Monthly Archives: April 2013

Women’s MMA trailblazer Jessica Penne steps back into the Invicta cage on April 5^th, for another first; Invicta FC’s first ever title defense.

Penne will defend her Atomweight title against Jackson’s MMA standout Michelle Waterson at Invicta FC 5. Few women can match the 10-1 record of Invicta FC’s first champion at any weight class, and Penne is focused continuing her reign long into the future.

Corey Smith: One of the common themes in your career has been firsts. You participated in the first Bellator Women’s MMA bout, and along with competing on the first Invicta card, you were the first champion of any weight class for Invicta as well. Do you enjoy being a trailblazer?

Jessica Penne: I do cherish my experiences and the opportunities that I have had thus far. I’m excited about the future of WMMA and hope to have a few more firsts.

CS: You have gone on a strong winning streak since settling at your natural weight class of Atomweight, with wins over Amy Davis, Lisa Ellis, and of course winning the Invicta Atomweight title with a win over Naho Sugiyama. What has been the biggest change in your life since winning the Invicta Atomweight title?

JP: There really hasn’t been any change. I was back in the gym a couple days later and back to work. Hopefully with this title, I can stay busy this year.

CS: You’ve spoken in the past about how hard it used to be to get fights at 105, and having to fight outside your weight class just to keep fighting. Why do you think there are so many talented women at 105 now?

JP: With the growth and popularity of the sport there have been many additions and shifts in weight classes. It’s an exciting time for the sport and for this division.

CS: What kind of effect does working for an organization that treats it’s athletes as well as Invicta have on your fight performances?

JP: I’m so thankful for Invicta. Janet and Shannon have given me and the other women in the sport a place to call home. It feels good to be treated with respect and treated as a professional.

CS: Reading the list of the gyms and trainers that you use, it’s quite the impressive list. Reign MMA, Checkmat BJJ, King’s MMA, Blackhouse. What is the advantage of having the varied gyms for training? Do you enjoy getting different feedback from different coaches?

JP: I am really fortunate to train at such amazing gyms! Each coach has so much to offer. I feel that it is important to train each discipline separately to have a better understanding of them. It’s nice to have coaches that are great in their respective disciplines. My coach Mark Munoz always helps me put everything together.

CS: Being at the bottom end of the weight spectrum in MMA, is it hard to find training partners in your weight class? How hard is it to train with partners, male or female, that are above your weight class?

JP:  It’s was more difficult in the beginning to train with larger people.  It was difficult to learn and apply everything that I learned because there was always such a large size difference. Now it is a little bit easier to find training partners. I have a couple of main training partners, both male and female. But yes, they are always larger than I am. I think it is better to deal with a size and strength disadvantage in training though.

CS: When you aren’t training, what type of things do you enjoy doing? What helps you unwind after a long day of training camp? What food do you dream of most while in the middle of training camp?

JP: I enjoy gardening, walking the monsters, going to the beach. I really like being active as well. I like paddle boarding, hiking, cycling etc.

JP:  I eat pretty clean when I’m not fighting so I don’t really crave a whole lot when I’m dieting. I just cut down on my portion sizes. My favorite junk food is popcorn and anything chocolate, I’ve got to have that every so often.

CS: You are defending your title for the first time against Michelle Waterson at Invicta 5. What type of challenge do you think Michelle brings to the table?

JP:  I think Michelle is a tough fighter and comes from a good camp; I’m looking forward to the challenge. I think it will be an exciting fight.

CS: Michelle fights out of Greg Jackson’s gym in New Mexico. Jackson fighters have been accused by some of sticking to close to a game plan for their fights. I understand you try not to have too much of a game plan going into your fights. Do you think that is an advantage in general or something that works best for you?

JP:  I don’t really know how other people plan for a fight.  I just know what works for me.

CS: What type of feedback and coaching do you prefer during a fight? Whose voice do you look to the most?

JP: I trust my coaches and corners to the fullest. I do what ever they tell me, however they tell me.

CS: Fighting is equally a team sport as it is an individual sport. Who would you like to thank?

JP: I’d like to thank my coaches and teammates at Reign training center, Kings MMA, Checkmat BJJ and Innovative results. Nathan Gable, Jason Parillo, Chris Franco, Prime Time 360 management. Thank you to my sponsors RVCA / VASport, Vega and Thrive Foods. Thank you for your support, it means everything to me!

Boasting one of the most impressive resumes in Women’s MMA at 12-2, Zoila Frausto Gurgel makes her way to the Invicta cage on April 5^th at Invicta FC 5.

With world titles and and victories over the legendary Megumii Fuji, and current Invicta FC Atomweight champion Jessica Penne, few can match the career of Gurgel. Using controlled aggressiveness and with a family of fighters, including current Invicta veteran Stephanie Frausto, behind her, Gurgel will attempt to move straight to the top of the 125lb division on April 5^th.

Corey Smith: You come from a family of Mixed Martial Artists. Your sister Stephanie Frausto fights, of course your husband Jorge Gurgel is a fighter. Even your father is a third degree black belt in Taekwondo. How much easier is your career because of that type of support group?

Zoila Frausto Gurgel: I wouldn’t say it’s easier because of the pressure I put on myself to achieve greatness for them all, because I fight for my family and to leave a legacy. But it is also nice to have so many people, so close to me, know the ins and outs of martial arts and competition.

ZFG: To be able to gain knowledge of how things were and how they are now & exactly what is needed to succeed, it definitely helps when a lot of family is involved in it.

CS: Are there any challenges that come with it?

ZFG: The challenges would definitely be the pressure I put on myself to do great things for not just myself, but for them as well.

CS: You have spoken about the fact that you were a very talented soccer player, but ultimately you were too aggressive for the sport. Do you think natural aggression is a necessity for MMA or is it possible to be more reactive?

ZFG: If you use it right, I believe it’s a definite plus. Controlled aggression is what I call it. I’m a prime example of the fact that it does work, but I’m also an example that if you get too involved in that part of it, you can definitely over look things and make mistakes in fights. My only two losses have come from just that, letting the anger take over with no control.

CS: You recently left Bellator to sign with Invicta. Is it safe to say a main reason for the departure was a desire to fight more often?

ZFG: Haha, to be safe, yes, but there were many other reasons why I wanted out and to see the way Invicta treated their athletes was a major plus for me. It’s exactly where I want to be. I’ll also be able to fight more often, and staying busy, for me, is a major plus.

CS: You were the 115lb world champion in Bellator, but your last two fights were at 125lbs, and your upcoming bout in Invicta is also at 125lbs. Do you feel like this is a more natural weight class for you?

ZFG: I fought at 115 only because I was given an opportunity to fight the best in the world at the time and I was fighting for a world title. I took the opportunity and I did what I set out to do, beat the best to be the best.

ZFG: 125lbs is definitely a lot easier to make, and is a more natural weight class for me. Making 115lbs; there’s advantages and disadvantages, I’m usually a lot bigger, stronger and faster than most women at that weight class. But, I was only able to fight at maybe 80% of my full ability because of the harsh weight cuts.

ZFG: Who knows, if there was ever a big fight that I couldn’t turn down, I just might go down to 115 for something big, but I’m happy where I am now at 125. I did what I needed to do at 115.

CS: Most fighter say the weight cut is the hardest part about fighting. Other than that, what do you consider the most difficult part of being a professional fighter?

ZFG: To make 115lb it was definitely the weight cut, it drove me crazy. It was never a very pleasant time in my life. Other than that, now cutting is pretty easy, it’s never fun, but it’s necessary.

ZFG: Like anything else, training isn’t always fun especially when you’re tired or worn out, but it’s all the name of the game to push through to be the best. All the many sacrifices that are made throughout the training camp are worth the victories at the end.

ZFG: I wouldn’t consider the weight cut being the hardest part anymore. The hardest part would be the time away from family and friends that’s usually sacrificed due to training. Resting and staying on a good training schedule can also be hard.

CS: After your loss to Jessica Eye, you posted a picture of yourself on Twitter in the same chokehold she used on you. The tag line was something to the effect of “stuff happens.” Do you think it’s important to keep a positive attitude and not take yourself too seriously?

ZFG: It was “sh*t happens” though. HAHA! Of course, you can either dwell on the past, even though it was so soon, or you can learn from your mistakes and move forward. Plus, I was in high spirits that day, because the day after the fight I wasn’t at all satisfied with what happen so I went out to Grappler’s Quest World Championship and won the Absolute Division, a belt and two medals.

ZFG: I’m a competitor and the only way I can move forward from a loss is continue to compete, and I did. The very next day with ZERO sleep, and I won.

CS: You once called your only other loss to Miesha Tate a “good thing.” Do you feel the same way about the loss to Eye? Do you learn more in defeat than you do in victory?

ZFG: Of course. You can only learn more from losses. But it’s the athlete’s choices to learn by mistake and continue to improve, so it doesn’t happen again.

CS: What do you think an organization like Invicta means for the sport of Women’s MMA?

ZFG: It’s amazing. It give us a much needed home. It gives us a chance to shine together. To let the world know that there is A LOT of talented and professional Mixed Martial Artist out there that are also women. Invicta treats their fighters the way professional athletes should be treated. It gives us more hope.

CS: When you are in the cage, what type of coaching and feedback do you look for from your corner? Does anyone’s voice stand out over the others?

ZFG: My corners are very important to me. For me it has to be someone that is definitely looking out for my best interest and whose voice I respect, hear, and will follow. So for this fight my corners will be the man that started my career on fire; Kru Jasper Tayaba and the man that pulled me through a World Championship, my husband Jorge Gurgel. Lastly, my sister Stephanie Frausto; because she’s always a major part of my training camp, mental and physical, she gives me strength as well.

CS: You have mentioned that you are horrible in your sister’s corner during a fight because you are too excited or nervous. Are your family members the same when they corner you?

ZFG: I believe Steph and Jorge both have said that they are never really that nervous for my fight because they know what I’m capable of and if used correctly, nobody can beat me.

CS: Finally, MMA is equally a team sport as it is an individual sport. Who would you like to thank?

ZFG: As always I’d like to thank my coaches for this camp: My husband Jorge Gurgel, my 1st coach ever Jasper Tayaba, wrestling coach Alan Fried.

ZFG: Boxing Coach T, and main training partner my sister Stephanie Frausto. My team back home in Ohio JGMMA and the guys here at Dethrone Base Camp in Fresno that have helped me out for this fight.

ZFG:  And as always my family, friends, and supporters. Especially my mom Zoyla Grace and Larry, brother Arthur Frausto and Victoria Le Callahan. My dad, Luis Frausto.

ZFG: Without my support system I would be nothing, so thank you.

Recent Texas transplant Lauren Taylor, will make her Invicta debut April 5^th, at Invicta FC 5, stepping in for an injured Amanda Nunes, against Kaitlin Young.

Coming off a dominant win less than a month ago, Taylor had no hesitation in accepting the fight on less than three weeks notice. Confident and fit, Taylor accepted the honor of fighting Women’s MMA pioneer Kaitlin Young in order to prove that she belongs among the best at 135lbs.

Corey Smith: How did you first enter into the world of mixed martial arts? How long had you been formally training before your first fight?

Lauren Taylor: I took my son to a Jiu Jitsu class in late 2009, and I took the class with him to encourage him. I fell in love with it and started going all the time. I began training MMA about 3 months later, and took my first pro fight 3 months after that. I did not have any amateur fights.

CS: What aspects of mixed martial arts do you enjoy training the most? What aspects take more mental strength to train?

LT: I enjoy different aspects on different days, usually I enjoy whatever I am doing well that day, haha. I’m kidding… sort of. I think the thing that consistently takes the most for me to get okay with mentally is dieting while in a fight camp. I like to eat!

CS: You trained at a Gracie Barra affiliate in your native Alaska, and now train at a Gracie Barra affiliate in Houston, TX. The Gracie name is more than familiar to mixed martial arts fan. Where does the Barra come from?

LT: It’s my understanding that the first Gracie Jiu Jitsu academy operated by Carlos Gracie Jr., was opened in a town called Barra de Tujica. So it was called Gracie Barra. Why we continue to call them ‘Gracie Barra’, and not Gracie Katy or Gracie Anchorage or whatever, I suppose you’d have to ask Master Carlos Gracie Jr.

CS: You are coming off a dominant win on March 1^st, yet it was a win in which you were not completely satisfied with your performance. What did you see in your performance that left you feeling like you could have competed better?

LT: I felt like it took me a minute to get back in the groove of being in the cage. Actually it took about two minutes, and then I was back in the swing of things, so to speak. I hope that doesn’t happen again.

LT: It had been a while since I fought last, and the feeling of dancing with someone who is trying to hurt you took a second to readjust to. I also did a few things in that fight that can certainly be capitalized on by a smart opponent, which Kaitlin is.

LT: I know everyone has at least one bad habit, but I don’t like having any, and I may even have several, so the sooner I fix those the better off I will be.

CS: On April 5^th, it will be a little more than a month since your last bout. Were there any concerns about fighting again so quickly?

LT: Only that we did not have time to train specifically for Kaitlin like my coaches and I would have preferred. But we still had a good solid two and a half weeks to drill some things that I would like to do, and they are not things that I have never seen before, so it’s not a situation I am panicking about.

LT:  I mean, you can’t have it all and there are always things I would have ‘preferred’ go differently in a fight camp. Other than that, it’s really kind of nice. I enjoy being the underdog, I have less time to worry. I am still in good shape and injury free. I think the major concern taking last minute fights is whether your conditioning is on point, and I believe mine will be.

CS: This will mark your debut with Invicta FC, how has your experience been like so far with the company?

LT: It’s been incredible. I am excited to fight for them. I actually signed a multi fight contract with them way back in October or so, so this isn’t the first time I have heard from them.

LT: It seems like a lot of promotions care very little for their fighters, especially the female ones, because they are more concerned about having fights and putting on a show and building up certain fighters, than they are about the well-being of the fighters themselves. Invicta has not been like that. They are dedicated to the athletes.

CS: You are stepping in for an injured Amanda Nunes to face Women’s MMA pioneer, Kaitlin Young at Invicta FC 5. How do you expect the fight to go?

LT: I think it’s going to be a great fight. Kaitlin obviously has more experience. She was fighting MMA before I even knew what MMA was, so it’s really an honor to compete with her. I believe I have the ability to beat her, although I don’t believe it will be easy.

LT:  I don’t know if I will beat her, necessarily, but I certainly can. She clearly also has the ability to beat me, and will also be looking for a finish, so I think it will be a fantastic fight. She’s very tough. In my mind, it’s going to be a war.

CS: On the subject of injuries, how do you maintain a full force training schedule but also guard against overtraining and injuries?

LT: That’s a great question, haha. When someone figures it out, please tell me! For me, regarding overtraining, I honestly try not to think too much in fight camp- I let my coaches do that.

LT: They are the brains and I’m the brawn, and up to this point, it’s worked out well. So we sit down and make a schedule and I follow it, no matter how I feel. They do check in with me frequently to see how I am feeling and we can always adjust if needed, but for the most part I just train my ass off.

LT: They can tell when I am pushed past my limit and sometimes they push me even further and sometimes they let me rest. I may or may not keep a Z pack on hand to treat passing colds that come my way.

LT: As far as injuries, I have been blessed not to have had many. That may just be dumb luck, but I’ll take it. I did hurt my foot once right before a fight, but it was a freak accident and not from overtraining.

CS: After a long day of training camp, what helps you to unwind and recharge?

LT: When I’m in camp, away from home, it’s talking to my boyfriend. He’s been a huge source of inspiration to me. I call him all the time to pick his brain, get encouragement, vent, or just listen to someone besides my own voice in my own head.

LT: He believes in me and loves me no matter if I win or lose, and it’s so important for me to have that. When I’m not in camp, and I’m with him, it’s a hug, a movie, and a good meal. Like I said, I like to eat.

CS: What is your mood like on fight night? Do you have any superstitions or routines that you have to perform?

LT: I love fight night! I get very giddy and excited. Of course I get nervous, but it’s the kind of nervous you feel when you’re on a roller coaster and you’re just going up that first hill, and you can feel the cars going over the edge and you’re about to plummet into a wild ride, and there’s nothing you can do about it. That’s how fight night feels, haha!

LT:  I have been doing away with superstitions. I used to have several, but one by one, they were kind of taken away from me with each fight, and I still won dominantly; So I had to face the fact that superstitions are something that make me feel better mentally, not a real thing, and that I don’t really need them. Things will go just fine even if I don’t wear my lucky underwear or whatever.

CS: Inside the cage, how do you prefer to be coached? Whose voice stands out above the others among your corners?

LT: My coach Pat Applegate stands out to me the most, although I do hear my other corners. I do hear different stuff sometimes that kind of amuses me in each fight. Sometimes I hear the audience, or my opponent’s corner telling them what to do, and it always makes me think, ‘Huh. That’s interesting.’

CS: How much MMA do you watch purely for enjoyment? Are there any fighters in particular that you are a fan of?

LT: I watch MMA all the time. I mean, ALL. THE. TIME. I love it. One of my all-time favorites is Forrest Griffin. I also like Anderson Silva (who doesn’t?) because I think that dude may actually be from another planet, that’s how good he is.

LT:  And Frankie Edgar. Actually now that I am thinking about it, I am a fan of too many fighters to really list here. So I will say, I’m a fan of Sarah Kaufman. And Chael Sonnen. And Julie Kedzie. And Joe Murphy. And Jose Aldo. And…

CS: When you aren’t training or fighting, what types of activities do you participate in solely for fun?

LT: I love to read, and go to the beach (only since moving to Florida, though. The beaches in my home state are awful). I like to cook and bake. I am a people person and I like being around good friends.

LT:  It drives me crazy to be alone, I can’t do that for too long. I also like to spend money, if I wasn’t so broke all the time, I could see myself turning into a shop-aholic. The warning signs are all there.

CS: Lastly, MMA is as much a team sport as it is an individual one. Who would you like to thank?

LT: Oooh I have a lot. My team at GB Katy first and foremost. The athletes and coaches there are amazing and I wouldn’t want to go anywhere else.

LT:  My Fight Shop here in Houston for providing me with great gear. Airrosti rehab centers for keeping me healthy. Centurion BJJ in Panama City, and all my team mates there. Coach Rey at NLA Katy for making me a beast and Paul Moran as well, those guys know their stuff and keep me in great shape.

LT: FOR SURE I want to thank each and every person who donated to Pimp My Fight, your donations have made possible an incredible training camp, and will carry me on into the next one as well. Joe, Aurora and Jen for being so damn awesome, and my mom. I love you mom!

Exciting MMA prospect Rose Namajunas, steps back into the Invicta cage after a late third round submission victory at Invicta FC 4.

The victory at Invicta FC 4 also marked Namajunas’ first professional bout, and she looks to improve her record to 2-0 against fellow prospect Kathina Catron at Invicta FC 5 on April 5^th.  A Renaissance woman at her core, Rose will try to ignite the crowd once again when the cage door closes April 5^th.

Corey Smith: With a wide range of interests from an early age, including music and athletics, what led you to choose mixed martial arts as your primary occupation?

Rose Namajunas: I had a lot of different interests growing up, and for some reason the main theme that always stuck out was: sports. The majority of my family members were involved in sports, so it runs in the genes. I did modeling and music on the side, but for some reason anything athletic intrigued me the most and stuck with me.

RN: Athletics was also the first thing I started, and the first martial art I was exposed to was Tae Kwon Do. From there it slowly progressed, but I never knew that I would do this as a profession. I stuck with it, one thing led to another, and here I am at Invicta on my second fight.

CS: Do you think that it is important to try a wide variety of hobbies and activities?

RN: Yeah I think so. The main theme in MMA is being well-rounded, the well rounded fighter usually does well. And in life that can be applied to anything. Doing music, and fighting at the same time, helps me find a lot parallels in them. I can explain a lot of things to Pat (Barry). He doesn’t understand a lot about music, but I can find analogies with fighting that make sense to him.

RN: It sounds crazy, but everything is connected. I feel like the more things that you do and are good at, the more enlightened you are. It goes back to the whole Renaissance period, Da Vinci was a legend for a reason. He was good at all types of things, because if you can be good at many different things you’re enlightened, and you can see how we are all connected aside from all our differences.

CS: You have spoken about how, as far back as you could remember, you were always focused on everything you did. Where do you think that mental attitude came from?

RN: I don’t know, honestly I think it was just something I was born with. I don’t really know where it came from. It was just something I knew as a child. There were a few times I was a bad child behind closed doors, but I never really talked back to her or had temper tantrums. She just explained it to me, and ever since Kindergarten it just clicked for me.

RN:  My teacher would talk about how I got there early, completed my work, and then I didn’t move until class was over. I don’t know if it had to do with focus, or if it has to do with proper diet. When they are growing up I think a lot of kids are being fed foods that have no nutritional value. It’s no wonder why they are bouncing off the walls and getting diagnosed with ADD. There is so much sugar and no nutrients.

RN:  So it’s a combination of my personality, never having a problem with authority, but also the surroundings that I grew up with. I grew up with a non-American mother, and I think children in other countries tend to be a little more disciplined and less rebellious.

CS: With a fellow mixed martial artist for a partner, heavyweight Pat Barry, what are the advantages of having a fellow fighter as a boyfriend?

RN: We speak the same language. Even the things that we don’t view the same way, we can use certain things that we have common ground on. His knowledge of fighting, and my knowledge of fighting help me explain things about myself like music that he doesn’t particularly understand. We know each other’s facial expressions, and can speak without talking. We might look at each other in front of people, and they might not know we are having a conversation. Communication is key to a relationship and having a common language helps.

CS: In your pro debut at Invicta FC 4, you won via submission late in the third round. How satisfying was that win for you?

RN: It was extremely satisfying. You’re tired and just want to sit down after going through three rounds of action like that. It’s exhausting. So it’s extremely satisfying because I wanted to get the finish. One of the gratifying moments of that fight was that it was a finish, and it was my first submission win, so that was cool.

RN:  My opponent was known for being well rounded on the ground, so that was a win in itself. She came from Greg Jackson’s camp, and was more experienced than I am, so that was a win right there. All those things made the win perfect. To go in there after two rounds of ups and downs and mental barriers that I had to break through, and pull off the win like that was definitely amazing.

CS: You spoke about how in your first pro fight, the size of the cage was a little unfamiliar to you. Along with that, what else did you learn from that first fight that you can’t learn in training?

RN: Being against the cage, and not knowing when I should have angled off at the right time was different. The amount of steps that I could back up until I get to the cage without having to clinch up with my opponent in the middle of the ring. Along with that, I have a habit in training, if my opponent is not really doing any damage to me, against the cage I tend to wait for my opponent to make a move and then I react.

RN: I don’t waste my time trying to muscle her off or get out of a situation, if it isn’t really going anywhere for either of us. In the fight I could have muscled her off, but that’s not how I train. We have “Wall Wednesday” at the gym where we start on the wall, so we practice it a lot.

RN: So should you prepare for the worst, and therefore make the worst happen? Or should I not worry about the worst happening and just implement my game plan? That’s something you always struggle with, because you want to be prepared but you don’t want to self-sabotage.

CS: You split your training camp between your hometown gym, The Academy in Minnesota, and Grudge Training Center in Colorado. How did that come about? What areas do you focus on at Grudge?

RN: Pat trained at Grudge for his last fight against Shane Del Rosario, and he said great things about that camp. Trevor (Wittman) and Pat know each other from coaching The Ultimate Fighter together. So ever since Pat went out there, he wanted to bring me out there. Before my last fight was the first time I was at Grudge, and I loved it, it was great and beneficial. So for this fight, I just got out here to Grudge and had my first workout with Trevor tonight. I love it a lot.

RN: In Minnesota with Greg (Nelson), we work on everything, but we work mainly on areas I need to improve, wrestling and Jiu Jitsu. I enjoy striking more, but Greg knows much more about the Jiu Jitsu game.

RN: With Trevor, he’s a boxing fanatic. He teaches me the overall striking game not just boxing, but kicks and everything. I’ll be working with Cat Zingano this week. The high altitude is also a benefit for my endurance.

RN: In Minnesota, again it’s a lot of ground work, but also my strength and conditioning with Matt Miller. I focus on getting in the best shape possible, with power lifting and horse power.

CS: With your pro debut, and your next bout on April 5^th at Invicta FC 5, how has your experience been so far with the company?

RN: Invicta has been tremendous. They treat us all like queens. Pat was actually a little jealous of the treatment they were giving me, and he is a heavyweight in the UFC. They know the fight game really well, they aren’t rookies.

RN: They aren’t running an organization for the first time, they are very professional about everything and Invicta takes care of their athletes. Invicta doesn’t ever leave you hanging, they are super organized. I am very appreciative of everything, I love it.

CS: Your opponent on April 5^th, Kathina Catron, has three professional bouts under her belt. How familiar are you with her? What are you expecting out of the bout?

RN: I am coming in to impose my will and throw thunder at her. She is going to have to be able to handle it, or she is going down. I love striking, so that’s what I am looking to come in and do. Throw a flurry of punches and kicks and be ready for anything else.

RN: I know that she is similar to my last opponent Emily, though she is not a lefty. She does like to clinch up more, and is coming in well rounded. I feel like being well rounded is good, but you tend to go wherever the fight goes and that’s not my plan. My plan is to impose my will, and not just let whatever happens happen.

CS: Inside the cage, whose voice are you looking to the most? What type of advice to prefer to receive during the fight?

RN: Well Pat is phenomenal. I personally think that he is the best corner man ever. If you want someone in your corner with great advice, he knows exactly what to say. I don’t know if it’s because of the relationship we have or if he is just that good at it.

RN: It’s not necessarily that I am looking for something or that I look to a certain person, because in the fight you are on auto-pilot. It almost seems like a dream, you can’t really recall everything that happens. Because you are in such a high adrenaline state or survival mode, that whatever you pick up you don’t really have much control over it.

RN: Chico Camas was in my corner last time, and he was great. We trained together back in Milwaukee, and is one of the people I connected with. He was telling me some great things as well.

RN:  Kaitlin (Young) was in my corner, along with Greg Nelson. Greg doesn’t have to yell or forcefully say anything, his words travel straight into my ears. Like the cartoons where a scent travels across the screen and into a cartoon characters nose, that’s how his words reach me.

RN: It’s hard to explain what is the right thing to say, or the right words that click. It’s a letting go experience, and I just listen to each of my coaches.

CS: When you aren’t terrorizing Pat Barry and filming it for YouTube, what kinds of activities do you enjoy? What helps you to mentally unwind after a hard day of training camp?

RN: Recently we started doing the sensory deprivation floats, and that is really fun to do. Other than the salt water burning your skin from all the cuts and scratches of MMA practice, it’s a great way to refuel, and to get to a Zen state of mind. It’s a really easy way to meditate for me.

RN: I love listening to any music, and we love watching movies, Pat and I. Mainly we are very laid back kind of people, but I know we are perceived as always making these goofy videos, which is fun. But we also have a flip side to it, we love just being together, not really going out that much.

RN: I love being outside, and animals are another passion of mine. I’ve always loved any animals, and I can’t wait to get a puppy. Anytime I can be around animals or nature in general. I love art, and drawing, but during camp it’s hard to do those things when I am so drained. I like non energy taxing things like taking a walk, or sitting and talking with Pat.

CS: Lastly, MMA is as much a team sport as it is an individual one. Who would you like to thank?

RN: I want to thank Pat Barry for being my number one hype man, and my soul mate. I want to thank Trevor Wittman, and his wife Christine. My awesome coaches Greg Nelson and Matt Miller. Brad Butler at SuckerPunch Entertainment.

RN: My sponsors Fear The Fighter, PolyCase Ammo, and Down2Scrap.

RN: I want to also thank my mom and brother, and all my family in Lithuania. And lastly, Invicta for giving me this opportunity!