Cutting weight with Bellator champ Ilima-Lei Macfarlane

By Esther Lin Jun 28, 2018, 3:00pm EDT

Ilima-Lei Macfarlane in a hot epsom salt bath.

MMA Fighting’s Esther Lin got a front-row seat to Bellator champion Ilima-Lei Macfarlane’s weight cut. Check out her photos below.

Ilima-Lei Macfarlane gets ready for her tough training session. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Ilima-Lei Macfarlane works out in plastics. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Ilima-Lei Macfarlane works out in plastics. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Ilima-Lei Macfarlane works out in plastics. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Ilima-Lei Macfarlane works out in plastics. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Ilima-Lei Macfarlane works out in plastics. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Ilima-Lei Macfarlane works out in plastics. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Macfarlane’s training partners Jackie Vandenburgh and Rebekah Levine apply Albolene to Ilima-Lei to prepare her for the epson salt soak. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Ilima-Lei Macfarlane soaks in the tub. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Ilima-Lei Macfarlane soaks in the tub. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Ilima-Lei Macfarlane soaks in the tub. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Ilima-Lei Macfarlane soaks in the tub. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Ilima-Lei Macfarlane soaks in the tub. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Ilima-Lei Macfarlane gets another layer of Albolene on for the coccoon Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Ilima-Lei Macfarlane goes to her hotel room to continue cutting weight Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Teammate Rebekah Levine tucks Ilima-Lei Macfarlane into her “burrito” Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Macfarlane’s teammates lay her fight outfit on top of her while she cuts, like a paper doll. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Then they lay Macfarlane’s Bellator title on top of her but the weight of the gold makes it hard for Ilima-Lei to breathe. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Burrito time with Ilima-Lei Macfarlane. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Ilima-Lei emerges after 30 minutes sweating under the towels. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Ilima-Lei Macfarlane peels her sweatsuit off to check her progress. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Macfarlane has a little more weight to cut. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Ilima-Lei Macfarlane checks the weight on her own scale Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Ilima-Lei Macfarlane must check her weight against the official scale before she can rest for the night Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Ilima-Lei Macfarlane must check her weight against the official scale before she can rest for the night Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Ilima-Lei Macfarlane is happy with her progress and goes back to her room to rest until morning weigh-ins Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
Ilima-Lei Macfarlane makes 125 on the dot for her Bellator flyweight title defense. Esther Lin, MMA Fighting

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