Bellator flyweight Sumiko Inaba looks to maintain her undefeated record this weekend at Bellator 286. She hopes to do so once again in spectacular fashion.
Hometown Hero
In her previous bout, the ‘Lady Samurai’ fought in front of her home Hawaiian crowd for the first time as a professional. She scored an impressive KO victory, much to the delight of the fans. Inaba said it is a source of incredible pride for her to represent her island and her people by carrying the Hawaiian flag into the cage:
“I love and have so much pride for my home, and I hope it shows when I am out there performing!”
Bellator 286
Sumiko Inaba is “excited and ready to go” for her fight on Saturday night. It is a rematch from her amateur days against Nadine Mandiau. She certainly feels like she has improved vastly since her last fight and wants to show that with an even better finish this time out.
Mandiau is only 2-5 as a professional but snapped a four-fight losing streak in her last fight. Whilst some might see this as an easy fight, Inaba is impressed by her resilience and isn’t looking past her.
Whilst her focus is squarely on Mandiau, the Lady Samurai is keen to fight regularly. She has one eye on a top 10 opponent next. Regardless of future opponent, she is also excited to fight overseas. Sumiko is yet to fight outside of the US, but hopes to experience some of the incredible atmospheres that Bellator generates in spots like Dublin.
Training with Angela Hill and Julianna Peña
Inaba has been preparing for her match-up with Mandiau by training with Angela Hill and Jessica Penne in San Diego.
She called the amazing experience an “eye-opener” and could see the level she needs to be at. Sumiko also revealed she took inspiration from the women. She hopes that one day she too can inspire younger martial artists to accomplish their dreams, especially those from Hawaii.
Be sure to check out Sumiko Inaba’s full interview with Ben Thomas:
Interview With Sumiko Inaba
Featured image credits to Bellator MMA
