Leah McCourt was reminded throughout Bellator Champions Collection: London media day that her bout with Sara Collins is billed as a No. 1 contender struggle. All she might do was roll her eyes – not actually, however you would hear it in her voice.
“Once more,” McCourt mentioned with a smirk Wednesday.
McCourt established herself as the ladies’s featherweight No. 1 contender final October when she completed Sara McMann by first-round TKO at Bellator 300. Just a few hours later that evening, 145-pound champion Cris Cyborg steamrolled previous Cat Zingano to retain her title. Afterward, McCourt was introduced within the cage for a faceoff to make it official – or maybe “official” (air quotes).
As a result of right here we’re virtually a 12 months later, and Cyborg is making ready to satisfy PFL champion Larissa Pacheco on Oct. 19 in a pay-per-view superfight because the co-main occasion to the “Battle of the Giants” betweem Francis Ngannou and Renan Fereira.
“Who is aware of what I’ll should do?” McCourt mentioned. “I already confronted off in opposition to her. It was meant to occur so many occasions, so until I’m within the cage along with her, that’s after I’ll imagine it’s occurring.”
With the Cyborg struggle nonetheless only a dream, McCourt (8-3) is concentrated on undefeated Collins (5-0), whom she meets Saturday within the Bellator London major occasion. The struggle was elevated to headline the cardboard after the middleweight title struggle between Johnny Eblen and Fabian Edwards was scrapped final week.
“It’s clearly an honor, as a result of two females are headlining the cardboard at Wembley,” McCourt mentioned.
When she breaks down Collins, whose 5 profession wins embody Bellator victories over Pam Sorenson and Sinead Kavanagh, McCourt believes the expertise issue performs out in her favor and will give her an edge on struggle evening.
“I believe the expertise of at all times being thrown into the deep finish, at all times being pushed on the cardboard, major occasion positively helps,” McCourt mentioned. “I don’t understand how she offers with strain or how she handles it, however I positively really feel the profit this week as a result of it simply appears like enterprise as typical.”
McCourt continued, “She’s extraordinarily powerful. She’s proven that she will cling with completely different kinds of fighters, however I believe she’s not used to the sort of tempo or strain I carry. Quite a lot of my fights are fairly high-paced. I believe it’s completely different to her, particularly on struggle evening while you’re ready round as the primary occasion. It’s further strain that’ll play into my fingers.”
McCourt needs nothing greater than to struggle for the ladies’s featherweight title. Assuming a victory on Saturday does, certainly, really and formally make her the No. 1 contender, she hopes that chance will come in opposition to Cyborg, who’s going through a troublesome activity in Pacheco subsequent month.
“Ideally if I used to be preventing for the title, it could be in opposition to Cyborg,” McCourt mentioned. “She’s one of the best of all time. She’s the most important title. She’s fought everybody. She’s received all of the belts. I simply at all times imagine there’s a option to beat anybody you’re up in opposition to. I imagine my group and my coaching companions, we’d discover a option to win.”
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