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Wins have been exhausting to come back by, nevertheless it was nonetheless a profitable week for blended martial artists from Hawaii.
Bellator MMA returned to Oahu after a 28-month absence following the COVID-19 pandemic and delivered two high-level playing cards on back-to-back nights, culminating in Cris Cyborg’s profitable bantamweight title protection in a five-round warfare with Arlene Blencowe in the primary occasion of Bellator 279 on Saturday night time.
The occasion noticed Makaha’s Yancy Medeiros open the primary card with a formidable win over Emmanuel Sanchez, nevertheless it additionally noticed massively disappointing losses for Kamehameha alumnus Kai Kamaka and Punahou alumna Ilima-Lei Macfarlane, who was making her return to the cage after a 16-month hiatus.
Hawaii fighters completed the weekend 2-7 towards fighters from in every single place else, however they acquired excellent news from Bellator CEO and President Scott Coker, who clearly has an concerned with cultivating extra fighters from the islands.
“We just need to create more opportunities for these guys and basically have more fights,” Coker stated Saturday night time. “We have to make sure (there’s) not a long break between matches for the local kids. I think maybe we’ll shift our position on it and keep these guys busy.”
To try this, Coker talked about supporting the native reveals right here, who’ve but to get again on observe holding occasions following the pandemic. He additionally introduced up presumably holding smaller Bellator occasions right here extra steadily.
The firm deliberate to carry yearly reveals on the Blaisdell Arena when it first got here to Oahu in 2018. They returned a 12 months later in ’19 earlier than the pandemic hit.
A raucous crowd of roughly 4,000 individuals on Saturday night time created an environment that basically got here by means of on the Showtime broadcast.
“I think we’d definitely like to continue (coming back),” Coker stated. “When I see the local fighters here, there’s a great talent pool. There’s always been a great talent pool here in Hawaii and you could feel the passion and energy from the crowd. It’s someplace very special.”
The greatest winner was Medeiros, who was reduce from the UFC following a run of 15 fights over eight years from 2013 to ’21.
He signed a one-fight take care of Bellator simply so he might battle contained in the Blaisdell Arena for the primary time.
He introduced the group to its toes quite a few instances in a unanimous choice over Sanchez and confirmed off that entertaining model of preventing that made him an everyday winner of battle bonuses within the UFC.
“That was a really entertaining fight,” Coker stated. “I think we would definitely like to keep Yancy on the roster.”
Macfarlane, whose run as flyweight world champion is what introduced Bellator to Hawaii for the primary time, regarded rusty in her first battle again since having knee surgical procedure following her title loss to Juliana Velasquez in December 2020.
Coker stated he thought Macfarlane could have gotten damage within the first spherical of her battle towards Justine Kish. On the Showtime broadcast, Macfarlane clearly confirmed discomfort in her left arm and neck in between the primary and second rounds.
“I looked at her fight as somebody who had some ring rust who wasn’t fine-tuned yet, so maybe she came back too early, maybe we pushed her a little too much, I’m not sure,” Coker stated. “I think she was injured in this fight early on.”
Coker talked about a attainable pinched nerve in her neck. Macfarlane was not made out there for the media after the battle.
She had hinted throughout her break day that retirement was a chance to begin a household. She’s now 11-2 in her skilled profession following a second consecutive loss.
“It’s really going to be up to her and if she wants to do it again, we’ll definitely give her another opportunity,” Coker stated. “I think she deserves it. If you look at her record, she’s 11-2. It’s an amazing fight record. She’s still ranked in the top five I’m sure even after losing this fight, so if she wants to continue to fight or take some time off, it’s really going to be up to what she wants.”
No timetable has been set for a attainable return. The firm has upcoming reveals in Paris and London subsequent month, Connecticut in June and Dublin in September.
