Ilima MacFarlane leans on Liz Carmouche as she copes with MMA’s fast pace

When Ilima MacFarlane first walked into the San Diego Combat Academy a couple years back, she hadn’t a clue about Liz Carmouche.

Anyone who has followed mixed martial arts awhile, of course, could tell you Carmouche is one of the sport’s true trailblazing fighters. Not only was the Iraq War Marine Corps vet the sport’s first openly LGBT fighter, but she also participated in the first women’s fight in MMA history, when she fought a memorable bout against Ronda Rousey at UFC 157.

And Carmouche added to her list of firsts a few weeks back when she defeated Katlyn Chookagian in the opening match of UFC 205, making Carmouche the first MMA fighter of either gender to have their arm raised in…