Canadian Muay Thai Champion Julia “The Jewel” Budd will make her pro MMA debut as part of the October 22nd Strikeforce Challengers 11 card. The British Columbia native, who is the only woman to ever defeat Gina Carano in Muay Thai, will face Shana “Rock Solid” Olsen at 145 pounds.
News of the fight was first reported by The MMA Show with Mauro Ranallo on Wednesday evening. MMARising.com has since confirmed that the fight is signed. Olsen has won all four of her MMA bouts to date and is on a short list of title contenders for Strikeforce champion Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos.
Budd (0-0-0 MMA; 10-1-0 Muay Thai), who trains alongside MMA and early UFC veteran “Fearless” Lance Gibson in Port Moody, British Columbia, joins a growing list of fighters from other combat sports who have transitioned to pro MMA. Her lone Muay Thai defeat came against unbeaten (48-0) sensation Germaine de Randamie, who also recently made her professional debut in mixed martial arts. Budd holds a decision win over former Strikeforce title challenger Gina “Conviction” Carano – the only loss of Carano’s Muay Thai career – and has the striking pedigree to compete among the best in MMA’s 145-pound women’s division.
Olsen (4-0-0) stepped right into the fire in her MMA career and faced 2007 HOOKnSHOOT Grand Prix Champion Kaitlin Young in her second fight. Though Olsen was unable to make the bout’s 140-pound limit, she nonetheless emerged with an impressive second-round stoppage victory. After two more wins this year, Olsen was expected to make her Strikeforce debut against Erin “Steel” Toughill, but Toughill withdrew from the fight – reportedly on at least two occasions – and Olsen found herself without an opponent. She will now compete for Strikeforce for the first time and a win could propel her into the promotion’s immediate title picture.
Strikeforce Challengers 11 takes place on October 22nd at the SaveMart Center in Fresno, California. The event also features a welterweight rematch between “Relentless” Roger Bowling and “Vicious” Bobby Voelker and a lightweight bout between Billy Evangelista and Waachiim Spiritwolf.
[…] Thai champion who beat Gina Carano signs with Strikeforce, fights October 22nd Julia Budd vs Shana Olsen At Strikeforce Challengers | MMARising.com Everyone's been wanting Strikeforce to sign strikers to compete with Cyborg and they definitely […]