SAN DIEGO – Bellator president Scott Coker figured the friendship between flyweight champion Liz Carmouche and Ilima-Lei Macfarlane would go out the window once the bell rang in their Bellator 300 fight. It wasn’t quite like that – but in the end, one of them was taken off on a stretcher. Carmouche (20-7 MMA, 7-0 BMMA), who wasn’t at risk of losing her title after Macfarlane (13-3 MMA, 12-3 BMMA) missed weight, earned a surprising fifth-round TKO victory to retain her belt Saturday night at Pechanga Arena that, at times, resembled a glorified sparring session – at least in the beginning. Round 1 saw the two friends mostly just circle each other, with Macfarlane initiating most of the offense, although nothing significant ever landed
More: