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| December 2009 (2)
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| November 2009 (2)
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| October 2009 (3)
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| September 2009 (4)
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| June 2009 (1)
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| January 2009 (3)
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| December 2008 (1)
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| A look at Up-and-Comers in the Fight World. A Personal look at these girls' backgrounds, experiences, and lifestyles. These girls are the Future of Women's Fighting. |
Jessica Hilger
12/13/2009 12:02:10 AM
Posted by MarQ
Jessica "Baby Bull" Hilger is on the warpath. The Revolution Combat Championships Lightweight Champion and the Cedar Valley Fight Federation Middleweight Champion, Hilger can claim victories over Emily Klinefelter, Michelle Bond and Becky Lyness. Hilger took time to answer a few questions for FighterGirls. FighterGirls - How did you get started in MMA? Hilger - I first just wanted to loose weight so I had a friend with a boxing background show me some strikes and blocks. Then I watched a boxing match and loved it, then we both got into MMA around the same time. I pretty much started from scratch. FighterGirls - What drives your passion for fighting? Hilger - My passion for fighting is driven by all the heart that I have. I want to see where I can take this. It is the one thing I can be completely focused with, especially in that cage. I love the natural high and self reward it gives me. FighterGirls - What was your family's reaction when you told them you were going into MMA? Hilger - My family lives 13 hours away but I'm a daddy's girl and he's not to fond of it, but he is proud of my accomplishments in it. He tells me that mom and him brag all the time to their friends. It took awhile for family to warm up to it, but once they saw how happy I was doing what I was doing, they seemed to warm up to it a little more. FighterGirls - Any upcoming fights? Hilger - I'm thinking my next fight may be in January, but not all details have been worked out yet. FighterGirls - Any last comments? Hilger - I'm very grateful to my teammate and fellow fighter who started my dream, David Lilthunder Hartline. I also have a great manager who takes care of finding me the fights so I just have to worry about training. Thanks goes out to Nick Marin. A big thank you also to my home team The HWA-RANG WARRIORS out of America's Best Karate in Lancaster, WI and TEAM HARD DRIVE out of the Cedar Rapids that I also train with. They both are a great group and they have made me who I am today. I thank every one of them. |
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Glena Avila
12/6/2009 12:07:42 AM
Posted by MarQ
Glena Avila might be hot on the dance floor, but she is even hotter in the cage. Winning her first amateur fight, Avila is looking to be 2-0 this weekend. This mother of two ironically calls herself "Heartless" because she can break hearts inside and outside the ring. She took a few minutes to talk to Fightergirls about her flourishing career.
Fightergirls - How did you get started in MMA?
Avila - I was raised with 3 brothers in a low income family and I was picked on quite a bit. I had to learn to defend myself from a very young age. My skills as a fighter became apparent quickly to myself and others. As a young adult I remember seeing my first UFC fight, I was completely mesmerized. I've been obsessed with this sport ever since. I started studying the fights and I eventually started training seriously. This led me to my first competition. I plan to keep training and growing as a competitive fighter.
Fightergirls - What drives your passion for fighting?
Avila - I think my passion for fighting comes from my passion for competition. The combination of skills, strength, discipline and strategy is what appeals to me.
Fightergirls - Do you find dancing helpful in training for MMA?
I absolutely believe that having a dancing background helps me train for MMA. Everything from conditioning, flexibility and even muscle memory.
Fightergirls - How was the transition to MMA?
Avila - I'm still relatively new to the MMA world but everyone has been so welcoming. Trainers, fighters, and even the local media have all been very supportive.
Fightergirls - Any upcoming fights?
Avila - I will be fighting again on Dec 12th where I'll be taking on Janna Piper for the Full Contact Fighting Federation's 125lbs female title. The event is called Rumble at the Roseland # 48. Tickets can be purchased at ticketswest.com. |
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Jennifer Berg
11/29/2009 3:30:48 PM
Posted by MarQ
MMA fighter Jennifer Berg is ready to jump into the pros and with good reason. This kickboxing and yoga specialist has racked up some wins and is an instructor at the L.A. Boxing gym in Westminster, CO. Berg took some time to talk to Fightergirls about her training and heading into the professional ranks. FG - How did you get started in MMA? Berg - I kind of fell into the whole MMA thing. I started kickboxing in high school, and continued kickboxing thru college, although never very seriously..At that point, I was really just doing it for the workout. I was brutally attacked in my second year away at school - when I moved back to Colorado after school, I started training at the Krav Maga school in Broomfield. I thought that being a single little girl living in Denver, it would be smart to learn some self - defense. I was hooked immediately with Krav, and very shortly after I started training there, I was invited to come teach for them. I was at the Krav school every night. Once I started teaching, I started sparring and training harder - the new intensity of my training was so addicting (I apparently am like the most competitive person ever, and just didn't realize it until I was 23!) Very soon later, we started an MMA program at the Krav School, led by Michael Sullivan of Fusboxe (Broomfield, CO). "Sulli" and I quickly became friends but I was absolutely terrified of him. He tried and tried to get me to take his MMA class, and I constantly refused. A few months after going back and forth, I lost a bet to Suli, and I had to pay up by taking his class. That was like the first day of the rest of my life. It was the most invigorating and challenging workout I have ever done. I was beyond hooked. I started training MMA every day after that, and took private lessons almost every day too. Once I started training I knew I wanted to compete. The rest is pretty much history. FG - What drives your passion for fighting? Berg -There are so many things that drive my passion for fighting, and now it is truly such a big part of my life, I almost don't know who I would be without it. Training to fight has really helped me to learn who I am. Day in and day out, you push yourself to the absolute limits. You really learn what you are made of. I LOVE MMA for so many reasons...first, I am a work-a-holic, and you certainly can't compete without complete dedication to being ready. Second, I LOVE working out. Obviously training for up to 6 hours a day is a workout like no other. Fighting is a lot more intellectual of a sport than people really give it credit for. I always say it is like a chess match...you have to be so self aware, but at the same time in tune with your opponent and quick to read their habits and patterns... it really is the mental aspect of the game that drives me so much. I learn something new about myself every single day that I am in the gym. I prove something new to myself with each training session...Discipline, Tranquility, and Non-Reactiveness are the tools that have helped me to find success. FG - Do you find yoga helpful in training for MMA? Berg - I absolutely think that for me, Yoga has been hugely instrumental in helping my fighting, for many reasons as well. I am a BIG TIME yoga practitioner, and before I started MMA I did yoga almost twice every single day. My journeys in the Yoga studio and in the ring have been virtually identical, although they are on such opposite ends of the spectrum. The kind of yoga I do (Ashtanga) is intense -- done for 90 minutes in over 100 degrees, it takes a huge amount of discipline and calmness to not freak out. In yoga, you practice keeping a calm state of mind while learning to be indifferent to your outside surroundings...its just you and your thoughts in there. you learn to control your thoughts and to be your own best friend. when your heart is pounding and you have done what feels like your 200th chatturanga (essentially a pushup) in class,it is very easy to panic and become overwhelmed. but through breathing exercises and mental strength, those challenges actually become the most fun and exhilarating parts of class. The EXACT same thing can be said when you are in the ring!! Granted getting punched in the face isn't necessarily the same as 105 degrees for most people, but I have found a way to let everything I have learned in 11 years of yoga, cross over when I am fighting or training. When my face is getting bashed in, I just find a way to breathe trough it and remain calm so that I can regain my composure. I enter the same state of meditation when I enter the ring as I do when I am on my yoga mat. It took me a long time to reach that place, but I really do believe that yoga has helped me be able to train as hard as I do, and has kept me in my own element no matter what happens while sparring or actually fighting. Obviously there are also many physical benefits to doing yoga, and the detoxifying effects of a yoga class feel like heaven on my body after a long day or week of training. It keeps my body and my brain healthy while I am killing myself for hours every day training for a fight. FG - How was the transition from kickboxing to MMA? Berg - I have to also say that in both, there is always, always room for growth, physically (skill wise and conditioning wise) but also mentally. It is like you are never done growing and never done learning. I think that is why I am still so motivated to train hour after hour every day, and why I never get sick of doing yoga. I don't think I really made a distinctive transition at any point from kickboxing to MMA - they just kind of blended into one another for me. FG - Any upcoming fights? Berg - I will be fighting this Friday, December 4, at the Ring of Fire in Denver. I am planning on turning pro as soon as this fight is over and am looking to compete in January. |
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Amanda LaVoy
11/22/2009 5:14:30 AM
Posted by MarQ
Amanda LaVoy is ready to make the leap into the pros this coming Friday at the Hook 'n Shoot card in Evansville, IN. A familiar face will greet her there as Ma'Eisha Lowe will also be making her debut at the card, in a rematch from their Tuff-n-uff Tuff Girls match this past July.
This karate and kickboxing trained fighter took some time to answer some questions to Fightergirls.
Fightergirls - How did you get started in MMA?
Amanda LaVoy - A few years after getting my black belt I asked my instructor if women could make money doing martial arts and if he could train me. He said yes, and yes. So I found a promoter in MI where I live, contacted him and asked if he could find me someone to fight and he did. So I had my 1st MMA fight in Sept 08 at the Meadow Brook Music Theater in Rochester Hills. We were the only female fight on the card and were put in as the main event. This experience and others in which I notice that some promoters almost fight over getting women fighters on their cards is how I know women’s MMA is going up.
Fightergirls - What drives your passion for fighting?
LaVoy - Learning more about how to defend myself drives my passion for fighting, but I hope I only ever have to use what I know in the cage/ring.
Fightergirls - How was the transition from karate and kickboxing to MMA?
LaVoy - Fun because learning more about how to fight is great exercise for my mind and body.
Fightergirls - Has MMA helped you in different aspects of you life?
LaVoy - Yes, definitely. It has improved, focus, my coordination, concentration, and self-discipline.
Fightergirls - Any upcoming fights?
LaVoy - Yes, a rematch with the only woman who went all three rounds with me in my amateur career.
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Jen "Tink" Aniano
10/17/2009 11:00:22 PM
Posted by MarQ
Michigan’s Jen "Tink" Aniano is dedicated to the sport of MMA from all sides. Being a journalism major, blogger, and reporter for The Bleacher Report, Aniano proves she can show her skills outside the cage as well as inside. With an amateur record of 2-0, Aniano is well on her way to being successful in and outside the cage.
Fightergirls - How did you get started in MMA?
Aniano - I started in MMA through wrestling. I was a high school and college wrestler. I met my trainer at a national tournament. He asked me if I would be interested and I was. The story starts there.
Fightergirls - What drives your passion for fighting?
Aniano - My passion for fighting comes from my love of the sport. I train everyday and I love every minute of it. My teammates are like my family and MMA offers me a support system like no other. I would probably die with out fighting. I cannot see myself doing or being anything else.
Fightergirls - Being a writer and blogger, how has that helped in your training and how has training helped in writing?
Aniano - I love writing about MMA and I believe that writing helps my training because I can be objective and understand what I need to do in the gym by watching professionals do what they do. My being in the gym helps my writing because I understand fighting form the inside.
Fightergirls - How was the transition from traditional wrestling to MMA?
Aniano - Transitioning from wrestling to MMA was not that hard. I still compete in wrestling as well as cagefights. I am also a BJJ fighter and submission grappler. And I will start competing in boxing soon. So, to me, Mixed Martial Arts is all of these things. Being a true artists means competing in all of the sports that go into fighting. I never had to give up wrestling it is still in my life. And wrestling has only made me a better fighter.
Fightergirls - Any upcoming fights?
Aniano - I have a fight on Halloween and the second weekend in November. All of my fights in MI are often two weight classes up so I look at them as experience. I am hopefully going to get some fights in Ohio soon at my weight to start building a national record. I plan to go pro by next summer. I am also wrestling in the NYAC holiday tournament in November. And I am grappling December 5th.
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Jessica Eye
10/15/2009 1:38:16 AM
Posted by MarQ
Fighter Jessica Eye has people looking. The 125 pound Ohio fighter out of the Strong Style Fight team just racked up her fourth amateur victory at the inaugural North American Allied Fight Series, defeating Marcia May this past weekend.When she is not training, Jessica hosts the Co-host NAAFS Radio on SportsTalkNETWORK.com & SportsRadio 1350am WARF in Akron, OH.
Fightergirls - How did you get started in MMA?
Jessica - I just fell into it, I went to a local NAAFS show and met both my coaches thru a mutaul friend when I was 19, they invited me down to try a few classes and I instantly fell in love!
Fightergirls - What drives your passion for fighting?
Jessica - Everything , all the hard work you put into leading up to it. I love the dedication the self worth, and the intenseness of the sport.
Fightergirls - Being a radio fight analyst, has it helped you be a better fighter and has being a fighter helped you in being a radio personality?
Jessica - I think Be on the radio help me look at both parts of a fight as a spectator and a athlete. I get to see alot of fights and I get to learn from them, I like to think as myself as a human sponge soak up all the information and skill i possible can , and use what I feel is aaclable to me.. I don't really think radio has helped me be a better fight just provided me with oppurtunity see it from other angles.
Fightergirls - Are you more comfortable with your jiu-jitsu or your Muay Thai?
Jessica - Jui-jitsu I guess, but muay thai Inspires me cause I played Soccer for many years before I started MMA. So I love the leg kick aspect.. I have the great Jui -jitsu coach Gold medalist in the Pan American Games, so My BJJ is getting better and My Thai coach is Absolutely great too!!!
Fightergirls - Any fights coming up?
Jessica - Yes I just recently Had a fight here in Ohio And won taking my record to 4- 0! But I will be fighting Again in the NAAFS in Ohio on Dec 5.. I very excited for my career and Women MMA to continue to grow and become bigger...Thank you so much for ever. |
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Sarah Moras
10/6/2009 2:24:27 AM
Posted by MarQ
Sarah Moras has had a banging start to her amateur career. Moras competed in the Tigerbalm grappling tournament in Vancouver, in which she won the first match by points and the second by triangle, winning the all ranks division with only 5 months of training. After training for 2 1/2 years, Moras is undefeated, winning her first fight by decision and her second vis first round submission.
Moras took a big step towards going pro by heading across the big pond to London to train with on of the best fighters in the world, Rosi Sexton. This is leading to her first professionsal match on Nov. 22 with Danielle West on Kayo-MMA card in Watford, England. Moras took some time to talk about her quickly rising career.
Fightergirls - How did you get started in MMA?
I started MMA because a friend of mine was a fighter and told me I should check out a class, after the first class i was hooked.
Fightergirls - What drives your passion for fighting?
I love challenges, and MMA has to be one of the most challenging sports out there if not the most challenging. There is always ALWAYS something new to learn, and you can learn off something from everyone.
Fightergirls - What is is like training with Rosi Sexton?
Training with Rosi is amazing. I am so lucky. She is like everyone a fighter needs all wrapped up into one person. She's a machine and always on the go. I can't wait to see myself progress as I train with her.
Fightergirls - Are you more comfortable with your jiu-jitsu or your Muay Thai?
I'm most comfortable with my Jiu Jitsu. |
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Stephanie Webber
9/29/2009 3:54:21 PM
Posted by MarQ
Stephianie Webber has just come off a dominating victory over Patricia Vidonic on the Septemeber Tuff-n-uff card. Based out of Olympia, Washington, Webber has a great training partner in Strikeforce fighter Miesha Tate, and at a respectable 4-3, and is on the verge of going pro.
Fightergirls - How did you get started in MMA?
Webber - My Dad teaches wrestling techniques at Victory Athletics in Olympia and invited me to spend time with him at the gym. I have always been a hard working, competitive athlete and Dad thought I might like MMA and the challenges of working out hard again. At that particular time I found myself newly divorced and a newly single parent as well. The gym provided me a way to get in good shape, relieve stress and just feel better! I was immediately in love with the challenges of the sport and have been working hard at it ever since!
Fightergirls - What drives your passion for fighting?
Webber - Finding an exciting, non traditional sport that encourages women to be physically strong and competitive is what drives my passion for MMA. I learn something new every day and surprise my self and my coaches with what I can do on a regular basis. It’s very exciting and the more I let go in the ring the more excited I get thinking what the future might bring for me and other women who take on the challenges of MMA. I like to think I am setting a good example for other girls who want to take on non-traditional challenges in their lives whether it’s a sport or something else they are interested in doing.
Fightergirls - Coming from a grappling background, was it tough to transition to mma?
Webber - My grappling background was limited to wrestling pre-Junior High so I started with a pretty clean slate. My Dad helps me with technique and I have worked very hard to be a decent grappler. I train with Pro and amateur guys at the gym so while I’m not getting my butt kicked as bad as I used to, I’m still getting it kicked pretty good! This I think has been good for me because when I compete with women my own size and weight the grappling part of it doesn’t seem so challenging and it leaves me some room to work on other things in the ring.
Fightergirls - You just won this past weekend - how do you think you are about ready to go pro?
Webber - I was very excited about my performance in my last fight. The girl I fought is going Pro and if you watched the fight I killed her all 3 rounds. At some point, even if you have skills to work on, you have to take the leap and commit yourself to competing on a professional level. I am definitely ready to do that.
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Amanda Wilcoxen
9/20/2009 12:18:51 AM
Posted by MarQ
Amanda Wilcoxen is on a hot streak. Being an undefeated 8-0 in the amateur mma ranks, this "All American-Girl" can also tout being champion in Sanshou in her division from the 2006 Fists Against Hunger, first place in the Bando Kickboxing tournament in 2007, placing 1st place in Women's Light Heavy Weight NO-GI Intermediate and 3rd place in the Women's Expert Open Weight NO-GI Advanced in the past few years.
Her diverse background in wrestling, Aikido, combat jujitsu, kickboxing, boxing, and Muay Thai has helped her rise to the top of the amatuer ranks in all forms of martial arts, and she took some time to talk to Fightergirls about her flurrishing career.
Fightergirls - How did you get started in MMA?
Wilcoxen - I started a few months after I started my foundation in Aikido at a local dojo in town. I was always a shy girl by nature, but when I watched the jujitsu classes it reminded me a lot of my older brother and I rough housing all the time. I think that really grasped my attention and there were like no women that really did the sport. I like doing things that are unique and not the typical "girly" sports.
Fightergirls - What drives your passion for it?
Wilcoxen -I think my passion lies in that it's something that's a challenge for me to not only become better physically/technique wise, but as a person overall. I see and hear people whine about things they can or can't do because of whatever reason and I never wanted to be that person that made excuses for herself. MMA is something you can never perfect and you have to constantly work at. It's not just swinging a golf club to hit a ball, but you have to be well rounded in everything: boxing, wrestling, grappling, conditioning, nutrition, the art of weight cutting/weight gaining etc. You can never be one dimensional or you can get yourself in big trouble....and I talk from experience -lol-.
Fightergirls - You has a vast background in martial arts - can you tell us how being so diverse has helped you in MMA?
Wilcoxen - I think my background in Aikido has helped my overall movement in stand up and understanding the ground game better. No doubt my Judo in conjunction with Aikido helps me recognize throws and how to fall properly. And the diversity comes into play when I go up against women that have these amazing skills (i.e., boxing) and I have to switch to my jujitsu and wrestling background. Vice versa, when the girl's ground game is just as good or perhaps superior to mine, I play the stand up game.
Fightergirls - You are currently undefeated in your amateur career. At what point do you think you will turn pro?
Wilcoxen - By the grace of God and thanks to being coached by Bob Morgan, Sr am I undefeated. I think I'll turn pro in 2010--my manager/trainer, Bob Morgan, says a few more fights and he wants to take me to the next level. Hopefully if I do well in my next two fights in October & December, that's when I'll go pro (Jan 2010 or so). If I lose? Then I'll ask him to postpone me going pro until mid 2010.
Fightergirls - Any upcoming fights?
Wilcoxen - Actually yeah. I'm killing myself to trim down for the October 9, 2009 NAAFS in Cleveland, OH where I have the honor to face the tough & highly skilled Marie Colangelo. I think we're gonna give a really good show. God willing, if I do well in that fight, I'll progress to fight again for an amateur title belt on Decemeber 5, 2009 in Akron, OH. But I'm just focusing on one fight at a time because Marie Colangelo is no joke! |
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Nina Ansaroff
9/13/2009 1:24:04 AM
Posted by MarQ
To say that Nina Ansaroff is off to a stunning start in the amateur ranks is an understatement. A product of American Top Team, she came out with a bang with her first two fights ending with some impressive ground and pound. Her last fight verse Christy Tada only took 46 seconds. Ansaroff is looking for her next fight, but took time to discuss her blossoming career.
How did you get started in the sport? Growing up in a single parent home, my father way always trying to find a way to keep us busy, So When I was 6 he started me in Tae Kwon do/American Kick Boxing/Muay Thai under Mike Lee Kanarek and I fell in Love wit it. I started competing in Tournaments when I was 7 until I was 16. I took a break and started playing soccer. A little over a year ago I saw an EliteXC event and decided to get back into it.
What drives your passion for it? My Family and Friends, although they don’t agree with what I do they are still stand behind me 100%.
You have been working with one of the best training facilities in the country in American Top Team. What's it like to train there? It is Amazing; I am constantly learning new things everyday. It is my second home. I couldn’t ask for better coaches and teammates.
You came from a kickboxing background and now you are training in mma. How is it transitioning? The transition has been somewhat easy for me, I am still learning new things on the ground, but overall the transition is going well.
Is there anything you've learned from being in mma? That there is always something new to learn. The possibilities are endless.
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