Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter Julia Budd from Roberts Creek is coming off six wins in a row and looking to take the first-ever women’s featherweight title in the new year.
Budd’s next fight will be against Marloes Coenen from Holland. It hasn’t been confirmed yet, but Budd said that she is hoping the fight will determine the first women’s featherweight (65 kg division) champion for MMA.
“I’m super excited – we’ve had our eyes on each other for over a year now,” Budd said. “I’ve known that I want to fight her, so I just can’t wait to get in there and get it done.”
The date hasn’t been set yet, but Budd said she expects the fight to be sometime next February.
“My background is in Muay Thai, so I love striking, but I’ve also started to love the wrestling and grappling aspect,” Budd said. “[Coenen]’s biggest strength – I would say – is on the ground, in grappling. I want to beat her in every aspect.
“The last girl that I just fought was a black belt in Ju-Jitsu, and I beat her in grappling. I’m open to go anywhere, but I definitely want to use my superior striking skills in a fight,” Budd said.
Budd beat Roberta Paim Rovel at Bellator 146 on Nov. 20. It was her first fight since last February when she beat Gabrielle Holloway but sustained injuries to her back and broke one of her toes.
Budd switched from training Muay Thai – an aggressive form of kickboxing – to MMA in 2010 because she found that there were not enough women Muay Thai fighters. She said she had a hard time lining up fights after reaching a certain level.
That hasn’t been a problem in MMA, however. Budd said that not only has the sport been gaining popularity all over the world, but it seems to be attracting women more than any other fighting style.
“I teach and train out of a gym in Port Moody and I’d say that it’s over 50 per cent women who come here,” Budd said. “And little girls. In our kids’ class, I’d say the majority is little girls who are just starting, and it’s awesome. They go against the boys. We’re teaching them self-defence skills as well as life skills.”
The kids class is for children four years old and up.
Budd started her training at Ostevik’s Gym in Sechelt, but moved to the Lower Mainland where she now trains out of Gibson’s Gym.
“I started on the Sunshine Coast and I love that I’m now competing all over the world and doing what I love to do,” she said.
