Alejandra Lara made some much-needed changes.
Lara, a former Bellator women’s flyweight title challenger, hit the reset button on many things that hindered her professional and personal life. Lara (9-6 MMA, 3-5 BMMA) changed teams and traveled the globe ahead of her return against Diana Avsaragova (5-0 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) at Saturday’s Bellator 290.
She looks to put an end to a three-fight losing streak and begin the climb back up the divisional ladder.
“I’m sure this is a new beginning to my career,” Lara told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “This is a time to re-take and come out different. The title will come whenever it’ll to come. That’s never been my main goal.
“Obviously, yes, I know I can be champion, and I have the level to be at the top of the division. I’ve proven that. … A lot of people expect a lot from me, because I have potential, but I needed to believe that and find myself again.”
Lara left her long-time coach, Francisco Grasso, in Guadalajara, Mexico and sought training elsewhere. She’s in good standing with Grasso and doesn’t rule out a return, but she felt she needed a change.
Lara prepared with former opponent Ilara Joanne and the “Pitbull” brothers in Brazil and then finished training camp with ex-Bellator champion Ilima-Lei Macfarlane, also another former opponent, in San Diego. Macfarlane and Richie “Boogeyman” Martinez will be in her corner on Saturday.
“Azul” is happy with the changes in her training and believes they’re going to pay off when she steps in the cage against Avsaragova.
“I’m an adventurous person, and I like new experiences, so in many ways it’s fed my soul,” Lara said. “I’ve felt happy, stable, and I think that’s fundamental, because that’s what’s affected me the most in these last few fights.
“I felt like I had everything needed to win those fights, but there’s just been little errors and bad decision making that’s pushed the balance the other way.
“That has been my focus now, to be happy with myself, to be healthy in mind and body. There’s been a lot of talk around mental health, and I never included myself in that, but it’s like, ‘Hey, I do need to look out for my mental health.’ For me, everything that I was looking for was to feel comfortable, happy and regain my confidence. That’s something that gets affected after a few loses, but I feel like I’ve turned the page and all that has been helping me. I feel like I’ve found myself again.”
Lara was thrown in the deep end of the talent pool of Bellator very early in her career. She fought for a Bellator championship belt without even having 10 professional fights and in just her second promotional bout.
Now 28, Lara feels primed to get back to her winning ways and continue to build her legacy in the sport.
“My career started very quick, and it went from 0 to 100 when I didn’t even have the tools or the maturity to handle all those situations,” Lara said. “This is the path that I got, and I’m proud of everything that I’ve done despite not having certain things.
“I feel like now I’m much more ready to start again. That’s what I feel right now. It’s like a new opportunity to start again but from a much more firm ground and with a lot more experience and more knowledge in and out of the cage.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 290.
