UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Liz Carmouche is willing to battle it out with Bellator’s best flyweights to get a crack at the title.
Carmouche (14-7 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) made good in her promotional debut, submitting DeAnna Bennett in the third round at Bellator 246 at Mohegan Sun Arena.
Initially anticipating that a win over Bennett could lead to a title shot against champion Ilima-Lei Macfarlane, Carmouche is also open to the idea of a potential flyweight grand prix that has been previously discussed by Bellator president Scott Coker.
“I think a grand prix would be amazing,” Carmouche told MMA Junkie at a post-fight news conference. “All of us fight for the opportunity to be the contender. Ilima gets to sit on the sidelines, drink some Budweiser, watch it all go down and get to see and experience every fighter and know who she’s getting into. I think that’s amazing, and I would love to do something like that.”
Carmouche is training partners and good friends with Macfarlane, but both ladies have expressed no concerns in fighting each other. The former UFC 125- and 135-pound title challenger has come close to capturing gold on numerous occasions throughout her career and would like to see Bellator introduce the women’s bantamweight division to open up the opportunity to become a two-division champion.
“If Bellator introduce the 135(-pound division), I would love the opportunity to have a belt there at 135 and go back up,” Carmouche said. “I do feel really good at 125, I feel like that’s a good weight for me, but the opportunity to hold a belt in two divisions is really appealing. and 145 is too big for me.”
