Marloes Coenen vs. Julia Budd: For More Than a Title
Marloes Coenen vs. Julia Budd: For More Than a Title
Marloes Coenen and Julia Budd square off for championship gold this weekend at Bellator 174.
If you’ve been around the sport of mixed martial arts long enough, your introduction to Marloes Coenen was probably on some back catalogue VHS tape or non-descript DVD of the Remix World Cup 2000, or perhaps the Smackgirl World Remix 2004 shows.
Coenen’s flying armbar submission of Becky Levi ignited a spark in North American tape traders, made her a star in Japan and started one of the most successful female mixed martial arts careers to date. She went 13-1 to start her career, winning titles in Japan before capturing the Strikeforce Bantamweight Championship, her crowning achievement to date.
Julia Budd’s start in the sport was a little more difficult. Of her first four opponents, little-known fighters Ronda Rousey, Germanie de Randamie and Amanada Nunes have all gone on to hold UFC gold. After the shaky 2-2 start, including a victory over de Randamie, she has put together seven straight victories including three by stoppage.
On Friday, March 3, the two fighters who took very different paths will meet at Bellator 174 to determine the promotion’s inaugural women’s world featherweight champion. For Coenen, the win would be a cherry on top of a career of impressive victories. For Budd, it would be a statement that she is amongst the best 145-pound female fighters in the world, a place she plans to stay for years to come.
“It is a big dream, I always had a really big hope that it would play out this way someday,” Coenen said of how far women’s MMA has come. “I thought this day would have arrived like five years ago. It had been delayed but I’m very, very happy with it. I think we’re role models for women growing up, you canmbe more than a princess. You can be a boxer and a fighter. I think it’s a very valuable message.”
Bellator has attempted to have a bout between Coenen and Budd for the featherweight title on multiple occasions, but injuries have continued to get in the way. Most recently, it was back surgery for Budd, who said that she is feeling fit ahead of the bout.
“It’s been a time of development,” Budd said of her time away from the sport. “I think I would have liked to have been more busy, but I’m glad I fought in October. That felt good to get in there and get moving after my back injury. It kept the momentum going heading into this training camp.”
As she has matured, Coenen has taken the role model aspect of being a public figure more seriously. She understands that fighters around the world look up to her and hopes to live up to their expectations.
“When I turned 30, I started to realize I had gained a lot of experience,” Coenen said. “I learned to speak out. What I’m trying to do is make people aware that fighting is an option. You don’t have to step into the cage but it’s one of the most valuable things a young woman can do to learn her inner strengths and to recognize that she is a powerful woman. I think this is a very healthy thing to learn. You shouldn’t be so much focused on how you look, high heels or your hair. You’re way more than that.
She added that MMA is an “emancipating tool” and that “if I can inspire a person with that, that would be great.”
While less experience, Budd also sees the importance of being a role model as something to take seriously.
“I always hope to be a role model for young girls coming up in the sport, as well as all the girls and women who train at my gym,” Budd said. “The momentum is so strong, it’s amazing. It’s great what the female athletes in this sport are doing.”
Coenen, while respectful, made clear that she plans to be the better fighter come Friday.
“Julia is a very hard worker; She’s a very strong wrestler against the cage, a strong fighter,” Coenen said. “I don’t think she’s mentally as strong as I am. She doesn’t understand the synergy of MMA the way I do. Her standup isn’t as good as mine. I’m a finisher, she’s a point fighter. It will be a tough fight, believe me. I’m not underestimating her at all, but I will finish her and it will be a war.”
Budd, too, will be looking for a finish.
“I always feel pressure before every fight; I don’t think this adds more pressure, it’s just more excitement for us to headline,” Budd said of being in the main event. “I definitely want to get the finish, whether it’s with the striking, submissions or wrestling. I’ll be aggressive from the first bell to the end of the fight.”
For both women, Bellator 174 is not just about proving that they are the best female featherweight in Bellator, but that they are competitive with the best in the world. Budd believes a rematch with de Randamie, the current and only UFC women’s featherweight champion, would be an easier win than it was the first time when they met in 2011. But for now her focus is on Coenen.
“I think it’s just time, with everything that is going on with the Invicta featherweights and the UFC featherweights, it’s time that we showcase that we’re the best featherweights in the world,” Budd said.
Coenen’s flying armbar submission of Becky Levi ignited a spark in North American tape traders, made her a star in Japan and started one of the most successful female mixed martial arts careers to date. She went 13-1 to start her career, winning titles in Japan before capturing the Strikeforce Bantamweight Championship, her crowning achievement to date.
Julia Budd’s start in the sport was a little more difficult. Of her first four opponents, little-known fighters Ronda Rousey, Germanie de Randamie and Amanada Nunes have all gone on to hold UFC gold. After the shaky 2-2 start, including a victory over de Randamie, she has put together seven straight victories including three by stoppage.
On Friday, March 3, the two fighters who took very different paths will meet at Bellator 174 to determine the promotion’s inaugural women’s world featherweight champion. For Coenen, the win would be a cherry on top of a career of impressive victories. For Budd, it would be a statement that she is amongst the best 145-pound female fighters in the world, a place she plans to stay for years to come.
“It is a big dream, I always had a really big hope that it would play out this way someday,” Coenen said of how far women’s MMA has come. “I thought this day would have arrived like five years ago. It had been delayed but I’m very, very happy with it. I think we’re role models for women growing up, you canmbe more than a princess. You can be a boxer and a fighter. I think it’s a very valuable message.”
Bellator has attempted to have a bout between Coenen and Budd for the featherweight title on multiple occasions, but injuries have continued to get in the way. Most recently, it was back surgery for Budd, who said that she is feeling fit ahead of the bout.
“It’s been a time of development,” Budd said of her time away from the sport. “I think I would have liked to have been more busy, but I’m glad I fought in October. That felt good to get in there and get moving after my back injury. It kept the momentum going heading into this training camp.”
As she has matured, Coenen has taken the role model aspect of being a public figure more seriously. She understands that fighters around the world look up to her and hopes to live up to their expectations.
“When I turned 30, I started to realize I had gained a lot of experience,” Coenen said. “I learned to speak out. What I’m trying to do is make people aware that fighting is an option. You don’t have to step into the cage but it’s one of the most valuable things a young woman can do to learn her inner strengths and to recognize that she is a powerful woman. I think this is a very healthy thing to learn. You shouldn’t be so much focused on how you look, high heels or your hair. You’re way more than that.
She added that MMA is an “emancipating tool” and that “if I can inspire a person with that, that would be great.”
While less experience, Budd also sees the importance of being a role model as something to take seriously.
“I always hope to be a role model for young girls coming up in the sport, as well as all the girls and women who train at my gym,” Budd said. “The momentum is so strong, it’s amazing. It’s great what the female athletes in this sport are doing.”
Coenen, while respectful, made clear that she plans to be the better fighter come Friday.
“Julia is a very hard worker; She’s a very strong wrestler against the cage, a strong fighter,” Coenen said. “I don’t think she’s mentally as strong as I am. She doesn’t understand the synergy of MMA the way I do. Her standup isn’t as good as mine. I’m a finisher, she’s a point fighter. It will be a tough fight, believe me. I’m not underestimating her at all, but I will finish her and it will be a war.”
Budd, too, will be looking for a finish.
“I always feel pressure before every fight; I don’t think this adds more pressure, it’s just more excitement for us to headline,” Budd said of being in the main event. “I definitely want to get the finish, whether it’s with the striking, submissions or wrestling. I’ll be aggressive from the first bell to the end of the fight.”
For both women, Bellator 174 is not just about proving that they are the best female featherweight in Bellator, but that they are competitive with the best in the world. Budd believes a rematch with de Randamie, the current and only UFC women’s featherweight champion, would be an easier win than it was the first time when they met in 2011. But for now her focus is on Coenen.
“I think it’s just time, with everything that is going on with the Invicta featherweights and the UFC featherweights, it’s time that we showcase that we’re the best featherweights in the world,” Budd said.