Budo-Keller Bonlanden alongside Gromann and the rest of Team HoneyBadger. She got additional support from the surrounding gyms Alpen BJJ, Total Combat Thannberg and German Top Team from Reutlingenwhich who all sent fighters and coaches to aid in her preparations. Ruis has finished 4 of her 6 professional victories by submission so is well-drilled and effectively coached in that area of her game.
She faces no easy task this weekend when she takes on Leah McCourt (3-1), who is a former IMMAF amateur world champion. McCourt has been highlighted as one of the most promising talents coming out of Europe by the promotion and it is hoped that she will move on to achieve big things. The headline spot is designed to showcase the lady from Northern Ireland to the masses on terrestrial TV in the UK during primetime but Ruis is intending to play the role of spoiler.
“I see Leah as a really complete fighter as she’s dangerous both on the feet and down on the mat,” mentioned Ruis. “Hopefully I can disappoint a few people who are claiming that I’m being brought in to lose. I believe this fight will end early because neither of us are known for sending our fights to the judges’ scorecards.”
Ruis has fought some solid competition and owns a victory over UFC veteran, Melinda Fabian, but she wouldn’t have experienced anywhere near the atmosphere awaiting her on Saturday night. The Irish fans are known for breaking decibel records and wholeheartedly support their own in the hope of glory. Everyone in the 3Arena will be cheering and backing McCourt apart from Ruis’ own team and travelling loved ones. However, she won’t be intimidated by the crowd and intends to use them to her own advantage.
“No, I won’t be trying to block out the whole arena,” stated Ruis. “In fact, I’ll be doing the opposite. The crowd motivate me even more despite whether they are in my corner or not. The atmosphere will be fantastic so what more could I want? I’ll enjoy and embrace it!”
Bellator Dublin will be shown live on Channel 5 at 10pm GMT in the UK on Saturday night and fans in Ireland can tune in on Virgin Media Sport. Viewers in the US can watch on the Bellator Mobile App at 5pmET/4c.