With title bout on the horizon, Maui fires give Ilima Macfarlane “something bigger to fight for”

It’s barely 11 a.m. and Ilima Macfarlane has just finished her second workout of the day.

There is a cardio session and wrestling practice still to come.

“This is really the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my whole life this kind of training,” Ilima said still drenched in sweat after training at 10th Planet in Oceanside.

It’s the latest in a stretch of grueling days for the 33-year-old, who has been fighting for a decade. In 2013, after graduating from San Diego State, she wanted to get in shape. Ilima set foot in a mixed martial arts gym and stumbled upon a surprising new path.

“Whenever the cage door closes, I’m like what am I doing here?”

What she’s usually doing is winning. The 'Iliminator' won her first 10 bouts and became Bellator’s first women’s flyweight champion. On October 7^th she’ll fight to reclaim the belt she lost in December of 2020 - taking on friend and former training partner Liz Carmouche.

“It’s a very very full circle moment for me and full circle fight.”

Her storybook opportunity was announced August 9^th, but a day that should’ve brought excitement was instead accompanied by heartbreak.

That was the day wildfires caused devastation in Maui.

“This is really bad," Ilima said reflecting on that day. "Like this is [expletive] bad. That’s when we couldn’t stop crying.”

Ilima grew up in Honolulu and has close friends and relatives from Maui. Suddenly her heart and mind were thousands of miles from the cage.

“I just like didn’t give a [expletive] honestly about the fight, I was just like I don’t care," she said. "There was just so much bigger things on my mind right now."

She poured those thoughts out on Instagram. The overwhelming feeling was a desire to help – which she did by starting an online fundraiser.

Within 24 hours Ilima raised over one million dollars. The total is now more than 2.8 million. She says all of it will go to those impacted by the fires.

“That was probably the biggest compliment that people could ever give me is that they trust me,” Ilima said, her voice trembling as she fought off tears.

Ilima also organized a donation drive, which also got an overwhelming response.

Help for her home state, reflecting the spirit of its people.

“Everybody has each other’s backs when terrible times like this happen," she said. ”The whole world has seen how the community has come together, and I just think Hawaii is one of the most special places in the world.”

While her heart may be an ocean away – her body remains in the gym. But there is no opponent or opportunity that could keep Ilima’s mind from drifting.

“Of course this fight is dedicated to Maui”

And Ilima says it could be her last, giving her a chance to win a championship in her city and then walk away.

“Of course I want to win it , I dream of that how [expletive] rad would that be?" Ilima said. "But would I feel okay if I didn’t win it? I would feel okay.

"The tragedy that happened back home is giving me something bigger to fight for.”