Julia Budd Defends Bellator Female Title Vs. Olga Rubin

Bellator’s return to WinStar World Casino and Resort in Thackerville, Okla. on Friday, July 12 will be headlined by a women’s featherweight title fight featuring Canada’s Julia Budd (12-2) defending her title for a third time against undefeated Olga Rubin (6-0) of Israel.

The event will be broadcast live and free on Paramount Network at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, as well as DAZN.com, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and globally on the Bellator Mobile App. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at the WinStar World Casino and Resort box office, as well as through Ticketmaster and Bellator.com. Additional bouts will be announced in the coming weeks.

Fighting out of Port Moody, British Columbia, Canada, Budd is set to enter the Bellator cage for the first time in 2019 and for the third time since claiming the inaugural Bellator women’s featherweight world title in 2017. Currently riding a winning streak of 10 bouts, including six straight since joining forces with Bellator in 2015, “The Jewel” has her eyes set on a third consecutive world title defense when she challenges the undefeated Rubin on July 12.

Since knocking off Dutch legend Marloes Coenen for the 145-pound strap at Bellator 174, the Gibson MMA-product has since collected back-to-back victories over top contenders Arlene Blencowe and Talita Nogueira. With six of her 12 career wins coming by way of knockout or submission, the former kickboxing standout will look to hand Rubin the first loss of her professional career.

Making her fifth appearance since signing with Bellator in 2017, Rubin looks to protect her unblemished professional mark en route to her first career women’s featherweight world title on July 12. Following a pair of notable knockouts in her first two promotional appearances at Bellator 164 and Bellator 188, the 29-year-old prospect has bolstered her resume with dominating victories over the likes of Cindy Dandois and Iony Razafiarison in each of her past two bouts.

Now residing in Holon, Israel, Rubin splits her time training between Tel Aviv and London’s Team Titan under the tutelage of veteran Brad Pickett. “Big Bad” will look to become the first fighter to beat Budd in almost eight years and join a select group of women that includes just Ronda Rousey and Amanda Nunes, who have succeeded against the champ in the past.