Biography(references)In her youth, Macfarlane played basketball, but her aspirations in the sport came to a stop due to series of knee injuries. Although she got a scholarship for wrestling to Menlo College, she decided to study Anthropology at San Diego State University from where she earned Bachelor Degree in 2013. After earning her Bachelor Degree in 2013, she continued her education at SDSU to study Master of Arts in Liberal Studies. During the summer before grad program, she decided to lose some weight she gained in the college and joined a CrossFit gym and Liz Carmouche's MMA gym. She grew affinity for mixed martial arts and continued training at the San Diego Combat Academy.
Fighter Trivia(references)In April 2020, Ilima-Lei, her sister Mahina, and one other female who chose to remain anonymous to the public filed a lawsuit against Punahou School for failing to take action over years of alleged sexual abuse from the school's assistant basketball coach, Dwayne Yuen. In the lawsuit, all three allege Yuen of years of sexual abuse, harassment, lewd gestures, and showing young girls several pornographic photos.
Awards & Accolades
Eddie Bravo Invitational: Combat Jiu-Jitsu Women's Flyweight Championship (One time, inaugural)
Bellator MMA: Bellator Women's Flyweight World Championship (One time, inaugural). Four successful title defenses
Bellator MMA: Four successful title defenses
Bellator MMA: Second most submission wins in Bellator history (6) - tied with Michael Chandler and Neiman Gracie
Bellator MMA: Most wins in Bellator amongst women (10)
Bellator MMA: Most stoppage wins in Bellator amongst women (7)
Bellator MMA: Most wins in Bellator Flyweight division history (10)
Bellator MMA: Most fights in Bellator Flyweight division history (10)
Bellator MMA: Four successful title defenses
MMAjunkie.com: 2018 Breakthrough Fighter of the Year
Twitter Timeline
Fighter Videos
TOP FINISHES: Ilima-Lei MacFarlane | Bellator MMA
Full Fight | Juliana Velasquez vs Ilima-Lei MacFarlane | Bellator 254
Full Fight | Ilima-Lei MacFarlane vs Valerie Letourneau - Bellator 213
Full Fight | Ilima-Lei MacFarlane vs. Valerie Letourneau - Bellator 213
Full Fight | Ilima-Lei MacFarlane vs. Emily Ducote - Bellator 186
Full Fight | Ilima-Lei MacFarlane vs. Emily Ducote - Bellator 167
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Fight Outcomes - WinsLosses
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