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Daria Ibragimova: Overcoming An Idol

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What makes an idol? Respect? Admiration? Emulation?

In mixed martial arts, an idol is often a fighter that turns violence into art.

The combat-sports career of 31-year-old Russian Daria Ibragimova began as a teenager. She competed in sumo, sambo and wrestling. Those arts helped carry her to the world of mixed martial arts.

“In 15 years, I have formed a true love for the arts. I knew it was for me,” she declared. “[The arts] complement and add variety in technique.”

Like so many of her countrymen and women, Ibragimova possesses a Master of Sports in sambo, as well as one in freestyle wrestling. However, it’s her sumo background where she has achieved the most success.

“Sumo [is my favorite],” said Ibragimova. “I’m Master of Sports International Class and 2015 Sumo World Champion. [Like MMA] it is necessary to beat the opponent and everything happens fast as I like.”

Through 10 career fights, Ibragimova has secured nine wins. Seven of those victories have come via submission and six have been in the first round. That resume earned Ibragimova a spot on the Invicta FC roster. From the moment she signed with the promotion, the grappling ace began asking for a chance to challenge the very woman she looked up to in the sport: Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino.

“She has long been an idol for me,” said Ibragimova. “She completes her fights early, and I love to do everything quickly.”

On Jan. 16 in Costa Mesa, Calif., Ibragimova will get the opportunity to dethrone her idol. She’ll face the Brazilian in the main event with the featherweight championship on the line.

“I wanted to fight Cyborg,” explained the Russian fighter. “This is my long-cherished dream. I wanted it and our team went for it. This is the logical continuation of my sports path.”

Although Ibragimova’s background is largely in the grappling arts, she does have professional boxing experience. As she prepares to face a devastating striker like Cyborg, she may need to have faith in her stand-up skills to compete with the champion.

“I believe in it, but it is not my goal,” she said of her striking. “I think my strength is on the ground.”

Invicta FC 15 will be Ibragimova’s first fight in North America, but she’s unfazed by the task at hand. If anything, the Russian is supremely confident heading into the title affair.

“I’m not nervous. I’m sure this will be a fight to remember,” claimed the challenger. “My dream will come true in a few minutes; it will only be one round.”

And how exactly does Ibragimova envision conquering her longtime idol so quickly in the cage?

“My fights are always spectacular and brutal,” she proclaimed. “Winning is the meaning of life.

“I would like to leave her strangled body on the canvas!”

If Ibragimova’s prediction holds true on Jan. 16, she may find herself as the idol that others are looking to overcome.

Daria would like to thank her manager Yuriy Kyselov and all of team YK Promotion.

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Amberlynn Orr: Invicta FC’s Determined Bantamweight Newcomer

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The jump from competing as an amateur to a professional is an arduous one in any sport.

In mixed martial arts, going pro too early can do more harm than good. In fact, it often hurts fighters mentally and financially. Yet, for those that remain patient and pick the right time to move up to the next level, the rewards are plentiful.

Newly signed Invicta FC bantamweight Amberlynn Orr hopes that her career takes the latter path.

“The timing for me to be starting my professional career with Invicta could not be more perfect!,” declared the 23-year-old fighter. “There was a time when I wanted to get on the professional train with everyone else, but I have great coaches that kept me level-headed when the pressure was on.”

There are plenty of examples of fighters who took one or two amateur fights and focused solely on the financial gains of turning professional, rather than assessing their readiness to compete. That’s certainly not the case with Orr.

“I believe I used my amateur career as it is supposed to be used,” she explained. “I gained a lot of experience in that four and a half years while I developed as a fighter, and as a result, I racked up an 11-fight winning streak after losing my amateur debut. I have fought very tough opponents from all over the country.

“I think I have taken my ammy career as far as I can. My amateur record for number of fights more than doubles most women who go pro and I have developed my skills to the point of being a worthy competitor in the professional ranks.”

With such a lengthy and successful run as an amateur, Orr will have the opportunity to make her professional debut inside the Invicta FC cage. It’s something that she’s been striving for quite some time.

“I am more than thrilled to have signed with Invicta FC! Since the first time I stepped foot into a cage, I have known that this time would come. I am a very goal-oriented, driven kind of person so when I set my mind to something, I make it happen. Being signed to Invicta was a goal in itself,” said Orr.

“I have just known and felt that every fight I have had would one day lead me to this moment. I have been blessed to have this opportunity to display my skills, grow in the sport and make a name for myself in the 135-pound division.”

In addition to her success as an amateur, Orr works as a police officer in Horn Lake, Miss. The city is also home to Fisher’s Bang Gym, where she trains. Despite maintaining a day job, Orr takes the sport of MMA very seriously.

“My message for the other women in the bantamweight division is that this is not a habit or a hobby for me. This passion I have is not just a passion for the sport. This is a lifestyle and a career choice for me and I will take this as far as I want it to go,” she proclaimed.

“I have wholeheartedly put my all into this. I am on a mission and I have a goal in sight. Everyone in the bantamweight division will soon come to know who I am, without a doubt!”

Orr’s Invicta debut has not been finalized, but she’s certain that she belongs in the cage with the division’s elite.

“No one starts off at the top and I am willing and prepared to work my way up,” she said. “I have literally had dreams about fighting inside the Invicta cage so once my time comes, I have no doubt that it will feel just like home.

“Invicta fans should expect to see a fierce, relentless competitor on a mission for greatness. This is just the beginning and if you don’t believe me, just watch!”

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Sharon Jacobson: Catching a Dream

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Dreams do not only exist in your imagination. Although the ones that occur in your sleep may be far-fetched and unattainable, others require hard work and dedication to bring to fruition. However, not all dreams are created equal.

Strawweight Sharon Jacobson didn’t grow up aspiring for success in combat sports. The two-time national champion wrestler had no idea what the future held when she first stepped onto a wrestling mat at the age of 16.

“I thought I’d be avoiding PE class and that would be about it,” Jacobson said with a laugh. “I actually ended up having to take a weightlifting class my senior year because even though my coach gave me a letter [for wrestling], I was never actually on the men’s team. They had a women’s team, but it always fizzled out, so I never officially received a letter for it. For some reason, it didn’t count as a PE class. So it still came back to haunt me.”

There was more to the story, though. The active-duty Army Sergeant and Invicta FC fighter had other reasons for choosing wrestling over a normal gym class.

“I really didn’t like that I had to wear a uniform every day. Which sounds funny now that I’m in the Army, but I was a poor kid and I couldn’t afford more than one set. So bringing it back and forth every day was just a hassle. It would get stinky. It didn’t make sense to me that I had to pay money for a uniform,” explained the 32-year-old.

“That’s also why I chose wrestling. It’s a poor sport. Pretty much all you need is some wrestling shoes and a U.S. wrestling card.”

Whether she expected it or not, Jacobson’s wrestling career took off. Following high school, she wrestled at the University of Minnesota at Morris and captured the 2006 U.S. National Title at 121 pounds. In 2008, she enlisted in the Army as part of the World Class Athlete Program (WCAP).

“I definitely saw it as an opportunity to further my wrestling career, but you get paid while you train, which isn’t normal unless you have sponsors,” she revealed. “I take pride in wearing that uniform and representing the United States as an athlete and a soldier. I don’t just wrestle. I’m a Horizontal Construction Engineer.”

Now in her second stint with WCAP, Jacobson is enjoying herself more and still growing as an athlete.

“You have to have a job, and every three years you get released to do that job and you come back a year later. You have benchmarks you have to meet. You can look at it as a driving force or as a lot of pressure,” admitted the Colorado Springs resident.

“I feel like the first time I was in, there was so much pressure and it stressed me out. Now that I’m back, I’m just having fun with it.”

During Jacobson’s last break from WCAP, she discovered mixed martial arts. After spending most her life on the wrestling mats, the new sport was invigorating and, despite its own challenges, less taxing on the body.

“I don’t like to talk about my age, but I’m not 18, I’m not 21 anymore. The American mentality with wrestling is go, go, go, grind, grind, grind,” Jacobson explained. “I’ve wrestled for 16 years and to be able to go to boxing practice and focus on something new, it’s refreshing.

“When I only have wrestling, I feel the pressure. Now that I have MMA too, I don’t. I’m more than just a wrestler. I go to jiu-jitsu practice to mix it up. Then I go to wrestling practice and kick some butt. Before, I would think it was hard and I’d get it handed to me. But when I come back feeling refreshed, it’s more exciting and fun.”

The biggest challenge for Jacobson has been finding time. With a new passion for MMA, she had to balance her wrestling career and serving the country.

“It’s actually kind of hard,” Jacobson admitted. “Being in the Army and on the National Team, there’s so many requirements. My job in the Army is to wrestle.

“I have to do [MMA] on my own. I have to go and get a third or fourth workout in. But those are more fun. The boxing coach from WCAP is opening up a boxing and MMA gym. I work with them a lot. It’s good. I feel like I have a second family in them.

“I have a wrestling family and a boxing family. They’re all very supportive. They find time with me. I have to go above and beyond.”

Even with such a heavy workload, Jacobson managed a remarkable feat in 2015. Nine years after capturing her first U.S. Nationals title, she repeated it this spring.

“After I won Nationals, people asked if I was going to stop fighting and I was like, ‘No, why can’t I do both?’ I went and won a fight and two weeks later I won Nationals. It’s working,” declared Jacobson.

Just before Nationals, Jacobson made both her Invicta FC and strawweight debut against Delaney Owen after initially signing with the promotion as a flyweight.

“I was walking around at 130 [pounds], so it didn’t make sense for me to cut five pounds to fight girls that cut 15-20,” said Jacobson. “I have a smaller stature and I feel more comfortable. I’m lighter and faster. I still have my strength. I think Delaney thought I was a lot bigger than I was. I just feel like this is a better weight for me.”

Jacobson scored a unanimous decision win over Owen, but that wasn’t the only good part of her experience with the world’s largest all-women’s promotion.

“I love Invicta,” she exclaimed. “I was really excited about it. My teammate Randi Miller was on Invicta FC 1. Raquel [Pennington] was on it. Cat [Zingano] was on it. I knew what the process was like.

“I was excited about media day and taking pictures. It was all very positive. It was fun. Invicta embraces diversity. They embrace looks, personalities, whatever.”

Her win over Owen was her third professional win, as well as her third straight victory. However, it was the first time she went the distance.

“I was kind of pissed because I really wanted to finish. It’s a huge rush. It’s like a drug — once you taste it, you want more,” joked Jacobson. “It was a little bit disappointing. She got me good a few times, but I was able to come back from it. I don’t want to do that with every fight, but if I have to, I will.”

Now, the Colorado-based fighter will turn her attention to unbeaten Jamie Moyle at Invicta FC 14 on Sept. 12 in Kansas City, Mo. But she’s not stopping there. There’s another dream already in the back of her mind.

“I feel like every fight I take the same approach. I definitely have respect for them and their skill set, but I plan on going in there and beating them up. Doing my thing. If she gives me something, I’m going to take it. I hope to win in dominating fashion,” said Jacobson.

“Obviously, I want that belt. It’s not a like a tournament where you can just go through it in one day and get it. It’s a process; it’s different. I don’t see it as pressure. I don’t see it as ‘I have to win’ because of it. I see it as I’m going to win because I have the skill set and the determination.”

That determination is one of Jacobson’s biggest attributes and she’s out to prove through her performances in the cage and on the wrestling mat that others can follow in her footsteps.

“I hope to inspire people. I feel like it’s never too late if you still have it in you. I just hope they see me as a respectable role model for younger generations in wrestling and MMA,” she said.

“My name’s ‘Dreamcatcher’ and I want to catch those dreams. I’m tired of chasing them and coming up short. I’m in it to win.”

If Jacobson’s journey from trying to skip out on gym class to National champion to Invicta combatant is any indication, her dreams are well within reach.

Sharon would like to thank Heavenly Father, her family, the coaches and athletes at WCAP, Prime BJJ, Triple Threat MMA and Boxing, Lashifyme.com and One Yoga USA.

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Pannie Kianzad: Feeling Warm and Alive

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Stepping into an enclosed cage to fight another human being is not for the weak of heart or mind. For those that embrace it, the sport of mixed martial arts provides a fulfilling career.

This is a reality that 23-year-old bantamweight Pannie Kianzad knows firsthand. Born in Iran, Kianzad and her family moved to Sweden when she was very young. The youngest of four children, Kianzad was quickly drawn to competition.

“At some point, we all did martial arts, but I’m the only one that continued and has it as a profession,” said the fighter. “Of course, my mom wanted me to put my time in something else like my brothers and sister, but I think after 10 years, she gets it.

“I’m made to do this and this makes me happier than anything.”

The joy that Kianzad finds in the cage is a far cry from her initial experience in combat sports. At the age of 13, she picked up boxing and, over the course of her teen years, she had more than two dozen amateur bouts. Yet, she has no regrets over hanging up her boxing gloves.

“I didn’t box ’cause I wanted to; I did it for other people,” explained Kianzad. “I thought boxing was defining me as a person. No sport is defining you to be anything. It’s all about you.

“MMA made me like myself a bit more every day. And when you do find your team that supports you and loves you, you find more happiness.”

Kianzad’s support came in the form of Rumble Sports in Copenhagen, Denmark. Under the guidance of UFC veteran Mats Nilsson, she’s learned to recognize her skills. It has helped change her demeanor for the best.

“I literally thought I was trash and not worth any happiness on this earth,” Kianzad said of her early training in MMA. “My coach is helping me realize that it’s OK to take it all in and be proud. So when I can prove to myself that I am making it, it gives me a warm feeling.”

The term “making it” might be an understatement for Kianzad. Through eight professional outings, she’s yet to taste defeat in the cage. Along the way, she earned the Cage Warriors bantamweight title, one of the most prestigious belts in Europe. However, Kianzad isn’t letting the success go to her head.

“I know how it feels to be defeated,” revealed the Swede. “[I’ve] been in tough battles — three rounds and five. I think the biggest key is to always stay humble outside the cage and a beast inside it.”

In July, Kianzad made her Invicta FC debut in Las Vegas against Australia’s Jessica-Rose “Jessy Jess” Clark. She walked away with a clear-cut decision win after three rounds of action, but Kianzad was forced to overcome the nerves of competing in the United States for the first time.

“I cry a lot before my fights. It’s not out of sadness. I don’t really know what it is, but my tears just keep coming during warm-up,” said Kianzad. “I think it’s a good thing. Then I know I’m alive and ready to go.”

Nerves weren’t the only issue for the fighter on fight night. She had rolled her ankle on the day of the event.

“It was actually seconds before the fight,” acknowledged the fighter. “I just brushed it off. I had Jessy in front of me, so I couldn’t focus on that.”

Luckily, the ankle didn’t affect her performance in the cage. However, the fight did produce one of the more memorable moments of the year when Kianzad maneuvered to reverse mount and struck Clark with her backside.

“It’s not the first time I have ended up in a reversed mount. It’s like a special skill of mine. But the butt drop was a first,” she said with a laugh.

Kianzad’s win over Clark earned her a title shot against newly crowned champion Tonya Evinger at Invicta FC 14 on Sept. 12 in Kansas City, Mo. Now, she’ll look to add some new hardware to her trophy case.

“I never got to defend my belt in Cage Warriors, so it feels good to get a chance to prove myself once again,” said Kianzad. “It means a lot to me to fight for one of the biggest promotions in the world and get a chance to bring that bling home.”

The fight will be in hostile territory for the European fighter, as Evinger is a Missouri native and will have the crowd behind her.

“I love fighting in enemy territory, to be the underdog,” admitted Kianzad. “This is what we do, what we train for, what we desire. I work very hard for my fights and I know we will put on a show.”

If things go Kianzad’s way on Sept. 12, she’ll leave Kansas City feeling warm, alive and, most importantly, happy.

Pannie would like to thank her team at Rumble Sports, her family, Fit4Fight, K.O Store, Dirty Rebel, MMAnytt, Massage Templet, Revolutionary Fitness Sweden, and all of her fans from all around the world.

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Andrea Lee: Striving For Greatness

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“I want to be a G.O.A.T.”

Without context — or at least an explanation of the acronym — you might think flyweight Andrea Lee has been punched in the head one too many times. But that’s not the case.

The 26-year-old Texas native is a determined fighter who wants nothing more than to achieve greatness in combat sports. Lee’s start in martial arts came while she was working as a waitress in a sports bar. It’s a far cry from where she is today.

“I didn’t expect to go this far,” explained Lee. “At first, I just wanted to do it as a hobby and learn to defend myself.

“But I learned to fight. And that was something I wanted to do as a kid. I started competing and fell in love with it. [Now] I want to be remembered as the greatest of all time.

“I’m a pretty competitive person, so it made me want to keep going.”

Keep going, she has. Lee was a natural in both the ring and the cage. With only a few years of training, she captured two Louisiana Golden Gloves titles. In 2013, she claimed the National Golden Gloves championship. However, her success in the boxing ring wasn’t enough to keep her away from MMA.

“We were thinking of going to the Olympics, which is why I was mainly focused on boxing at first, but we decided that MMA was our best route,” declared the fighter. “Women’s MMA was taking off and boxing was kind of dying.

“Plus, I was more attached to MMA from the beginning anyway.”

Despite a preference for the cage, Lee continued to develop her skills while competing in boxing, Muay Thai and kickboxing. Along the way, she married her coach, Donny Aaron. The pair’s relationship created an interesting dynamic to her training.

“Donny… he pushed me. It’s probably the toughest part of training. It’s more personal. When he’s getting on me about something or going harder on me than anybody else, sometimes he gets under my skin. I get angry ’cause he’s yelling at me to do something; I get frustrated,” revealed Lee candidly.

“It’s not easy to be married to your coach. The coaching never ends. It’s really hard for us to find any time for husband and wife. When we go home, he’s talking to me about things I did at the gym, in my fight… or he’s talking to me about what I’m eating, taking my protein shakes, taking my supplements. It’s constant, nonstop.”

The relentless coaching from Aaron, a former kickboxer, has turned Lee from a novice into a decorated combatant in every aspect of combat sports. And although the pair’s coach-student relationship is a huge part of their day-to-day life, they do their best to focus on something more important: their daughter, Ainslee.

“It’s amazing, but it’s not easy,” said Lee of raising her daughter. “I have a really great family, both mine and Donny’s. She’ll hang out at the gym while we train in the morning. Then they’ll pick her up after work and take care of her.

“They make it easy for us to train. It’s difficult because I’m always training and I want to have some mother-daughter time. I don’t always get that. I make a lot of sacrifices, but I make up for it too. Whenever I’m on my off days and we’re home, I’ll play with her, even when I’m tired.”

With both parents thriving in combat sports, it wouldn’t be surprising if Ainslee followed in their footsteps. But according to Lee, it may not be that straightforward.

“I would embrace it. I’d love it, if that’s something she wants to do. It’s definitely something that Donny wants her to do. He would like to push her into it, but I think the more that he pushes, she’s like, ‘I don’t want to do it.’

“If she sees other kids getting into it, she’ll be more apt to do it. Anything he wants her to do, she’s going to rebel,” Lee joked.

While her daughter’s future may still be up in the air, Lee’s is more clear. After a lightning-fast TKO win in her professional debut that saw her kick off her opponent’s finger, Lee was signed by Invicta Fighting Championships. “KGB” impressed in her promotional debut, edging out Shannon Sinn. Just a month later, Lee was called upon for a big step up in competition against Roxanne Modafferi at Invicta FC 10.

“I’m still happy about that fight. I don’t regret it at all,” said Lee of her first professional defeat. “It was a huge leap for me in my career. Being able to compete against Roxanne, it was an honor. The only way to get better is to compete at a high level. She’s on that level.”

Lee fell short on the scorecards in Houston against Modafferi, but the Louisiana-based fighter proved she’s much more than a striker by pushing the veteran for a full three rounds.

“It was a tough fight. I was able to give her a run for her money,” recalled Lee. “I ended up losing a split decision, so somebody thought I won the fight. There were a lot of things in my jiu-jitsu that I had been training and working on that I was able to apply in that fight. I found myself in good positions considering the level she’s on, so I was very happy about that.”

With so many accolades in the striking arts, Lee’s performance against Modafferi showcased glimpses of a different side of her fight game: her self-proclaimed “underrated” ground game. But, unfortunately for Lee, there was something amiss in the cage that night that kept her from proving just how skilled she really is.

“You know, I’m not making excuses, but I don’t feel like I was completely there that night,” she declared. “The performance against Roxanne, I didn’t really get to display anything against her.

“I’m not the type of person that will back out of a fight, especially the day of the fight or two days before. I ruptured my eardrum leading up to that fight. I knew going into the fight, it was going to be tough for me. She was already a tough opponent and being sick was going to make it even tougher. I wasn’t in the right state of mind. I wasn’t able to defend things that I should have been defending. I am better than that.”

Lee will have an opportunity to prove it on Sept. 12 in Kansas City, Mo., when she takes on Hawaii’s Rachael Ostovich at Invicta FC 14. The two fighters have fought on the same card in the past, but Lee has no problem setting aside their existing relationship to get back in the win column.

“Her and her family are so nice. It’s going to suck having to punch each other in the face,” Lee said with a laugh. “But at the end of the day, we’re going to be friends. Whatever happens, happens.”

A win against Ostovich would help Lee rebuild the momentum she needs to be considered for 125-pound title contention, as well as for her long-term goal of being the best in the sport.

“I still think I’m on the right track. Just a couple more fights,” said Lee. “Obviously, I have one with Rachael Ostovich. Then probably two or three more after that. If I continue to excel, impress and win, I think I’ll have the opportunity to be next in line.”

Being the greatest of all time may still be years away, but it’s clear that Lee has a plan to get there. Now her job is to go out and execute in the Invicta cage.

Andrea would like to thank: her sponsors: Carbonation Toy, Classic Sound, Martial Arts Life and Amber Sports. Also her head coach, Donny Aaron, all of her coaches and training partners from Karate Mafia and Elite Combat Academy, and the girls that came in for this camp: Sharon Jacobson, Amanda Bobby Cooper and Jinh Yu Frey.

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Katja Kankaanpää: Exceeding Expectations

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Sports, by their nature, are about the spirit of competition. Yet, the reasons that athletes choose to participate vary greatly from one to the next.

For some, it’s the drive for first place. Those are the same people that race from stoplight to stoplight like their life depends on it. Others seek an outlet from the daily grind, a way to separate from reality, even for a moment.

Then there’s the unexpected success stories. Where an interest turns into a hobby and before long, the hobby turns into a career. This is where you’ll find Finland’s Katja Kankaanpää.

The 33-year-old Invicta FC strawweight champion started her foray into martial arts with karate. Then submission wrestling. And finally MMA. But she never expected to stand atop the 115-pound division.

“My intention was to take just a few amateur fights,” explained Kankaanpää. “But plans changed along the way.

“I didn’t even dare to imagine that I would be fighting at such a high level and be a champion.”

Fighting professionally since 2010, “Killer Bunny” tore through the competition in Europe, earning her a place in the Invicta cage. In her third appearance with the promotion, Kankaanpää was tabbed to compete for the vacant strawweight belt.

The Finn battled opponent Stephanie Eggink into the fifth and final round at Invicta FC 8 last September. Even with the stakes at their highest, Kankaanpää remained calm, cool and collected.

“I had no pressure going to the fifth round. My corner gave me simple direction: just fight, not to give up,” explained Kankaanpää.

“I knew that I had to finish the fight to win. Even if I won the fifth round, I probably would’ve lost by decision.”

In the final round, Kankaanpää ensured there would be no need for the scorecards, submitting Eggink with a D’arce choke and capturing the title.

“It felt amazing,” recalled the champion. “It was something that I couldn’t imagine beforehand. Think I will never feel the same again cause it was something so unique.”

By winning the belt, Kankaanpää became not only the first Finnish title holder in Invicta history, but also the first European to wear gold. Despite the history-making performance, she humbly discounted the achievement.

“There are good fighters from Europe and Finland and I’m one them,” she declared. “When you have a good team behind you, you’re motivated and have high level skills, you will succeed wherever you’re from.

“[I] just want to show that dedication and hard work pays in the end; that I earned my place at the top.”

On Friday, April 24, Kankaanpää will again have the chance to showcase her skills and her hard work. She’ll defend her title for the first time against unbeaten Brazilian Livia Renata Souza in the main event of Invicta FC 12 in Kansas City, Mo.

“She’s a very good opponent for me and will put my skills to the test,” proclaimed the fighter. “I think there are no easy fights at this level anymore. She is very active and will want to submit me, but I’m not an easy win.

“I want to show that I’m the champion.”

Against Souza, Kankaanpää will find herself facing another grappler. It’s a change of pace after facing decorated stand-up practitioners Joanne Calderwood and the aforementioned Eggink in her last two Invicta contests.

“It’s nice to be able to fight against different type of fighters,” said Kankaanpää. “My last two fights have been against strikers and now I get to fight against same type of a fighter as me and I feel very good about it. I’m looking forward to the fight.”

To add to the challenge of defending her belt, the bout with Souza will mark the first time that Kankaanpää will headline an Invicta card. However, the bigger stakes aren’t affecting the champion.

“[There’s] no extra pressure. Actually I’m very excited about it and I’m very honored for this opportunity,” said the Finnish fighter.

“I hope to put up a good fight for all the fans. Hopefully I won’t be in such dangerous situations in this fight that I was in the last one, but hope the fight will be full of action.”

If Kankaanpää’s past fights are any indication, she’ll put on a show on April 24. And like so many aspects of her career, it’ll once again eclipse what she expects to happen.

Katja would like to thank all of her fans and family who have supported and encouraged her along the way. Also her teammates, manager and coaches, and her sponsors who have supported her throughout her career.

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Roxanne Modafferi: The Happy Warrior Reborn

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For thousands of years, there have been fables of the phoenix — a mythical bird of great beauty — that would burn into a pile of ashes at the end of its life and be reborn.

The notion of a new beginning has made the phoenix a popular symbol throughout history. From Ancient Egypt and Greece to numerous religions, it represented a chance to start fresh.

In modern times, the phoenix may just be another tall tale, but what it stands for has not been lost. It has become analogous with competition in many ways. As athletes taste defeat and look to rebuild their skill sets and confidence, the parallels to rebirth are ever present.

Few can relate to the notion more than Invicta flyweight Roxanne Modafferi. An 11-year veteran of mixed martial arts competition, the 32-year-old has experienced her fair share of ups and downs in the sport.

Despite staking claim to multiple winning streaks of five or more fights, Modafferi’s career took a turn between 2010 and 2013 that saw her drop six straight — not counting exhibition bouts — and truly tested the resolve of “The Happy Warrior.”

“That was a very difficult stretch for me,” admitted Modafferi. “After every fight, I tried to make some kind of change to my training. I tried different striking coaches, tried more weightlifting, dropped weight classes. It just wasn’t working. I kept hope alive that my next change in my training would be the key to let me win. It was really hard.”

The difficulties that Modafferi encountered during the six-fight skid were something new to the positive-minded fighter. She had begun fighting professionally when the sport was still evolving and, thanks to her upbringing with traditional martial arts and moving to Japan after college, Modafferi’s early career was very successful.

“The gym I joined had a lot of other female fighters — it was rare for that many female fighters to be in one group — and they trained really hard,” recalled Modafferi of her early days overseas. “There were smaller guys (compared to Americans), so I got really good training there.

“As the sport evolved, I think the Japanese style of training didn’t evolve as quickly as the American side did. Things shifted a little bit.”

Modafferi began to notice the shift long before her losing streak reached six. It wasn’t just a different approach to training, but weight cutting, strength and conditioning and dedicated cardio training that was largely foreign to the fighter.

“I remember fighting Sarah Kaufman in Strikeforce, and she was so much stronger than me,” explained Modafferi. “I saw her cutting all this weight, like 15 pounds, and I was walking around at 140ish, only five pounds over. I remember reading about how she was training three times a day, strength and conditioning, running.

“I was just going to class after work! It was not the same!”

The loss to Kaufman prompted Modafferi to drop to flyweight, but her fortunes did not change. She continued to face many of the sport’s elite, including Invicta veterans Hitomi Akano and Takayo Hashi, as well as current Invicta 125-pound titleholder Barb Honchak. Yet, even in the midst of her skid, Modafferi was invited to take part in the reality series, “The Ultimate Fighter.”

During her time on the show, Modafferi snapped her losing streak, but only unofficially, as the bouts were considered exhibition contests. However, it was something else during TUF that set the stage for her career resurgence.

“The whole experience was a definite turning point,” declared the veteran. “It really pointed out how different my training in Japan was compared to what I could be doing in the States. I realized that if I really wanted to continue MMA, I really needed to make a bigger change.”

Although Modafferi, still competing as a bantamweight, would fall short one more time in the cage, her opportunity to rise from the ashes was already set in motion. She moved back to the United States to train under the tutelage of John Wood at Syndicate MMA in Las Vegas and inked a contract with Invicta FC.

“I chose Vegas after debating between it and California. Bryan Caraway, one of the coaches on ‘The Ultimate Fighter,’ recommended Vegas because it’s the hub of MMA and there’s a lot of good gyms. I tried a few gyms and chose Syndicate,” said Modafferi.

One of the biggest perks of signing with Invicta was that Modafferi could again return to her natural weight class. With the benefits of her new gym, she quickly reeled off back-to-back wins in the Invicta cage over Tara LaRosa and Andrea Lee to complete her rebirth as a fighter.

“I think it’s been extremely important for me to return to flyweight,” proclaimed Modafferi. “I have a hard time gaining muscle mass; it’s not my body type. Now that I’ve learned American weight-cutting methods, I learned how to do flyweight properly. When I was in Japan, I didn’t know how to do it. In the past, I dieted it all away. I didn’t feel overwhelmed against my last couple of opponents.”

It’s more than just weight-cutting that has been the key to Modafferi’s rejuvenation. Her time with Wood at Syndicate has transformed her entire fight game in just over a year’s time.

“He was teaching me stuff from the very beginning that I was able to absorb very quickly,” acknowledged the flyweight. “That was different than all of my other training experiences. I’ve always had a hard time learning and absorbing the striking training. The way he explained it and had me do the techniques, it’s like magic.

“I’m so happy to have progressed to a higher level. I’m still not a kickboxing champion, but much better than before.”

Reinvented as a fighter and riding the momentum of the wins over LaRosa and Lee, Modafferi will rematch a familiar face, Brazilian Vanessa Porto, in the co-main event of Invicta FC 12 on April 24 in Kansas City, Mo. Modafferi scored the first and only TKO of her lengthy career when the pair met previously in 2008. She’s ready for a repeat performance.

“I’m pretty sure it’s going to be a new fight. Honestly, I don’t really remember the last fight that well,” admitted Modafferi with a laugh. “I know she’s evolved. I’ve watched tape on her. She’s very good. I’m excited to see what happens… other than me winning, ’cause I know that will happen.”

If Modafferi’s prediction holds true, she could find herself challenging for Invicta gold in the near future. After her struggles, that would exceed everything she hoped for when she joined the promotion.

“I didn’t think too much about a title shot. I just wanted to get some wins and show that you can teach an old dog new tricks,” she quipped.

However, the prospect of challenging the champion Honchak is certainly a motivator for the Delaware native. After all, Honchak is the only fighter ever to force Modafferi to submit to a choke inside the cage.

“I want to avenge all my losses, but especially that one. I didn’t perform as well as I could have,” stated Modafferi. “She was great. She choked me out, which makes me mad, ’cause that’s my favorite move. I really want to get a win against her.”

Modafferi will have to get past Porto first, but if her previous two fights are any indication, don’t count her out. She’s embodied the phoenix from the moment she first set foot in the Invicta cage and she’ll look to continue her ascension through the 125-pound ranks while leaving ashes in her wake.

Roxanne would like to thank her coach, John Wood, her training partners, her parents for always supporting her and her sponsors: Dragon Do Fighter, Remove It Restoration, Top Notch Fighter, Alienware, Okashi Connection, East & West, The Void, Killer Tendencies, Mei-Li Fighting, Lemon Badger, SkinnyFats, Herbal Papaya, Dominate Your Game, wetdryvac.net and WarTape.

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Charmaine Tweet: Things Happen for a Reason

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No matter what your philosophical approach might be in life, there’s no denying that some things are simply beyond our control.

Whether it’s the unexpected traffic jam that makes you late for a meeting or the snow storm that delays your flight, sometimes you just have to go with the flow.

Invicta featherweight Charmaine Tweet faced this reality recently.

As she prepared to take on Faith Van Duin at Invicta FC 10 in Houston in December, a medical concern identified by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation led to the fight being scrapped at the last minute.

“That was so frustrating,” exclaimed Tweet. “There is nothing worse than knowing you are healthy and not being able to fight. I do say that everything happens for a reason though. The results of the electroencephalography (EEG) coming back as they did prompted me to get an MRI immediately after I returned from Texas. I am happy to say that the results of the MRI came back clean.”

The situation in Texas was difficult for Tweet, her opponent and the promotion. The 37-year-old Canadian, dubbed “No So Sweet,” was hoping to build on the momentum of her first-round TKO over Veronica Rothenhausler at Invicta FC 8 in September. Despite nearly a decade of Muay Thai competition, the win was her first finish by strikes in MMA.

“To be honest, at that moment, I wasn’t even thinking about the TKO,” recalled Tweet. “I was more focused on the fact that, even though some might consider me to be too old to be in this sport, I was able to pump the brakes on a young up-and-comer’s knockout streak!

“Later, however, it was interesting to take a look at what happened in the cage that night and see a switch in my brain flip and really notice the ‘not so sweet’ part of my personality take over and go for the KO rather than the submission.”

The win was Tweet’s sixth career victory in the cage, and her sixth inside the first round. Her knack for ending fights both quickly and emphatically helped earn the Saskatchewan native something she never expected when she was dealing with the issues in Texas: a shot at the Invicta 145-pound title. She’ll square off with Brazilian titleholder Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino in the main event of Invicta FC 11 on Friday, Feb. 27, in Los Angeles.

“I was shocked at first because so many people thought that there was already an opponent picked out for her and, since I hadn’t heard anything previously, I certainly didn’t think it was me,” admitted the challenger. “I was expecting to be offered a fight with her, but I thought it would be later in the year and was more prepared for that to happen. When I heard the details of the entire weekend, though, I knew that this was the time to reach out and grab the opportunity that was hovering in front of me. I said yes immediately and hit the gym a few hours later.”

Tweet’s journey to a title shot has been long, and although it might have been slightly unexpected, the timing couldn’t be better. As a mother of two boys, her commitment to both family and fighting has always required a level of sacrifice for everyone involved.

“The balancing act has gotten easier as my children and I have gotten older,” explained Tweet with a laugh. “My oldest son is 18 and has a driver’s license, so I can rely on him to ease some of the stress by taking my youngest son to the places he needs to go. I have been lucky in that my fighting career has become the most hectic in the last few years. If it had been like this from the beginning, when my children were small, I’m not sure I would have been able to balance working full-time, training full-time and being a mom.

“I have to give a huge shout out to both my children, Joshua and Christian, for the sacrifices they have made in order for me to pursue my dreams. I hope I have been able to inspire them to chase their own dreams!”

Although Tweet was an IFMA world champion in Muay Thai, the Invicta gold would mean much more to her.

“Being Invicta champion would add a legitimacy to everything I have been doing for the past four years,” declared the Canadian. “I have always strived to be the best, and winning a championship is a great way to prove that one is the best at something.”

Her opponent, Cyborg, has not tasted defeat since 2005 and has scored back-to-back TKO wins inside the Invicta cage. Despite the accolades of the Brazilian, Tweet isn’t intimidated.

“I have the size, the skill, the strength and the experience that is needed to beat her,” she proclaimed. “My team and I have been preparing for a year and a half for her. Everything we have been working on, while training for my other opponents, has been with her in mind.”

With that preparation, Tweet enters the title fight with a level of confidence that few of Justino’s challengers have had in the past. Tweet believes it will be the fans that will see the biggest reward come Friday night.

“Never underestimate me. Challengers have a hard time taking a decision win from the current champ, so I will be finishing this fight prior to the fifth round,” she boldly proclaimed.

“The fans should expect a war. It’s going to be dirty, vicious and bloody, and we will probably both leave the cage looking worse than we did going in. Only, I will be leaving with a golden glow shining off my face.”

Charmaine would like to thank her coaches: Jeff Wiley, Nolan Coller, Deryl Bangsund and Myke Yee, her sponsors: Stellar Gear, Virus International, London Jacks Authentic British Fish and Chips, Fight Chix, Night Vision Inspections, UFCW1400, X-Ion-X, Puget Sound Computer Repair, Dynamic Fastener, The Great Canadian Oil Change, Sports Food International, Jiffy Lube Weyburn, MMA Road Hog and Professional Events Sponsors, her husband/manager: Cord Crowthers, her children, family and friends, and last but not least, the fans.

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DeAnna Bennett: The Tip of the Iceberg

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Mixed martial arts is a serious sport.

It requires a level of focus and dedication beyond the limits of most athletes. With two combatants locked inside a cage aiming to separate each other from consciousness or twist each other’s limbs apart, the life of a fighter isn’t for the lighthearted.

And then there’s DeAnna Bennett.

“You know, I’m a little bit off,” declared the 30-year-old Utah fighter. “I’m okay with it. People are going to know it eventually if I keep fighting.

“I always tell people I want to hug them and it creeps them out apparently. Free hugs, all day, every day.

“But if I’m cutting weight and you want to keep all of your fingers, you should probably step back. I’ve got a snaggletooth and that thing is sharp. It’s a risk you take.”

If you manage to survive around Bennett long enough — with all of your digits — you’ll discover a level of honesty and directness unmatched by anyone in the sport. Although she’s already admitted a number of truths in the past, there are still more details to be unearthed.

“I’m like an iceberg,” she proclaimed. “You’re only seeing so much and there’s a lot more beneath the surface. I don’t think the world’s ready for it. No one can handle that. Brains would explode. Or people would run for their lives.”

Bennett’s demeanor is a stark contrast to most in the sport, but her journey to the cage is not. After her high school water polo coach convinced her to try wrestling, it wasn’t long before she was hooked on competition.

“If I hadn’t wrestled, I wouldn’t have made it into MMA,” explained the Pit Elevated product. “I wrestled for a few years during high school and absolutely loved it.

“[Later] I took a kickboxing class, liked it and figured I could do that for exercise — so I could not be a fat kid. I joined a gym, found jiu-jitsu and it reminded me of wrestling. It tied everything together.”

Now six fights into her professional career, Bennett has yet to taste defeat. With two straight wins under the Invicta banner, she was being mentioned as a potential threat to flyweight champion Barb Honchak.

“Honestly, that’s just crazy talk to me,” said Bennett. “The thought that things are going so great, I have to attribute that to my coaches. Jason Mertlich is amazing. I would never be where I’m at without his guidance and help in practice everyday and during fights. Without him, I wouldn’t have been as successful as I have been.

“I just love the sport. It’s my happy place to go to the gym and train and work hard for it. To do something I love, it’s just amazing.”

Although the gym might be Bennett’s sanctuary from day-to-day life, being locked inside a cage is another story. As she stood across the cage from Michelle Ould at Invicta FC 8 in September, she was forced to fight nerves, as well as her opponent.

“The fact that it was going to be streamed online [via UFC Fight Pass] for people to watch was frightening,” admitted Bennett with a laugh. “But I’m kind of a stress case. I play through every angle in my head of what can happen. If you’re not nervous going into it, you’re probably a crazy person. It keeps you on edge and motivated to go out there.”

Bennett earned her fourth career finish that night against Ould and set up a clash with Brazil’s Jennifer Maia at Invicta FC 10 in December. After three grueling rounds with Maia, she walked away with a decision win. However, immediately following the bout, her attention turned elsewhere: the strawweight division.

“In my last fight camp, I found myself walking around at 130 pounds, which was five pounds less than what I would normally cut from to make 125,” explained the fighter. “I thought if I’m walking around that low, that’s a small 125er. I could make 115. I want to be in the weight class where I’ll be the most competitive.

“I never thought it was a possibility for me… until now. Take that, fat DeAnna.”

Unfortunately for Bennett (and her teammates), dropping an additional 10 pounds meant more days of being hungry… and angry… or, as Bennett has dubbed it, “hangry.”

“Oh, man. It’s bad,” she joked. “I have a teammate that always slaps me on the shoulder, and I yelled, ‘Don’t touch me!’ and started screaming at him. Then I realized it was exaggeration and I probably shouldn’t have done that. I find myself getting a little snappy. I’m about to start biting people if they touch me.

“It’s all part of the sport, right? Maybe?”

If Bennett (and her team) survives the weight cut, she’ll make her 115-pound debut at Invicta FC 11 in Los Angeles on Feb. 27 against Norma Rueda Center. With a tough match-up in front of her, don’t expect “The Argentine Assassin” to say anything negative about her opponent. After all, that’s how she ended up with her nickname in the first place.

In her second pro bout, she squared off with eventual The Ultimate Fighter winner Julianna Pena — also known as “The Venezuelan Vixen” — and Bennett jokingly told the promoter about her mother’s Argentine roots.

“It’s a cautionary tale,” she stated with a laugh. “It’s terrible, but it’s never going away.”

It could be much, much worse. Bennett could be stuck with a moniker like “Free Hugs” or, even more deplorable, the product of an online nickname generator. Yet, her nickname serves as a warning to anyone trying to nonchalantly talk trash to an opponent.

“I’m physically not capable of trash talking,” Bennett acknowledged. “I get into that and I start giggling. No one would ever take me seriously, let alone myself. I’ve tried to trash talk my teammates and it ends badly for me. You’re not going to see that from me anytime soon.”

Instead of intimidating her foes with her words, Bennett is happy to let her in-cage performances do the talking. Or, she’ll settle for making them slightly uncomfortable.

“I’d love to be know as an entertaining fighter,” said a suddenly serious Bennett. “But if you take two seconds to talk to me and realize that I’m just a giant weirdo that wants to hug everybody, it kind of outweighs that.

“Awkward and weird… I’m pretty sure those are the two top descriptors that anyone who knows me uses. My teammates and closest friends would say that sounds about right.”

No matter what words you use to describe DeAnna Bennett, it doesn’t change what she’s capable of in the cage. And in a sport filled with an aura of seriousness, her quirks are welcomed. Let’s just hope the world gets to see the rest of the iceberg.

DeAnna would like to thank her coach, Jason, her team, and all of the staff at Pit Elevated, including gym owner Will Farrar, her chiropractor, Dr. Russell, her strength and conditioning coach, Austin Carter, Quest Training, Warrior Fuel and her boyfriend, Trevor Mellen.

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Irene Aldana: Destined for Competition

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Life’s journey is full of twists and turns. What lies ahead is not always expected.

Less than three years ago, Mexico’s Irene Aldana had never stepped into a cage as a professional mixed martial artist. Although she always had a passion for sports, the 26-year-old appeared destined for a career in photography and her own studio.

“I love photography,” declared Aldana. “I would love to continue with that plan in the future. If I’m good at something and if I really love it, I should do something with it.

“I set it aside to focus on fighting. Sometimes I take some shoots just for joy or I use my photography and design knowledge on gym work.”

Shooting photos and punching people in the face may seem like a contrast on the surface, but a deeper look at Aldana’s youth reveals someone destined for competition.

“I was very athletic since I was a little girl,” explained Aldana. “I always loved sports. I used to roller skate along Mazatlan’s Malecon for hours. I did gymnastics, ballet, karate, tennis, basketball, cheerleading. [I’d] spend hours in the gym.”

After moving to Guadalajara, Aldana discovered MMA and fell in love with the sport.

“The mix of all martial arts in one sport, I found fascinating; how distinct disciplines could be combined and how they complemented each other,” said the bantamweight. “Also the way you are able to connect your mind and body and go beyond your limits.

“After hours and hours of training, I started to feel well skilled for this sport. I competed for the first time in a national BJJ tournament and won first place. After that, I started to take it very seriously and was ready to try MMA.”

Her debut came in 2012 and lasted just 15 seconds. A year later, her second bout was over in 20 seconds and her third fight — which took place the same night as the second — ended with a violent wheel kick in just 43 seconds. Aldana’s career path was suddenly very clear.

Although she faced a setback in Brazil prior to signing with Invicta FC in 2014, Aldana and her Lobo Gym teammate, Alexa Grasso, have quickly become the faces of women’s MMA in their native Mexico. Now they’re out to set an example for their fans.

“[It is] very important and very satisfying,” proclaimed Aldana of representing her country. “It’s amazing that with such a short career, but so much work, we are now where we are. We love to share it with all Mexicans in or out of the sport. We’ve received messages from people asking our advice and sending us congratulations for our work. It’s great to motivate people to get up and work hard for what they want. The sport is relatively new in Mexico, but it’s getting bigger. Now is the perfect moment for Mexicans to accomplish their goals.”

With her country behind her, Aldana made her first appearance in the Invicta cage in September at Invicta FC 8, where she was pitted against UFC veteran Peggy Morgan. After rocking Morgan in the opening moments of the fight, Aldana coerced a tap via rear-naked choke in under three minutes. It’s a night that Aldana won’t forget anytime soon.

“I was really, really nervous,” admitted the fighter. “I tried to focus the best I could and channel that into my objectives.

“I knew Peggy is really strong and she is well known as a fighter almost impossible to knock out. I knew she always goes forward and resists damage. I was prepared for that and I didn’t get scared because she recovered. I knew that could happen.

“It was amazing. That was my first win by submission in MMA, and I was coming back after a defeat in Brazil. Professionally and personally, it was a big accomplishment.”

Aiding Aldana’s performance in Kansas City was the benefit of watching teammate Grasso earn a decision win just before Aldana stepped into the cage.

“I was prepared for whatever Alexa’s result would be,” said Aldana. “I went to do my job, but when I saw her winning, I felt so happy and full of good energy. Of course it motivated me. Then I thought, okay, one is done, it’s my turn so we get two victories.”

With four first-round finishes in her four career wins, Aldana was set to continue her early career momentum at Invicta FC 10 in December. However, a case of bronchitis forced her off the card at the last minute. Now, she’s slated to take on veteran Colleen Schneider at Invicta FC 11 on Feb. 27 in Los Angeles.

“I’m very excited. We always have something to improve. In every camp we get better than before, and being in the cage is the moment when we put in evidence all we have learned,” said Aldana. “It’s exciting to be growing up in the sport. After I needed to cancel my previous fight, I’m even more excited to return.”

Following her dominant promotional debut against Morgan, it would be easy to understand if Aldana felt obligated to repeat her performance when she goes up against Schneider, but she insists that’s not the case.

“[There’s] no pressure. I’m just going to do my job,” said the Lobo Gym product. “If the fight lasts a minute or three rounds, I’m prepared for anywhere the fight goes. I just hope it’s a great fight. None of my fights were planned to end in the first round, it just happened.”

Should Aldana get around Schneider in Los Angeles, the Mexican would be a prime candidate for a shot at the vacant 135-pound Invicta bantamweight championship. She’s confident she’d be ready if called upon and is anxious to share a title with her fans.

“I feel ready! I know I have a short career, but I always train like it’s for a title shot,” Aldana exclaimed.

“It would be a big deal! The honor to represent Mexico as Invicta champion would be great for Mexican MMA. I know Mexican fans are with me in my wins or losses. I’m really grateful for their love and support. I assure them I will always give my best and leave all my heart in the cage.”

If Aldana’s career to date is any indication, her aspirations of Invicta gold are likely right around the corner. It all starts on Friday, Feb. 27, in Los Angeles.

Irene would like to thank her MMA coach, Francisco Grasso, for who she is and who she will be in the sport, her physical conditioning coach, Fernando Quiroz, who knows how to train her effectively, her teammates for always being with her in good and bad times, her sponsors, they are like guardian angels for us in this sport, her family because she knows it’s hard for them to see her in the cage, but they have been very supportive with all their hearts, and all the fans for their support.