Bellator announces the signings of Marloes Coenen and Julia Budd; Scheduled to meet later this year on Spike TV

Bellator MMA is back in the business of promoting women’s mixed martial arts bouts as the organization has signed former Strikeforce champion Marloes Coenen and Julie Budd.New Bellator logo

Both signings were announced by the promotion on Thursday.

“We’re incredibly excited to bring in two of the best athletes competing in our sport today,” Bellator President Scott Coker said. “We are making a commitment to bring back the female division to Bellator, and feature some of the world’s best in the Bellator cage.”

Coenen (21-6) is the former Strikeforce women’s featherweight champion and she has won four of her last six fights. She is considered the number two women’s featherweight fighter in the world and she is coming off a defeat against Cris Cyborg in Invicta FC.

“After fighting professionally for over 15 years, I am honored to be invited into the Bellator cage,” Coenen said. “Fighting for Bellator brings my spirit back for fighting! It is great to be working together with Scott Coker again as we both have the same vision on fighting. My style is fighting with the objective to knock my opponent out or to submit her. That is exactly what I am planning to do the very first second I step into the Bellator cage.”

Budd (6-2) is also a former Strikeforce fighter and is currently considered as the number three women’s featherweight fighter behind Cyborg and Coenen. She is currently on a four fight winning streak and her most recent win came in December against Charmaine Tweet at Invicta FC 7.

“I’m ecstatic about the opportunity that Bellator is giving the 145 female division and I’m especially excited to be one of the first females to fight for Scott Coker under the Bellator banner,” Budd said. “This gives me the opportunity to showcase my skills as one of the best fighters in the world on one of the biggest stages in the world.”

Coenen and Budd are scheduled to meet each other later this year and the fight will be place on a main card broadcast on Spike TV.