Women’s MMA returns to Bellator as Marloes Coenen and Julia Budd sign deals

Women’s MMA has returned to Bellator, as the organization recently announced the signing of two notable featherweights!

Bellator officials announced today that they have inked former Strikeforce Champion Marloes Coenen (21-6 MMA) and Invicta FC veteran Julia Budd (6-2 MMA) to deals and that the pair will fight at a Bellator event later this year.

Bellator had shut it’s doors on Women’s Mixed Martial Arts just over a year ago. But, with former Strikeforce head Scott Coker taking over the helm of Bellator, WMMA is once again a priority for the promotion.

“We’re incredibly excited to bring in two of the best athletes competing in our sport today,” Coker stated. “We are making a commitment to bring back the female division to Bellator, and feature some of the world’s best in the Bellator cage.”

33 year-old Dutch fighter, Marloes Coenen, has gone 2-1 since losing her Strikeforce title to Meisha Tate in July of 2011. “Rumina” was last seen in action at the Invicta FC 6 event in July of 2013, where she suffered a fourth-round TKO loss to Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino.

Meanwhile, 31 year-old Canadian Julia Budd is currently riding a four-fight win streak, with all 4 victories coming under the Invicta FC banner. “The Jewel” scored her latest win in December of 2013 by earning a unanimous decision victory over Charmaine Tweet. Three of the Canadains past four wins have come by way of stoppage.

With the UFC currently only having two female divisons (115-pound and 135-pound), Bellator now has the opportunity to reestablish it’s 145-pound weight class for female fighters.

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