THACKERVILLE, Okla. – Juliana Velasquez extended her unbeaten record with a stoppage win over Kristina Williams at Bellator 224 and said she hoped to get a shot at championship gold by the end of the year.
Velasquez (9-0 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) had hoped for a crack at current flyweight champion Ilima-Lei Macfarlane after her previous win at Bellator 212, but her second-round TKO finish of Williams (3-2 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) at WinStar World Casino on Friday night ensured her place in pole position to face the Hawaiian champ.
“I hope so,” Velasquez told MMA Junkie backstage after her win. “They were saying that whoever won this fight would be next in line, so I hope that’s me now. I’m hoping for that.”
For what it’s worth, Velasquez caught Macfarlane’s attention on Twitter.
Velasquez smartly avoided Williams’ impressive kicking arsenal, bided her time, then struck to earn an eye-catching victory.
“I planned for it,” Velasquez said. “I knew her kicks were very strong, I knew she was coming with those kicks. We trained for it and every time she came, I was coming out with my guard up and ready to go.”
As it turned out, Velasquez had success with her own kicks during the fight, as she exchanged strikes with her opposite number early on before eventually stepping inside and dominating with her punches.
“In the first round, that’s when I saw that she felt all my kicks,” Velasquez said. “Then the second round came around, and she really felt my hands and my kicks, and that’s when it was time.”
And after her resounding win, Velasquez said she’d like a few months to prepare but would love the opportunity to challenge for the strap at the end of the year.
“Hopefully it’s December,” she said. “I do need some time to prepare myself. It’s going to be five rounds, weights are going to change a little bit, but hopefully this year and hopefully December, so I can prepare and be ready.”
For complete coverage of Bellator 224, check out the MMA results.
