Welcomed News for Sara Collins

Less than two weeks out from her scheduled fight with Leah McCourt under the Bellator MMA banner, Sara Collins was elevated to the main event of Bellator Champions Series 5 this Saturday at OVO Arena Wembley in London. Collins has enjoyed a meteoric rise at the start of her mixed martial arts career and now sits at 5-0, with wins over Pam Sorenson and Sinead Kavanagh in her first two appearances in Bellator.

When the original headliner between middleweight champion Johnny Eblen and Fabian Edwards fell through, Collins’ showdown with McCourt was next in line. She learned of the news like most everyone else did—via the Internet.

“It was a surprise,” Collins told Sherdog.com. “I woke up and got on my phone [and saw] that the Fabian fight was off, so I was like, ‘Wow, I guess I’m it.’ No one let me know. I found out on Instagram in the morning.”

Collins was elated to be pushed into headlining duty, especially against McCourt—an opponent she has been calling for since she arrived in Bellator.

“I’ve been asking to fight Leah since I joined Bellator,” she said. “I think this is an opponent I’m ready for. I think I might not be ready for being the main event, but I’m willing to take on the challenge. I think style-wise it’s a good matchup for me. She has always been a couple spots ahead on the rankings, so I think it’s just a good matchup.”

Although she has only five pro fights on her resume, Collins dedicated herself to martial arts some two decades ago. She believes life experiences have prepared her for opportunities like the one she has in front of her now. Collins admits it may seemed rushed, but given the goals she has set, she may not have as much time as it appears.

“I feel like because I’ve been in martial arts for such a long time—I did judo for 20 years, now muay thai and MMA—it’s not a big rush,” she said. “Also, I’m 34 and I want to have kids one day, so I kind of have to rush. It doesn’t feel like a rush, but I am only 5-0, so it is a little bit of a rush.”

While she remains unwilling to classify herself as one of the top women’s featherweights in the world, Collins points to a strong strength of schedule thus far. A win over McCourt could signal that she has started to turn the corner into that conversation.

“Maybe not yet, but if you look at the Bellator roster, it’s only good people,” Collins said. “I had no option but to fight good girls who have a lot more experience than I did. There was no other option. It was what it was meant to be.”

As she steps into the cage to face an opponent she called out, Collins sounds ready to seize the opportunity. She believes in her ability to take the fight against McCourt and recognizes the narrative that the women who win high-stakes affairs in the Bellator featherweight division all want a crack at Cristiane Justino . “Cyborg” will face two-time Professional Fighters League champion Larissa Pacheco at PFL Super Fights “Battle of the Giants” on Oct. 19.

“I think that’s the fight everyone wants one day,” Collins said. “You always want to be the person that stops ‘Cyborg,’ but I think she’s just still doing great. I’d love to see her win [against Pacheco].”

As for the task ahead, Collins expects a difficult test from McCourt.

“I think she’s going to be tough,” she said. “I think she’s going to be tough like my other opponents, but I’m looking forward to the challenge. I hope [the fans] can expect an exciting fight. I’ve learned a lot from my other fights, and I’m excited to show a new and improved fighter.”