San Diego, CA – Excitement is in the air as Ilara Joanne gears up for her flyweight bout against Jena Bishop at Bellator 300, set to take place this Saturday night. However, what makes this fight even more thrilling is the lingering anticipation of a possible merger between Bellator and their rival company, PFL.
Reports have been circulating for months about the potential consolidation of these two prominent organizations in the world of mixed martial arts. For Ilara Joanne, this adds an extra layer of pressure to her performance at Bellator 300.
Speaking with MMA Fighting, Joanne expressed her determination, saying, “Every fighter fighting on this card has this responsibility to get to a new promotion coming off of a great win.”
PFL currently lacks a women’s flyweight division, but Joanne is prepared to make any necessary moves in 2024 to secure her future in the sport. She’s open to jumping up weight classes if needed, stating, “There’s no [flyweight] championship yet, but I think they’ve already done some flyweight fights. But if the division ends, I’m ready to try fighting in a different weight class, no problem. I’m ready to fight at any weight.”
Trained at the prestigious Pitbull Brothers gym in Brazil alongside Bellator stars Patricio Pitbull and Patricky Pitbull, Joanne made a remarkable entry into the company by defeating Bec Rawlings with a second-round kneebar. Her journey included significant wins over Alejandra Lara and Denise Kielholtz in 2022, though it was interspersed with losses to Kana Watanabe, Vanessa Porto, and most recently Bruna Ellen.
Now, with an impressive record of 11-7, Joanne faces the undefeated grappler Jena Bishop (5-0) at the Pechanga Arena. Joanne is confident and ready for the challenge.
“I had the best preparation possible,” Joanne confidently stated. “I went after the best sparring partners with a style similar to hers. I believe I have the advantage on the feet, but if the fight goes to the ground, it’s a good matchup for me. This is not jiu-jitsu, this is MMA.”
While Bishop has a strong background in grappling, Joanne emphasized the distinction between jiu-jitsu and MMA. She believes Bishop’s strategy might be to take the fight to her comfort zone, but Joanne is well-prepared for any scenario.
The 29-year-old fighter has demonstrated her striking and submission skills in the past, securing seven of her 11 professional wins via stoppages, including three submissions. Now, her sights are set on adding another stoppage to her record against Bishop.
“I’m expecting a knockout or a submission,” Joanne declared. “That’s what we work for our entire training camp — our entire lives, really. I want to go there and end it with a finish.”
This fight not only holds the promise of electrifying action inside the cage but also carries the weight of potential career-altering implications, as Joanne seeks to make her mark before the potential Bellator-PFL merger becomes a reality.
