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Sara Collins’ MMA journey began unexpectedly—watching UFC 193 unfold from the crowded seats of Etihad Arena in Melbourne back in November 2015. As a dedicated judoka, Collins was there to support teammate Daniel Kelly, who won his bout on the undercard. However, the headline fight, where Ronda Rousey was famously knocked out by Holly Holm, had a lasting impact on Collins.
“I just remember I was just a really big fan of Ronda," Collins shared. "She used our gym to train at leading up to that fight, so I was just really heartbroken for her when she lost, more so.”
Despite the loss, Collins found herself inspired to pursue MMA fully.
Collins, who had been practicing judo since age seven, competed internationally but didn’t reach the level she had hoped for due to injuries, including three knee surgeries and a ruptured Achilles tendon. These setbacks eventually led her to make the switch to MMA, and since her professional debut in 2019, Collins has remained undefeated, building an impressive 5-0 record.
Now, at age 34, Collins has secured her first major promotional headliner, where she will face Leah McCourt (8-3) at Bellator Champions Series at OVO Wembley Arena in London. Despite her relatively few professional MMA fights, Collins feels confident in her abilities and readiness for this moment.
“I feel like I am more experienced than my record shows just because I haven’t had the opportunity to fight more than once a year,” she explained. “I hope that shows in this next fight.”
With wins over veterans Sinead Kavanagh and Pam Sorenson, Collins’ career trajectory mirrors that of her coach Daniel Kelly, who also transitioned from judo to MMA later in life and found success in the UFC.
“He had 10 fights in the UFC… he’s trying to get me to do what he did and get the judo working in MMA fights like he did,” Collins said.
As Bellator’s future remains uncertain after its acquisition by PFL, Collins is focused on her upcoming fight but is open to future opportunities, including potential matchups with featherweight champions Cris Cyborg or Larissa Pacheco. For now, her sights are set on McCourt and proving herself in the cage.
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