Bellator’s Williams ‘Motivated’ Working Multiple Jobs

When an athlete isn’t fighting, they are training for their next potential bout, relaxing or working to help support themselves or their family. For Bellator’s Kristina Williams, she is doing the latter, and then some.

Williams (3-2) last fought at Bellator 224 in July, losing to Juliana Velasquez via TKO. Bellator hasn’t managed to provide her with a fight since then. That is until her upcoming bout with Denis Kielholtz at Bellator 239 on February 21. The 30-year-old from Oklahoma has done whatever it takes to stay busy.

“I’ve been working at the barn, training a lot of horses,” Williams stated to theScore. “I have another part-time job with a flower shop and working at the gym, too. I’ve been really busy, which I kind of like it that way anyhow. I think it drives me more actually. I’m so motivated to make those things happen and like put everything I have into it.”

Williams is best known for knocking out boxing star Heather Hardy at Bellator 185 in 2017. Her debut fight for the promotion, Williams hit vicious kicks to the face that busted the nose of Hardy. Since then she is 2-2 in her last four fights. Kielholtz (4-2), a kickboxing (18-2) champion, is on a two-fight win streak, last beating Sabriye Şengul at Bellator London in November via submission.

After a long layoff, Williams is looking to prove she belongs on the Bellator roster and that she deserves more fights. With her contract expiring, a win can secure another contract with Bellator, or she can move on to other promotions. She does have a few options, some that can help make or break her leading up to the fight.

“This is the last fight on my Bellator contract so I guess we see what happens after,” Williams went on to say. “(Starting a family) has crossed my mind but I really want to see after this fight what where my career goes. I think this fight is going to be like the real kicker. I see myself fighting three or four more years at least.”

Bellator 239 takes place inside the WinStar World Casino in Thackerville, Oklahoma. The main event is Ed Ruth taking on Yaroslav Amosov.