Ilima-Lei Macfarlane successfully defended her flyweight title with a submission victory over Alejandra Lara in the main event of Bellator 201 Friday in Temecula, Calif.
Macfarlane improved to 8-0 in professional mixed martial arts as she locked in a third-round armbar to force the tap. Macfarlane won Bellator’s inaugural women’s 125-pound championship this past November when she defeated Emily Ducote with a triangle-armbar. Five of her eight career wins have come via submission.
Canadian Valerie Letourneau, a one-time UFC strawweight title challenger, improved to 2-0 in the Bellator cage competing in the flyweight division. The 35-year-old Montreal native earned a unanimous decision victory over Kristina Williams.
Letourneau is now expected to be Macfarlane’s next title challenger.
Saad Awad made quick work of Ryan Couture in the night’s co-main event with a first-round knockout and blue chip prospect Ed Ruth is now 6-0 in MMA after finishing Andy Murad with a second-round TKO in preliminary action.
Here are the complete results from Bellator 201:
MAIN CARD
— Ilima-Lei Macfarlane def. Alejandra Lara by submission (armbar)
— Saad Awad def. Ryan Couture by TKO
— Valerie Letourneau def. Kristina Williams by unanimous decision
— Juan Archuleta def. Robbie Peralta by knockout
PRELIMINARY CARD
— Tyrell Fortune def. Giovanni Sarran (5-3) by TKO
— Joey Davis def. Craig Plaskett (2-3) by unanimous decision
— Ed Ruth def. Andy Murad (15-3) by TKO
— Jordan Young def. Jamal Pogues (4-2) by submission (armbar)
— Keri Taylor-Melendez def. Tiani Valle (1-1) by submission (rear-naked choke)
— Jay Jay Wilson def. David Conte (0-1) by submission (rear-naked choke)
— Jacob Rosales def. Joshua Jones (7-3) by unanimous decision
— Ricky Furar def. Victor Rosas by unanimous decision
