Ilima-Lei Macfarlane is a professional mixed martial artist from the United States who competes in Bellator MMA’s flyweight division. She is the first and only female flyweight world champion in Bellator’s history. She is ranked #7 in the Bellator Women’s pound-for-pound rankings as of April 26, 2022. And #4 in the Bellator Women’s Flyweight rankings as of April 26, 2022.
About Lei Macfarlane | Family and Education
On April 2, 1990, in Honolulu, Hawaii, United States, Lei Macfarlane took his first steps. Her father’s name is Walter Macfarlane.
Because she was born to American parents, Macfarlane is a U.S. citizen. She is also a member of the white native Hawaiian ethnic group.
The gifted warrior came from a loving and caring home. Her parents, on the other hand, were quite supportive of her.
Aside from that, she grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii, and graduated from Punahou School in 2009. Ilima then moved on to San Diego State University to study Anthropology.
In 2013, the flyweight category fighter received her bachelor’s degree and opted to pursue her education further. Additionally, the MMA fighter studied for a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies with a focus on indigenous themes at SDSU.
Throughout her childhood, Ilima kept herself engaged by playing basketball. However, a knee injury put an end to her game ambitions.
Despite receiving a wrestling scholarship from Menlo College, Macfarlane turned it down. The athlete wanted to drop a few pounds she had acquired over the summer before graduation.
She became a member of a gym as a result of this. She got introduced to the MMA scene after joining Liz Carmouche’s MMA gym.
Her interest in mixed martial arts evolved as a result of this. As a result, she continued the training at the Combat Academy of San Diego.
Professional Life and Career
Fight Series Xplode
In 2014, Ilima began her unprofessional MMA career. She was also undefeated as an amateur. Throughout the year, this brave girl fought five times, usually in the Xplode Fight Series.
In addition, the athlete’s first professional match was an unofficial match against Katie Castro. The event was part of the Xplode Fight Series.
Macfarlane won via technical knockout in less than 10 seconds.
The California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) launched an investigation into the establishment’s unlicensed MMA events following this unofficial MMA match.
The battle was such a hit that the video of it was shared multiple times on the internet. The video was dubbed “Soccer mom loses to MMA fighter” by many sources.
The video went viral as well, with over a million views on YouTube. It also made appearances on a few television news channels. Aside from that, Katie had a 0-2 record before facing Ilima.
Bellator MMA
Ilima signed a three-fight deal with Bellator MMA as a result of his meeting with Castro.
In August 2015, she competed in Bellator 141 for the first time. In the game, MacFarlane won a split decision over Maria Rios.
After winning the first fight, the athlete went on to fight Amber Tackett at Bellator. Following that, Ilima won the preliminary round by armbar submission.
The boxer went on to win her next match, this time against Rebecca Ruth. In the next round, Ilima got the job done with a standing rear-naked choke.
Macfarlane witnessed the victory reach new heights. She never lost another match after that. The Hawaiian competed against Emily Ducote, who she defeated by a unanimous decision.
She also faced Jessica Middleton in the preliminary round, securing the victory by armbar submission.
Women’s Flyweight World Champion in Bellator
At Bellator 186, Emily Ducote and Ilima fought for the second time to open the Bellator Women’s Flyweight World Championship.
In the fifth round, the tough Hawaiian won the session with an armbar disparity, claiming her main MMA title.
Following that, Ilima faced Alejandra Lara in her first flyweight title defense.
Ilima won the title with an armbar in the third round.
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She confronted Valérie Létourneau in Honolulu, Hawaii, where she grew up.
Macfarlane also retained her title for the second time. She was able to accomplish this by defeating Létourneau in the third round.
In a similar vein, the MMA champion faced off against Veta Arteaga and Kate Jackson.
Because of the doctor’s stoppage in the third round, she won the fight by TKO. And there was a unanimous decision to fight Kate.
Bellator has announced that Macfarlane has inked a ten-fight, five-year extension lead agreement.
The undefeated fighter Ilima’s next fight was in 2020 against Juliana Velasquez, another undefeated fighter.
Honors And Achievements
Ilima takes first place in combat jiu-jitsu. She is also the current flyweight champion of Bellator MMA, having successfully defended four belts.
Macfarlane has the second-highest number of submission victories. That is the only time in Bellator MMA history that this has happened.
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She also had a tie for second place with Michael Chandler and Neiman Gracie. She also holds the record for the most wins among women in the Bellator division’s history.
Ilima is the current world champion in the Bellator Women’s Flyweight division. Macfarlane was also named the 2018 Breakthrough Fighter of the Year by MMAjunkie.com.
Relationship Status
Jason Tupuola-Aiono, Ilima-Lei Macfarlane’s boyfriend, is currently engaged to her. They were going to marry on April 1st, 2020.
Macfarlane and her soon-to-be husband were planning to marry in Jamaica, on a day that would be as important as a national holiday for the Bellator champion.
In the titleholder’s hometown of San Diego, California, the promised duo was on a long sabbatical.
A coronavirus outbreak, on the other hand, brought life to a halt in cities across the United States. As a result, the idea of a large marital celebration didn’t seem that appealing.
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On Instagram, she’s Tarsis Humphreys, not Tarsis Humphreys. He is her phony boyfriend, spirit guide, and training companion, according to Ilima.
Several baby photos are also shared by the athlete. She even wrote in one of them:
After my trip home, I’ve developed baby fever, so don’t even look at me unless you want to be a stay-at-home Dad.
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Personal Experiences
Separately, she is an outspoken activist in her home state of Hawaii. Ilima keeps her Hawaiian heritage close to her heart and performs Halau Hula Olana.
Ilima has a strong desire for equality. Macfarlane also seeks to inspire young ladies via her “Eliminator Scholarship.”
It gives young native girls, ages 12 to 18, chances for travel, cultural enrichment, and ethnic information.
Macfarlane has certain personal aspirations in addition to her philanthropic endeavors. She also wishes to look after herself following her session.
Ilima is also contemplating buying a house for herself and her dog. She’s also hustling and toiling to get her studentship program up and running.
The flyweight fighter devotes most of her time to training and preparing for fights. As a result, she is a powerful woman with a friendly demeanor. Our support for her is unwavering.
Net Worth | Lei Macfarlane
Ilima-Lei, the current undefeated MMA empress, amassed fame, riches, and a name through her professional mixed martial arts career.
She has a contract with Bellator MMA, which is thought to be her primary source of income.
Her total earnings in her career have been $85,000 thus far.
Her exact net worth and salary as of 2022 are still being calculated. Nonetheless, the remarkable athlete is estimated to be worth between $100,000 and $1 million.
Body Measurement | Hair, Height, Nationality
Ilima will be 32 years old in 2021, based on her birth date of April 2, 1990. She is also 5 feet 5 inches (1.65 m) tall and weighs approximately 125 pounds (57 kg; 8.9 st).
Macfarlane’s athletic figure is reflected in her height-to-weight ratio. Aside from that, she has developed core muscles while maintaining a low body fat percentage.
As a fighter and a Brown belt in 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu, it’s critical to keep your body in good shape. Furthermore, her current build is ideal for the objectives she wishes to achieve.
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Ilima is a beautiful and powerful MMA fighter with luscious brown hair and appealing brown eyes. She, too, has an attractive grin and excellent teeth.
Ilima’s beauty isn’t the only thing that has drawn the entire crowd to her. She is also equally talented, skilled, and knowledgeable about what she is doing inside the ring.
She is ardent, motivated, and poised, to name a few of her outstanding features. Furthermore, with her unwavering willpower, she is a front-runner, just like a real Aries.
The horse is Ilima’s Chinese horoscope.
Social Media
On several social media networks, the MMA fighter is highly active. As a result, Macfarlane has a sizable following on Instagram.
She describes herself as a pineapple princess in her Instagram bio. Aside from that, the athlete has linked it to her scholarship program.
The unbeaten MMA champion recently shared many photos of herself and her fiancé, Jason.
Aside from that, she has endorsed several brands. In a similar vein, the champion fighter promotes them in her feed.
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We discovered several interesting stuff on her feed, like the fact that she despises ice baths. She penned,
“There are a lot of things I can do here. I did not become a world champion because I was emotionally or physically unable to compete. Ice baths, on the other hand, are not something I can do. Childbirth is the only thing I can think of that would be worse, but at least I’d be in warm water.”
Her feed also contains some divisive content.
For instance, the one in which she’s puffing on a cannabis pre-roll. She also stated that she was unaware of the existence of Cannabis rolls until she received one as a present.
Macfarlane admitted that she doesn’t know how to properly smoke them.
She appeared to be promoting that product. Discount codes were also stated by Ilima.
@ilimanator is the MMA fighter’s Instagram handle, while @ilimanator is her Twitter username.
Frequently Asked Question:
What is the next bout for Ilima-lei Macfarlane?
Juliana Velasquez was the opponent in the MMA fighter’s final fight. Furthermore, it was her first and only MMA loss. Her next bout is currently unknown.
Ilima-lei Macfarlane is a great actor, but how good is she?
The athlete is a world-class mixed martial artist. She has also won 11 of her 12 professional fights, including two at Bellator and one at the Xplode Fight Series – Fire.
Her Bellator Women’s Flyweight World Championship is also hers. Macfarlane also took home the EBI Women’s Flyweight Championship, which was held for the first time.
Finally, she has an impressive winning record in Combat Jiu-jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts.
Aside from that, Ilima has been recognized for her outstanding abilities as a mixed martial artist and boxer.
Quick Facts | Lei Macfarlane
| Full Name | Ilima-Lei Macfarlane |
| Date Of Birth | 1990, April 2 |
| Place Of Birth | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States |
| Nick/Pet Name | The Iliminator |
| Religion | Christian |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnic Belonging | White |
| Father’s Name | Walter Macfarlane |
| Mother’s Name | Not Available |
| Number Of Siblings | Not Available |
| Education | San Diego State University |
| Zodiac Sign | Aries |
| Age | 32 Years Old |
| Height | 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) |
| Weight | 125 lb (57 kg; 8.9 st) |
| Eye color | Brown |
| Hair color | Black |
| Shoe Size | Unavailable |
| Body Measurement | Unknown |
| Figure | Atheltic |
| Marital Status | Un-Married |
| Boyfriend | Jason Tupuola-Aiono |
| Children | None |
| Occupation | Professional mixed martial artist |
| Net worth | $100 thousand to 1 million (Approx.) |
| Salary | $85,000 |
| Active Years | 2014 – Present |
| Pets | Kope Macfarlane-Kunitomo |
| Current works | Bellator MMA |
| Social Handle | Instagram, Twitter |
| Last Update | May 2022 |
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