HONOLULU – It’s a big fight week for Bellator’s women’s flyweight division, and Sumiko Inaba is going to be paying plenty of attention.
Inaba (5-0 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) has a big fight on her hands against Veta Arteaga (7-4 MMA, 6-4 BMMA) on Saturday’s preliminary card at Bellator 295, which takes place Saturday at Neal S. Blaisdell Arena in Honolulu. The main card airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.
If Inaba, a 2-1 favorite at the betting window, gets past Arteaga, it will put her at 6-0. And while a title shot just six fights into her pro career might seem crazy, it should be noted former and inaugural women’s flyweight champion Ilima-Lei Macfarlane was 6-0 when she got her title shot and beat Emily Ducote to win Bellator’s inaugural 125-pound women’s title.
Coincidentally, Macfarlane fights Saturday, as well, in front of her home fans on Oahu. Inaba lives on Maui. By the time Bellator 295 rolls around Saturday, the results from Bellator 294 will be known – including women’s flyweight champion Liz Carmouche against Deanna Bennett the night before at Bellator 294.
“I’m ready,” Inaba said Tuesday at an open workout session for fans and the media at Royal Hawaiian Center in Honolulu. “I knew what I had in front of me. This is just in the right direction for what I want. I didn’t take this lightly. She’s already fought for the belt. I know she has that experience, and I have to take that into consideration. But I’m prepared. I’m coming on Saturday.
“This is my home. I’m comfortable here. I need to take that as positive energy. Take all the, all the manna that I get from my crowd and and just use it in the ring. I take it all as positive confidence.”
Macfarlane said Tuesday she is planning to call for a title shot if she wins Saturday. And if champ Carmouche wins Friday, Macfarlane will be calling for a fight against her – which would mean a teammate-vs.-teammate bout.
But Inaba can see a path to the title that basically becomes an Hawaii vs. Hawaii fight between her and Macfarlane – and one that almost certainly would take place back in Honolulu.
“That would be amazing,” Inaba told MMA Junkie. “I don’t ever look past what I have in front of me always. But that’s my goal. That’s my dream. And I work hard every day to make that happen. I’m hoping that I get three fights this year. That’s what I want. Manifest that.
“I train every day for the champ. That’s what I do. And I take her as hard of a fight as it is for the champ. I have to get past her first to make my way up there. So I train every day as if that’s what I want to be is to one day be the champ.”
That means Inaba will have her eye on Bellator 295 and beyond …
“I’m excited. I’m glad there’s a lot of other flyweight fights. It’s fun to see that – see what I’m up against and how they perform in front of my home crowd, as well. My eyes are wide open. I’m taking everything in all those fights and it’s just more motivation for me watching those.”
Check out Inaba’s full open workout video in the video above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 295.
