Sara McMann talks Bellator 294 win and Bellator featherweight title picture
Sara McMann couldn’t have made a bigger impression in her Bellator debut.
Last weekend at Bellator 294, McMann made her first walk to the Bellator after spending the last 12 years in the UFC.
Bellator didn’t give McMann a tune up fight as the promotion booked her against Arlene Blencowe, who is a two-time Bellator title challenger.
The fight was not only McMann’s first fight with Bellator, but it was also her first time fighting at featherweight and both turned out to be a huge success.
In her fight with Blencowe, McMann had to work hard as she said every second of the fight was grueling, but she went on to win a clear-cut unanimous decision in which two of the judges scored all three rounds in her favor.
As far as fighting at 145 pounds for the first time, McMann loved it.
Prior to becoming a fighter, McMann was a standout wrester in high school, college, where she attended Lock Haven University and at the Olympic, where she took home a silver medal in 2004.
When she wrestled, she spent most of her career wrestling at 143 pounds and the lowest she would compete at was 139 pounds.
Then as a fighter, she fought at 135 pounds and McMann forgot how good it felt to have the few extra pounds as she feels her strength is a massive part of her fighting success and now she feels the strongest she’s felt in years.
All signs appear to pointing up now for McMann following the win. Right now, it’s all about waiting to see how Bellator approaches the future.
MMA legend Cris Cyborg holds the Bellator featherweight title, but as of right now she hasn’t resigned with the promotion.
Also, all roads were leading to a fight between Cyborg and Cat Zingano, but following McMann’s fight, Cyborg said she felt McMann should pass Zingano in the rankings.
Then of course there’s the option of the title being vacant, in which you would assume Zingano and McMann would fight for the championship.
A lot of works has to be done to figure out the next move and McMann being a veteran knows she can’t stress over things that aren’t necessarily in her control. So, in the meantime she’s just going to enjoy the win, but make no mistake, she is hunting down that title.
Following her Bellator 294 win, McMann spoke with MyMMANews about her victory over Blencowe, her first experience with Bellator and the Bellator title picture.
You can watch her full interview in the video above.
