Crown ‘Jewel’

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When Julia Budd steps into the cage at Bellator 224 on July 12 in Thackerville, Oklahoma, it will mark her third defense of the Bellator MMA women’s featherweight championship. She captured the inaugural title in March 2017 and finds herself on a 10-fight winning streak, with her only career defeats having come to Amanda Nunes and Ronda Rousey.

Budd wants to move another step closer to being considered the sport’s top competitor at 145 pounds, as she takes on undefeated prospect Olga Rubin. It seems fitting that the fight takes place in the city where she won the featherweight title and retained it on two subsequent occasions.

“I’ve been there so many times that I’m very comfortable there,” Budd said. “I’m excited about the fans there. I’ve got a fanbase there that’s been coming to all my fights. I’m excited about seeing them and getting in there and having another awesome experience in the cage.”

It will be Budd’s first appearance since she signed a new four-fight deal with Bellator earlier this year. With the recent addition of Ultimate Fighting Championship veteran Leslie Smith to the roster, Budd believes the Viacom-backed promotion plans to grown the women’s featherweight division and raise the level of competition for her moving forward.

“They’re planning on building it,” she said. “Having three featherweight fights on this card is huge for me, and I’ve got to do my job now. I’ve got to go in there and make sure I have the best performance of my career, go in there and be super dominant so I get to fight one of the girls that won and had a great performance, as well.”

Smith will make her first appearance with the promotion in more than a decade when she takes on Sinead Kavanagh at Bellator 224. Unceremoniously released by the UFC in 2017, “The Peacemaker” has Budd’s attention. Should Smith defeat Kavanagh, she could be next in line for a title shot.

“If Leslie gets through Sinead and that goes according to her plan, she’s somebody that I’d love to fight in the future,” Budd said. “With her experience alone and how long she’s been in the sport and how many fights she [has] fought, I think that’s an exciting fight.”

Before she can fully consider a showdown with Smith, Budd has to get through Rubin. Sporting a perfect 6-0 record, she has soundly beaten all six of her opponents on her way up the featherweight ladder. Rubin’s resume includes a unanimous decision win over Cindy Dandois at Bellator 209 in November.

“She’s kind of well-rounded,” Budd said. “I’ve fought a lot of southpaws in my kickboxing career. I think that she poses a danger [in] that she’s hungry and that she’s well-rounded and the fight can kind of go anywhere, standing or on the ground. Every experience is totally different, but I feel like I face really well-rounded people all the time in my training. She likes to throw her left hand, her lead hook -- the things that southpaws like. [Those are] the tendencies she’s had, [and] I’ve trained specifically for those things.”

Although focused on Rubin, Budd admits some of Bellator’s recent business moves have piqued her interest, most notably the company’s decision to go down the cross-promotion road with Rizin Fighting Federation in Japan.

“That’s one of the great things about Bellator, their relationship with Rizin,” she said. “There’s female fighters in Rizin I’d love to fight. I’d love to fight for Rizin, as well. Knowing [Bellator] and Rizin have a good relationship with each other, I’d for sure go over there and fight.”

While Budd stopped short of tapping Gabi Garcia by name, could a battle with undefeated heavyweight be in the cards? The Canadian understands the ramifications.

“Maybe,” Budd said with a laugh. “I’m totally focused on Olga Rubin, but … I would love to maybe fight in an open weight class against somebody over in Rizin at some point. That would be a huge fight.”

For now, the 35-year-old has her sights set on finishing Rubin.

“I see an end in every round,” Budd said. “I’ve seen me ending it standing. I’ve seen me ending it on the ground. I’ve seen myself submitting her. I can’t say a prediction, specifically. I just know that I’m going to go out there and that I’m the best I’ve ever been and that I can’t wait to get in there. I’m super excited for this fight. I can’t wait to get in there and throw down.”