At Bellator 174 the inaugural women’s Featherweight champion will be crowned as Marloes Coenen takes on Julia Budd in the main event.
Coenen (23-7) strung together a remarkable start to her professional career, recording victories in each of her first eight bouts and 13 of her first 14. The Dutch submission specialist has since continued along her impressive path, tallying 23 career wins, including 20 finishes.
Now, the 35-year-old will look to build off of a pair of victories under the Bellator MMA banner and bring home the first ever Bellator MMA Women’s Featherweight World Title, adding to a mantel that already includes a Strikeforce Bantamweight Title. With 30 career fights under her belt, the most glaring advantage for “Rumina” will be her experience, as her opponent comes in having made only 11 professional appearances inside the cage.
Budd (9-2) the contest on March 3 riding a seven-fight winning streak and has recorded victories in each of her first three fights under the direction of Bellator MMA. The former Strikeforce competitior has surrendered just two losses over her seven-year career, one at the hands of former Strikeforce Champion Ronda Rousey and one to the current UFC bantamweight world champion, Amanda Nunes.
The 33-year-old Canadian has not suffered a defeat since 2011, making her one of the most prolific athletes in Bellator MMA’s 145-pound division. “The Jewel” will be in search of her first career world title, while looking to prevent the former Strikeforce world champion from collecting her second.
Bellator 174 goes down on Friday, January 13 2017 at the WinStar World Casino & Resort and MMA Plus will be on hand to bring all the latest news and results from the event.
Updated Bellator 174 Coenen vs. Budd” Main Card
Women’s Featherweight World Title Bout: Marloes Coenen vs. Julia Budd
