Bellator Fighting Championships fitted the final two pieces into its 2010 women’s 115-pound tournament puzzle with the additions of unbeaten Cage Rage veteran Aisling Daly and American Top Team’s Jessica Aguilar. Terms of their deals were not disclosed.
Perfect in nine professional appearances, Daly last competed in November, when she earned a unanimous verdict against Maiju Kujala under the Rumble in Rush banner in her native Ireland. The 22-year-old has secured eight of her nine victories by knockout, technical knockout or submission. Daly has never fought in the United States.
“Bellator is the No.1 organization in the world for women’s MMA right now, so I jumped at the chance to sign,” Daly said in a release. “They have all of the best female fighters in the world signed, and I firmly believe that whoever wins the tournament is the best pound-for-pound female fighter in the world. That’s my goal, and that’s what I’m coming to the U.S. to do. Nobody will remember who finishes second.”
Aguilar will carry a three-fight winning streak into her promotional debut. The Mexican-born 28-year-old stopped Catia Vitoria on first-round punches at an Action Fight League show on June 4. Two of Aguilar’s three career setbacks -- a majority decision loss to Magana in January 2009 and a unanimous decision defeat to Ward in 2006 -- have come to fellow tournament entrants.
“This is my dream,” Aguilar said. “Bellator is giving us 115-pounders a shot at showing the world what we can do. Whoever wins this tournament will have the right to say they are truly the best in the world. I just couldn’t pass up that opportunity.”