Issue 132
September 2015
FIghters Only catches up with the strawweight ‘Thug’ to find out how the TUF 20 finalist has been sharpening her tools since the show,
Q. What areas of your game have you been focusing on since the TUF 20 finale?
A. “I’ve been focusing on wrestling and boxing a lot; and just my stamina and stuff like that. The Ultimate Fighter was more like a sprint. You wanted to finish it in two rounds rather than three. You didn’t want it to go to a judges’ decision and have it maybe go to a third.
“I was training for more of a sprint-type of fight rather than a title fight, which is more of a distance race. So now I have more stamina, I have my legs underneath me, my footwork’s a lot better, and I’m way more strategic about everything rather than just throwing anything and haphazardly, with no reason. Everything has a purpose now and I feel great.”
Q. With so many talented fighters in the strawweight division, do you see the title switching hands a lot?
A. “I can’t speak for anyone else other than myself, but once I get the belt my plan is to keep it and be dominant the whole time. When I’m ready I’m definitely going to take it and keep it there.”
Q. What makes you confident you can be the one to hold it for a long time?
A. “I feel like other people might be doing it for other reasons, but, for myself, I don’t do it for validation. I do it because I want to. When I show up I’m doing what I love, rather than thinking, ‘Oh man, I’m here again and I’ve got to do another fight.’ When I’m here and I’m motivated, and I’m really enjoying what I do, there’s nobody that can stop me.”
Q. Ronda Rousey said she was a big fan of yours watching the show. Are you a fan of hers?
A. “Yeah, I don’t know how you can’t be a Ronda fan. I think all the people that talk crap about her are just faking (laughs). Not everybody is liked by everybody but I think Ronda’s great. I met her and she seemed like a cool person. I mean, I haven’t had a sleepover with her or anything but she seems like a cool person. I hope all the best for her and I hope she keeps being successful.
“The way she carries herself and the way she handles her job is very professional, and she’s still herself through the whole process and that’s very hard to do. You see a lot of people who are in the spotlight or have success and they kind of lose themselves in the process. They become a character and they don’t really know who they are. I think she’s done a good job and it’s inspiring.”
Q. Sara McMann recently said female fighters are at disadvantage with the new Reebok deal. Do you agree?
A. “It’s really going to take time to evolve and see whether we like it or dislike it. I’m probably not going to make much on sponsors because of that but at the same time we are getting paid by Reebok. It’s just that I so happen to have (one UFC fight) and I’m going to get paid very little. The women haven’t had the chance to fight as long in the UFC as the guys so it’s a valid point she’s making.”
Q. If you could’ve changed one thing while you were on TUF, what would it have been?
A. “It was very negative. There were definitely some issues in there and some other things they didn’t show either, but I feel like there were way more positive moments and fun times with friends that I made – and fun times in training – that I feel like fans would have liked to see.
“We’re not small, mean, angry people all the time, or sad with sad stories. We have good times and we do know how to kick back and relax, laugh and joke with each other and have a lot of fun in training. It’s not always serious and doom and gloom. It would be nice to see more of the training aspect and what our lives are really like.”
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