William van Roosmalen (formerly) William Beekwilder (formerly) Said el Badaoui Suli Abdeselam Mohamed (wrestling, formerly) Hans Kroon (strength and conditioning)
He was first ranked as a top ten Featherweight by Combat Press in January 2016,[3] and was last ranked in the top ten in August 2019, before being dropped from the rankings in September 2019.[4]
Youth and beginnings
Ilias Bulaid was born to parents from Ksar el-Kebir and raised in Den Bosch. At the age of five, his older sister enrolled him in a kickboxing gym in Den Bosch. At eleven, his father died. In Den Bosch, he trained at Fight Club Den Bosch under the tutelage of William van Roosmalen and William Beekwilder. He would later leave Fight Club Den Bosch and join SB Gym to train under the supervision of Said el Badaoui.
Kickboxing career
Enfusion
Early career
Bulaid made his professional debut against Angelo Campoli at The Night of Kick and Punch 4°edizione on November 30, 2014. He won the fight by decision. Bulaid won his next fight fights as well, one by stoppage, before facing Piotr Kobylański at KOK in Gdańsk on October 17, 2014.[5] He won this KOK debut by unanimous decision.[6] Bulaid made his K-1 debut against Taito in the reserve match of the K-1 World GP 2014 -65kg Championship Tournament on November 3, 2014. He won the fight by a third-round technical knockout.[7]
Enfusion champion
Bulaid amassed an 8–0 record in the first year of his professional career,[8] which earned him the right to face Zaid Zairov for the vacant Enfusion 67 kg title at Enfusion Live 23 on December 20, 2014. He won the fight by a second-round knockout, stopping Zairov with a step-in knee.[9]
Bulaid faced the reigning Krush welterweight champion Masaaki Noiri in a non-title bout at Krush 51 on February 6, 2015. Noiri handed Bulaid his first professional loss, as he won the fight by unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring the fight 30–27 in his favor.[10]
After beating Maxim Federkov by a third-round knockout at Enfusion Live 29 on May 24, 2015, Bulaid was booked to make his first Enfusion title defense.[11] He faced Simón Santana in the main event of Enfusion Live 30 on July 11, 2015.[12] Bulaid won the fight by a first-round knockout, needing just 67 seconds to stop Santana.
Bulaid faced the two-sport ISKA welterweight champion David Mejia in a non-title bout at Enfusion Live 32 on October 10, 2015. He won the fight by decision.[13]
Bulaid made his second Enfusion title defense against Edye Ruiz at Enfusion Live 34 on November 21, 2015.[14] He won the fight by unanimous decision.[15]
Bulaid faced Edson Fortes in a non-title bout at Enfusion Live #37 on February 27, 2016. He won the fight by decision.[16]
Bulaid was booked to face Chris Mauceri in the tournament quarterfinals. He made quick work of his opponent, knocking him down twice fifty seconds into the second round, which resulted in a technical knockout victory for him under the K-1 tournament rules. Bulaid advanced to the semifinals, where he faced the former Krush lightweight and super lightweight champion Hideaki Yamazaki. He won the fight by split decision, after an extra fourth round was fought. Bulaid faced Kaew Fairtex in the tournament finals, to whom he had lost just two months prior. Bulaid lost the rematch by a second-round technical knockout.[20]
Bulaid made his third Enfusion title defense against Zakaria Zouggary at Enfusion Live 46 on February 18, 2017. He won the fight by decision.[23] Bulaid's next fight took place in Netherlands as well, as he was booked to face Manaowan Sitsongpeenong at Fight League 6 on May 13, 2017. He won the fight by a first-round knockout.[24]
Bulaid participated in the 2017 Kunlun Fight 67 kg tournament, and faced Jordan Kranio in the first round of the tournament, at Kunlun Fight 65 - Kunlun Fight 16 Man Tournament on August 27, 2017. He won the fight by a first-round knockout and advanced to the quarterfinals where he faced Petchtanong Banchamek. Despite winning the fight by unanimous decision, Bulaid was forced to withdraw from the tournament due to injury.[25]
Wu Lin Feng
Bulaid took part in the Wu Lin Feng 2018 World Championship in Tianjin, which took place on March 3, 2018. He faced Xie Lei in the quarterfinals of the one-day tournament.[26] Bulaid won the fight by unanimous decision, and faced countryman Hasan Toy in the semifinals. Toy won the fight by split decision.[27]
Bulaid signed his first MMA contract with Bellator MMA, and made his professional debut in September 2019, during Bellator 227 against Vitalic Maiboroda.[30] Bulaid won the fight by a first round KO.[31]
Bulaid made his second appearance with Bellator at Bellator 240 on February 22, 2020, when he faced Diego Freitas.[32] Bulaid won the fight by unanimous decision.[33]
Bulaid faced Georges Sasu at Bellator 270 on November 5, 2021.[34] He won the bout via split decision.[35]
Bulaid was scheduled to face Weber Almeida at Bellator 284 on August 12, 2022.[36] In July, the bout was scrapped due to unknown reasons.[37]
Post Bellator
On May 19, 2023, Bulaid made his first appearance outside of Bellator at UAE Warriors 41, defeating Omar Khaled Fayoumi via TKO stoppage due to knees in the first round.[38]
