Ilima-Lei Macfarlane Says Paige VanZant Won’t Get An Immediate Title Shot If She Signs With Bellator
Bellator MMA Women’s Flyweight Champion Ilima-Lei Macfarlane would like to see PVZ in Bellator MMA, but says she won’t get an immediate title shot upon signing with the promotion.
“I think that she would bring really good publicity to our division,” Macfarlane told MMA Junkie Radio. “And you know, would I necessarily say that she should get a title shot right off the bat? Of course not. I don’t think so at all. But, like for future matches, yeah, I would totally welcome that.”
PVZ went 5-4-0 during her five-plus year run in the UFC, but never came close to getting a title shot in the promotion.
Macfarlane thinks that PVZ may wind up competing in bare knuckle boxing instead of returning to professional MMA.
“I think that she’s a smart girl, and she’s gonna go where, I think she’s going to bare-knuckle boxing,” she said. “I don’t know if I’m supposed to say that, but, yeah, I think that she should go where she’s going to be treated well and paid well.”
VanZant’s husband in Austin Vanderford is a member of the Belllator MMA roster, but that doesn’t guarantee that PVZ signs with Bellator MMA.
