Monthly Archives: July 2013

Ever evolving Claudia Gadelha makes her Invicta FC debut July 13^th, at Invicta FC 6 against fellow world traveler, Japanese standout Ayaka Hamasaki.

Believing that the key to continued success in MMA depends upon the evolution of your skills, Gadelha takes advantage of the talent present on her team, famed Nova Uniao. A lover of martial arts since she was a teenager, Gadelha will need every aspect of her game to defeat current JEWELS champion, Ayaka Hamasaki on July 13^th.

Corey Smith: How did you first get started in the world of martial arts? How did it advance from there?

Claudia Gadelha: When I was younger I was always interested in martial arts but my parents would not let me train. I started working out at 14 years old; I used to cut class just to go to the gym. Then when I was 16 I went to an MMA event in my city, Mossoró and that’s where I met Jair Lourenço(head coach at Nova Uniao in Natal.)

CG: He invited me to come to Natal and to train in his academy. At that event they had 2 women fighting and after watching I knew I wanted to fight. From there I started training Jiu Jitsu 3 or 4 times per day, then competing every weekend. After winning a lot of championships I had my first MMA fight at 18 years old.

CS: Brazil is known as the birth place of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and the homeland of the famed Gracie family. What is the MMA community like in Brazil?

CG: With the presence of the UFC here now in Brasil, MMA is exploding and growing faster than ever.

CS: You currently train with Nova Uniao, with among others world champion Jose Aldo. How many women currently train with the team? What does being around that kind of talent level do for your overall game?

CG: Well, there are only 3 women on the team, including myself. Having this kind of world class talent around me on a daily basis is truly a blessing. Training with these guys I learn what it takes to be a champion, not just physically but the mental aspect as well, and how to carry myself like a true professional.

CS: Training camp injuries have been an issue for you in the past, and in general in MMA. How do you manage to maintain a full fight camp but also minimize training injuries?

CG:  When playing a sport like MMA injuries are very normal, especially when training and fighting at a high level. At Nova Uniao we train smart and that is important to staying healthy. I have learned to listen to my body and that has helped tremendously.

CS: You are currently undefeated with a record of 9-0. If you were to self-critique your career so far, what would you say has been your biggest area of improvement?

CG: I think that I am just trying to evolve with the sport. When I started MMA I was mainly a Jiu Jitsu fighter, but as time has gone on I have tried to evolve into a more complete fighter and I am working hard everyday to keep evolving. The level in woman’s MMA in getting so high and being able to evolve is such an important factor.

CS: This will be your first fight in the United States, and also for Invicta FC. How has your experience been like so far with the company? Are you anticipating any added difficulties with travelling to the United States?

CG: Working with Invicta thus far has been an absolute pleasure, it is so great to be apart of an all female organization like Invicta. I am very excited to fight in America. I know the crowd and people really love MMA and I am excited for this opportunity. It won’t be a problem for me traveling to the USA to fight. I lived in Texas, have traveled there to fight Jiu Jitsu and other things, so I am used to these things.

CS: You were originally slated to face Joanne Calderwood at Invicta FC 6, until an injury to Invicta champion Carla Esparza led to you now facing current JEWELS champion Ayaka Hamasaki. What are your thoughts on the opponent change? What are the differences in preparation for Hamasaki vs. Calderwood?

CG: Opponent change is something I am used to by now, this has happened with me quite often in my career. The difference in their two styles has been the main thing, Joanne a striker and Hamasaki a grappler. My training has remained pretty much the same with the exception of sparring. I went from sparring with top strikers to sparring with people looking to take me down. People to mimic the game of Hamasaki.

CS: The bout will also likely determine the next number one contender. Does that entail any added pressure going into the match?

CG: No, I don’t feel any added pressure. I am doing everything I need to be prepared physically as well as mentally.

CS: What is your mindset like on the night of the fight? Are there any superstitions or routines that you perform?

CG: I keep a calm mind and maintain my focus. I don’t have any kind routine or traditions, I take things as they come and listen to my music.

CS: Who generally accompanies you to the cage? What type of instruction do you like to receive from your coaches?

CG: I usually bring Renan Barao with me, he is a very experienced fighter/current UFC champion and close friend. He really knows my game and how to support me with the weight cut, the fight and everything that goes along with it. It’s a blessing to have such an experienced corner man.

CS: Outside of the cage, what types of activities do you enjoy? What helps you to mentally recharge during training camp?

CG: I love to spend time with my family in Mossoró. I love riding motorcycles. And I love anything that makes me laugh; laughter is the best medicine to recharge me during my fight camp.

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

CG:  First off I have to thank God for giving the body and mindset it take to play this sport. And my family for supporting me always.

CG: Andre Pederneiras, Jair Lourenço, Alessandro Gelke and all my sponsors.

CG: And my fiancée for always being patient with me and being by my side.

The always loquacious and entertaining Leslie Smith appears in the Invicta cage once more on July 13^th at Invicta FC 6, looking for her third Fight of the Night award.

Dropping down a weight class to 125lbs for the first time, Smith looks to go straight to the front of the line with a win of fellow 125 pound contender, Jennifer Maia. The winner will get a crack at Flyweight Champion Barb Honchak, and Smith will settle for nothing less than a referee stoppage at Invicta FC 6 to get her shot at the champion.

Corey Smith: You are fast becoming a fan favorite in Invicta FC, with two past Fight of the Night honors. Is that a natural result of your style? Or are you trying to entertain the fans as much as possible?

Leslie Smith:  Thank you!  I love getting to fight for such an enthusiastic crowd! Invicta fans are the best; whether they are in house, or streaming the fights over their internet, their enthusiasm is palpable and it keeps me amped.

LS:  I am lucky in that my instinctual fighting style is very exciting.  I have to keep it fast paced to keep myself entertained, the biggest challenge in keeping to a slower pace for me is ignoring the little voices in my head that say “just jump in there and punch her in the face!  Hurry up! This is boring!”

LS: I have never consciously thought, “Will the crowd like this?”  But I am a pretty big fan of exciting fights so trying to keep myself happy is pretty much the same as trying to keep the fans happy.

CS: Cesar Gracie trained fighters tend to have a reputation of being aggressive and pushing the pace. Do you think that this is a product of a coach training these traits into his fighters or fighters finding a coach that fits their natural style?

LS: That’s a good question, like of  nature vs nurture on the GracieFighter team.  I think both factors play in to determine the style of fighting you see in my teammates and myself.

CS: How much do you benefit from having regular training partners such as Sarah D’Alelio and Alexis Davis, as opposed to women that have to train primarily with men?

LS: Every fighter that is successful is going to find the advantages to their available resources and exploit them to their fullest, or else they wouldn’t be successful.  There is no magical combination of training partners or super secret moves that guarantee a win, there are just fighters that make the most of what they have available and that becomes a skill in itself, making the most of whatever is available.

LS:  I benefit from having Sarah D’Alelio and Alexis Davis in my camp because it is motivational for one, but also because they give me a broader frame of reference when evaluating my opponents’ skills versus my own.  I can see how everybody Sarah and Alexis have fought matched up to them in the past and compare it to my experiences with Sarah and Alexis.

LS: Another advantage to the close proximity of other fighters that are doing their thing in Invicta just like me is that it is a permanent reminder that there are hundreds of other women trying to take my spot in Invicta.  And I like them.  It helps make going to practice more fun when you like your training partners.

CS: Training camp injuries are common place in MMA. How do your coaches manage your training to maintain the proper amount of learning but also minimize over training or accidents?

LS: That is quite the balancing act and I am always trying to push the limit.  It can be hard to train at the max without injury or overtraining, in fact sometimes you have to fall over the edge to learn how close you can come.

LS: My team of coaches are experienced in each of their different departments and always trying to understand the interplay of all the different techniques used in fighting and training to give me a more cohesive and effective training camp.

CS: You recently decided to drop in weight class down to 125. What prompted this decision?

LS:  I have had a very easy time cutting weight the past few fights and if I didn’t explore my abilities at a lower weight class I would feel like I wasn’t pushing myself to step out of my comfort zone.  I wonder if some people might think I am looking for an easier fight by fighting at a lower weight.  I am know my job is to show up at the weigh ins at weight, after training as hard as I can to get ready for a fight.

LS:  When I get in the ring it is playtime so I look at this fight as more of a challenge than any other fight because play time is play time but I am going to have to work harder to get to that point.  I have fought at 145 in the past and spent most of my time at 135 but I really want to take my fighting to the next level and to do that I need to challenge myself in all departments.

CS: At Invicta FC 5, you lost a close decision to Sarah Kaufman. Many felt that you should have won that fight. How confident were you as you awaited the decision?

LS:  I was very confident I had won my last fight but when I don’t finish a fight I forfeit any right to complain about a decision (if any right ever existed, which I doubt).  I have been focusing my training on fighting to a finish and nothing short of a ref stoppage will make me feel successful after this next fight.

CS: Shortly after Invicta FC 5, you signed a multi fight contract with the organization. What motivated you to make Invicta your home for the foreseeable future?

LS: I signed with Invicta because they have belts that I want.  I want a belt at 125 and then I want the belt at 135.  I am proud to be a part of a promotion that takes good care of their fighters and I appreciate the way they market us.

LS: I think that the more successful I can be, and the more visible to the rest of the world, the stronger an image of femininity I can contribute to.  I feel like Invicta is the place for me to do that right now and when my contract is up I will look to go wherever I can keep contributing as much as possible.

CS: Your upcoming bout at Invicta FC 6 will be against Jennifer Maia, in match with title implications. How familiar are you with Maia? What are you expecting out of the fight?

LS: The winner of my fight with Maia gets to fight Barb Honchak for the belt and I have been studying Maia’s fight history to be as prepared as possible.  I expect her to bring it, she is an intense fighter, I have no illusions about Maia being the kind of fighter to tap out to strikes.  She has been bigger than many of her opponents and she is used to bull dogging her way into dominant positions  but she isn’t going to be able to do that this fight.  I am prepared to fight her wherever the fight may lead us.

CS: Does the bout having title shot implications carry any extra pressure for you?

LS: I put more pressure on myself to be better than I was yesterday than any kind of title shot implications can hope to compare with.

CS: On the day of the fight, do you have any superstitions or routines that you have to perform?

LS: I like to eat a lot of cheese and tuna and onions so I can be extra smelly so the person will want to get out of the cage with me.  Subliminal stuff.

CS: Who generally accompanies you to the cage? And what type of advice do you like to receive from your corners during the fight?

LS: My coach Alessandro Ferreira and my boyfriend Kevin Lum have been at every single Invicta fight with me so far.  I get so wrapped up in the moment that I don’t know exactly what Alessandro and Kevin do, but I know it works to get me feeling good and ready.

LS:  Sometimes we’re so in tune with each other that they can be yelling instructions during a round and I will execute their commands exactly and afterward I will not be able to distinguish between thoughts of my own and their advice.  I am lucky to be so in tune with my corners.

CS: How much MMA do you watch purely for enjoyment? Are there any non team mates that you are big fan of?

LS:  I watch MMA whenever I can but to be really involved in a fight I have to have some kind of connection to the fighters.   I really enjoy watching fighters who I am familiar with so I always pay more attention when women fight or when people I have met and seen them train fight. So Brandon Vera, Mark Munoz, Jacare, and Manny Gamburyan, are all more fun for me to watch than people I have never met.

CS: What is the best advice you have ever received from a fan?

LS: The best advice I have ever received from a fan would probably have to be to ignore the bad and not put too much value on the good.   It wasn’t one particular person that said the two things together but as Invicta fights get more and more coverage and people are paying more attention to me and my fights I have been getting more feedback, both positive and negative.

LS:  Luckily, when people are hating there has always been someone around to point out the fact that they’re just being  haters.   I know that when people are saying good things I have to keep in mind the fact that I haven’t arrived where I want to be yet, and listening to praise isn’t going to get me any closer.

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

LS:  I want to thank Cesar Gracie, Alessandro Ferreira, Jongsanon, Yuzo, Travis Lee and Mark Wine for excelling in their respective departments of jiu jitsu, mma, muay thai, boxing, wrestling and strength and conditioning and helping me get better in each department.

LS:   My sponsors, Loyalty Before Royalty, Hella High Oakland, Spighter.com and Brentwood Embroidery and Screenprinting have all helped me in more than just monetary ways.

LS: My boyfriend Kevin is pretty much the best boyfriend ever and I am eternally grateful for his love and support, I couldn’t have gotten here by the same path without him.

Late addition to Invicta FC 5, Lauren Taylor, will attempt to climb the next rung on the ladder, when she returns to face off against battle hardened veteran Sarah D’alelio at Invicta FC 6 on July 13^th.

Though it may sound like an oxymoron, Taylor is only interested in one thing in the cage; fighting. Taylor aims to inflict as much damage as possible against battle seasoned veteran D’alelio, and will undoubtedly entertain the crowd at the same time.

Corey Smith: You last appeared at Invicta FC 5, earning the biggest win of your career against Kaitlin Young. How did that feel about securing the win and your performance that night?

Lauren Taylor: Well, of course it feels great to win, especially against a tough opponent like Kaitlin! It was really good to have a fight that went the distance, it exposed a lot of holes in my game for us to fix. I remember being pretty hard on myself after the fight for not finishing her, but there is nothing to change that now.

CS: How confident where you that the judges would score the fight in your favor?

LT: Extremely. I know judges screw up fights sometimes, and I was bummed I didn’t finish Kaitlin, but if they had scored in her favor, I might have had a tantrum right there in the cage.

CS: That was your second fight in roughly a month, do you think having just come off of a fight helped your overall conditioning with such a short camp? Do you feel like any part of your game suffered with a short camp?

LT: I actually like short camps better. It’s less time to think about your opponent and stress out, they cost less money, and burnout and injury isn’t as likely. My conditioning was already alright from my last fight, and I worked really hard in the two weeks I had to make it even better.

CS: What did you see in your last fight that you wanted to work on?

LT: Ha! One thing is I brought too many shirts and not enough pants last time, which is why I walked out in my pajamas. I wasn’t trying to be like…gimmicky or whatever, I just really didn’t have any other pants to warm up in. So maybe this time I’ll try using my brain while I’m packing.

LT: Other than that, I am always working on everything, every day, to be the best mixed martial artist I can be.

CS: Was there any hesitation in taking the short notice fight against such a high level opponent?

LT: Nope, I don’t think so. I had a good feeling about it, which I know sounds stupid, but there it is. I knew I could win the fight. And if I didn’t win, who cares? It’s not a shame to lose to someone like Kaitlin. Everyone loses at some point, so I’m not too worried about any of that.

CS: What do you think the win showed about your abilities?

LT: That I’m tough. I’m just hard to beat, you know? Kaitlin had me mounted, took my back, locked on a nasty body triangle, flattened me out, had me triangled. That first round sucked….I was in a lot of bad positions in that fight, but I never stopped fighting or broke mentally.

LT:  I think that’s because my camps are so hard. I really go through hell in a fight camp, so the fight is a lot easier. It really speaks more about the team I have behind me than anything for myself.

CS: This was your first experience fighting for Invicta FC, what was the experience like?

LT: AMAZING. Invicta is top level, and they run themselves as such. What an awesome promotion. The fighters are treated so well, everything is very detailed and well thought out. They have made themselves one of the top promotions in MMA, and I was really proud to be a part of that. I have never been treated better or been part of a better promotion.

CS: You mentioned that you met many of your MMA idols. Was there anyone in particular that left you star struck?

LT: I don’t know about star struck. Everyone was so nice, so it was easy to kind of relax. I really enjoyed meeting Sarah Kaufman, Alexis Davis, Marloes Coenen, Cyborg….all really nice ladies.

CS: Your next opponent at Invicta FC 6, Sarah D’Alelio, will pose another stiff test. How familiar are you with Sarah, and how do expect the fight to go?

LT: I’ve seen her fight. She seems to prefer the ground game but doesn’t mind standing and banging with people like me. I think her stand up has probably come a long way, and her ground game is great.

LT: So it’s going to be an awesome fight. I don’t really care where it goes. We can stand and bang if she wants; that sounds like fun to me. I’m a pretty good wrestler and decent on the ground myself, so let’s do it. No matter where it goes we’re beating the hell out of each other.

LT: I think I’m the underdog in this fight, which takes some pressure off me as well. She’s ranked in the top ten, and I’m not, so I think she has more to lose in this fight than I do.

CS: Invicta has quickly gained a reputation of putting on exciting cards top to bottom. Do you feel any extra pressure to continue that reputation?

LT: No, because I don’t think about it like that. I’m not there to just win a fight however I can. I come to fight, period, and that’s what makes fights exciting. I’m fighting till the end, until the ref pulls me off of you, I’m trying tohurt you. I’m not there to win, I came there to put a beat down on someone. How could that possibly be boring?

CS: What is it like to be on a card that features only women, compared to a card that has one or two female bouts?

LT: It’s great. I feel like I am part of an elite club and not a side show.

CS: What’s the best advice you have ever received from a fan?

Haha, I don’t know. Usually when fans give me advice, they are trying to coach me. I know they mean well, but seriously, if my coaches can’t fix me, no one can.

LT: I do like it when fans tell me to relax and have fun, it lets me know that they are there to see a good fight, and win or lose, if I do my best and put on a good show, they love me anyway. Lots of people with losing records are crowd faves, while some people with winning records no one wants to see. They sacrifice the spirit of MMA for their record.  So I like being reminded to relax and just have fun.

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

LT: First and foremost, my team at Gracie Barra Katy; especially my coaches Pat Applegate and Alex Cisne, as well as Aaron Pena. My team mates and sparring partners, Skylar, Little Joe, Paris, Abdul and Michael. Thanks for putting up with me and making me better all the time.

LT:  My sponsor, American KnockOut, they are so cool, man.

LT:  My manager Paul Stockler, he’s the best in the biz, and all my fans for all the support.

LT:  My mom, I love you mom.

LT:  And most of all to Joe Murphy, thanks for being with me through thick and thin, I love you so much. I wouldn’t be here without any of you.

Seven-time Muay Thai world champion Miriam Nakamoto opposes Duda Yankovich, herself a world champion in Boxing, July 13^th at Invicta FC 6.

Believing that you should always face the challenge you are most scared of, Nakamoto has met the challenge of transitioning from Muay Thai head on. With world class striking, Nakamoto looks to continue her Muay Thai success in the 135lb division, and Yankovich is next on the list.

Corey Smith: You started off your career in martial arts with a win in the 2004 San Francisco Golden Gloves tournament. What was your confidence level going into the tournament? How long had you been training at that point?

Miriam Nakamoto: I had been trying for about four or five years and that point. I was shy. It took a long time for me to spar, it came from being self-conscious. I was uncomfortable shadow boxing in class. It took me a very long time to actually fight. I won the tournament, but I was ‘sick with nerves’ for a couple days of the event. It ignited my passion, I’ve never been unconfident, and there are times that I feel more comfortable.

CS: You quickly transitioned into Muay Thai, where you won several world championships. How do the MMA and Muay Thai worlds differ?

MN: I started in Muay Thai. I did Muay Thai for five years before somebody I knew passed away and I was very sad so I didn’t want to do Muay Thai. That’s when I went into boxing. My base has always been Muay Thai.

MN: MMA is like fighting in water. Or anti-gravity fighting. It’s all over the place. With a jiu-jitsu match, or a wrestling match, or Muay Thai match if you take out the ground it’s all pretty much the same thing. You end up in different positions, but in a sense a Muay Thai clinch is grappling. But on the ground, same position, it’s a can opener. MMA is fighting in an anti-gravity chamber.

CS: During one of the most successful parts of your Muay Thai career, you participated in the Oxygen reality series Fight Girls. What was that experience like? Did it interfere in your training in any way?

MN: Fight Girls was not the highlight of my Muay Thai career. It was awful. They wanted reality, but for me I go train, I eat, I go to sleep. I get up eat, go train, eat again, and go to sleep. There is nothing that interesting going on, other than maybe some self-doubt while training. They would try to create these things, and pit us against each other.

MN: You have to feed your body regularly, train at a certain time, rest. It’s not really reality show material. But they created the drama.

CS: After so much success in Muay Thai, what made you decide to transition into mixed martial arts?

MN: One reason was that I was scared of MMA. If you are scared of something, you have to do it. I would hate to be old and grey and look back and remember that I chose not to do because scared of it, or I was intimidated by it. I usually find that give me the most anxiety are the ones that give me the most reward.

MN: With fighting, when I first started fighting, I don’t know if it was being hurt by the other person, my body is always aware that it is in danger, but for me it was being seen that was the scary part. Putting myself out there in front of everyone and letting my light shine instead of hiding. That was the scariest thing for me.

MN: Another reason I got in MMA, it was weird for me, because on one hand I had these historic accomplishments in Muay Thai, and on the other hand I was so broke and unrecognized. I would look at MMA fighters with a couple fights as an amateur, maybe two fights as a pro, and everybody is making this huge funk about them. And they are nothing special and they walk around acting like they are special, and they are getting paid more money than a world champion Muay Thai fighter. It’s baffling and frustrating, so that’s one more reason for my switch.

CS: Are you completely finished with Muay Thai? Or would you return for the right fight?

MN: I would definitely like to defend one of my belts.

CS: Many consider you to be at the top of list of female strikers around the world. How much training do you devote to that aspect compared to wrestling or takedown defense?

MN: It’s all equal, just different aspects of it. My standup for a Muay Thai fight isn’t going to be the same as for an MMA fight, you have to make the adjustments. The opponent comes into play too, what their background is, how do they fight, what’s their style, what’s their temperament in a fight. You have to take all of those things into consideration when you come up with a game plan and your training camp. All the components are there.

CS: This will be your second appearance for Invicta FC. How has your experience been so far with the company?

MN: I am dumbfounded. They give you stuff! I’m not used to that! One time I received a world title belt in Muay Thai, and after posing in the ring and walking out with it, they took it back. My last Thai fight I actually got a win bonus, but that’s it. If you’re lucky you get to keep your gloves.

MN: So I am completely blown away. They are giving me stuff, this is weird. I’m signing posters, really? I’m signing posters and I’m on the undercard. I remember fighting in China, and they don’t really French braid over there. So I am hiking around looking for a salon, no one speaks English, and I have to explain to them what I need for my hair. The day of the fight. Here it’s all taken care of.

CS: What did teammates and Invicta veterans Alexis Davis and Sarah D’Alelio have to say in regards to fighting for Invicta?

MN: Of course we had conversations about Invicta, and their experience there. And they showed me the gift baskets and what not, and I was like huh? They gave you what? They paid you what? It was a no brainer after hearing about those stories.

MN: I’ve had 24 fights, and never had this experience with any promoter that I fought for. It makes me feel like, and as a female fighter you don’t usually feel this way, but for once it makes you feel like having a vagina is good.

CS: On July 13^th at Invicta FC 6, you will be facing off against Duda Yankovich, a well accomplished boxer making the transition to MMA. How do you see that match going? How familiar are you with Yankovich?

MN: I’ve said this in my last interview; I don’t see how it’s going. If I try to predict what happens, I can get stuck on one thing. I really just need to focus on whatever is in front of me, so I can react appropriately.

MN: I have looked at her tape; she’s very scrappy. She’s tough, and she doesn’t quit. So it’s a good matchup.

CS: On fight night, what is your mood like? Do you prefer to be left alone and focus? Or do you try to distract yourself?

MN: I’m all over the place. One moment I might be joking and laughing, the next moment I’ll be laying there sleeping, the next moment I’ll be crying, the next moment I want to hit pads so I’ll go crack them, then drink water, then lay down, and then I might want a banana. I’m all over the place.

MN: My coach just knows it’s part of the process, he just has to ride the wave. The night of the fight, I do like to watch the fights in the background because it I don’t feel as far away from the moment. I can watch the athletes in front of me go, and it helps me realize “Oh yeah they are just hitting each other. This is just glorified sparring, no chin guards.”

MN: I like to watch before rather than after, it helps me more before. Unless it’s a fight that I really want to see. It brings it back down to Earth, instead of hyping it in my mind.

CS: So during the fight, how do you prefer to be coached? Who generally accompanies you to the cage?

MN: I don’t remember. I know what I don’t like. I don’t like someone giving me a hard time, and I don’t need someone to lie to me. I do not like someone telling me how bad I am doing, telling me what’s wrong with me. I’ve had that before, and I don’t need it. Just someone talking to me, I can use that.

MN: I only remember really bad situations. I had a fractured eye socket, and I remember telling my coaches I couldn’t continue because I was injured so badly. I had to go to the emergency room after.

MN: I don’t usually get yelled at, because my coach and I usually see eye to eye. I come to our training sessions and I have an idea what an opponent needs, and he will be right there with me. We usually don’t argue about the game plan, because we see similar things.

CS: What types of activities do you enjoy solely for fun and relaxation?

MN: I’m kinda boring, I don’t really do anything. I do make stuff though. I like to make food. I make Paleo, raw, gluten free stuff. I like to design new flavors. I sell them; I made a lavender maple coconut cheesecake, with a spiced orange crust.  I worked at a raw food restaurant and just branched out from there. It’s just me in the kitchen with my short attention span.

MN: I designed a granola for Sarah (D’Alelio), for her birthday last year. She asked me for an apples and cinnamon granola because it would remind her of when she was a kid. That sounds boring though, I didn’t wanna make that. So I threw a twist on it, I put apples and cinnamon with cayenne pepper, black pepper, ginger, and lemon. So it’s apples and cinnamon but kind of spicy. It’s apple jacks for grown-ups.  I call it ‘Monster Morning.’

CS: You eat only a raw food diet. How does that type of diet benefit someone with such a high level of fitness such as yourself?

MN: I’m not actually on an entirely raw food diet. I make a lot of raw food and play around with it, but I’m not entirely raw. I’ve done like 80% raw, everything raw except my meat. You do have to eat more often, it’s kinda a hassle but it’s all about prep work.

CS: All things being equal, if both are on TV at the same time, are you watching MMA or Muay Thai?

MN: Depends on the fight. Completely depends on the fight, I do not like watching shit fights. I don’t like when people say something is good when it’s not good. It’s more frustrating when it’s females fighting, because then it’s about how we are representing ourselves. When it’s rudimentary at best, and you say that its good, you bring down women’s MMA.

MN: When women fight they are doing it for a reason, whereas when men fight it’s just part of their makeup. Women are more born as the nurturer, but men are born as the fighter, the aggressor, the dominator.

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

MN: Thank you to my whole team. My fight camp process can be a hell of a ride, and I appreciate their patience and endurance while working with me.

MN: A special thanks to my Sambo coach Val, for his conversations that helped me get back on track.

MN: And thank you my Jiu Jitsu coach Matias for reigniting my passion for Jiu Jitsu.

MN: My sponsors Kinetic Chain Sport, Elite Sports Physical Therapy, Sweet Sweat, Revgear, The Rehab Group, and the AMR group.

Returning to the Invicta cage for a third time on July 13^th, Nicdali Rivera-Calanoc looks to announce herself as a contender in the 105 pound division with a win over former Invicta Atomweight Champion, Jessica Penne.

With a strong background in boxing, and a hard charging aggressive style, “The Night Queen” has quickly garnered a following for her crowd pleasing fights. Calanoc loves to create poetry in and out of the cage, and will be writing her next chapter on July 13^th at Invicta FC 6.

Corey Smith: From an early age you dreamt of being a boxer, and your MMA career evolved from there. How old were you when you first knew you wanted to box? And what attracted you to the sport?

Nicdali Rivera-Calanoc: I was about 11 years old when I knew I wanted to do Boxing. My step-dad at the time and I were watching Oscar de la Hoya fight Chavez for the WBC World championship. At the time I didn’t have any Mexican role models to look up to and I found one in De la Hoya.

NRC: I have always been Athletic since I was 5 years old; I was always doing sports. It runs in my family. My father played American football in college along with basketball. What attracts me to combat sports is that I feeling that it is the highest form of expression.

CS: How early on were you aware of women’s MMA as you were beginning to train in boxing and kickboxing? What led you to the MMA route versus strictly a boxing career?

NRC: Since day one of my training in boxing, I was aware of women’s MMA. Some of my husband’s training partners (Dorothy and Clay) showed me a video of WMMA.

NRC:  I guess what led me to MMA vs Boxing was that my husband did his first MMA fight, watching him win his first Pro MMA fight inspired me. I love all the different variables in MMA, standing and trading blows, clinch, wrestling, and BJJ. I have always dabbled in Jui-Jitsu, and I just love it all. MMA is like life; a sea of possibilities.

CS: You speak both English and Spanish fluently. You are also working on learning Portuguese.  Do enjoy speaking new languages, or does learning Portuguese help in the world of MMA?

NRC: LOL! who told you I was trying to learn Portuguese? I have tried before in the past to learn Portuguese, but it is too similar and different to Spanish. Spanish was my first language and than I learned English when I moved to America at 5 years old. I plan on learning Tagalog (Philipino.) My husband’s father is from there. Then I plan on learning Italian. I want to learn to speak at least 7 languages before I die! Lol!

CS: You are married to and train under retired fighter and US Marine, Travis Calanoc. How much does it help to have someone that is familiar with the fighting lifestyle?  Is it easier or more difficult to train under your spouse?

NRC: I think it is more difficult because you really have to separate yourself from your relationship while you’re training. For example at the gym I call my husband coach and sir. But at home I just call him by his name lol.

NRC: When we are at the gym or during a fight he isn’t my husband, he’s my coach. Part of it is easier because he understands everything I am going through and gives me a lot of advice. He is a great coach. He is constantly continuing his education as far as his field goes. He is a retired MMA fighter so he knows how to incorporate all the things a top level MMA athlete needs.

CS: How much does it help to have someone with the experience of Miesha Tate in your corner during a fight?

NRC: It’s not really during a fight where it makes a huge difference, but as far as my career goes Miesha has taught me ALOT!! I can’t ever thank her enough for helping make me the fighter I am today.

CS: For a good portion of your career you fought at, and had a lot of success at 125lbs. You have since dropped to 105lbs. Do you feel like it was always your most natural weight class? Has the talent level at 105 grown to the point where you always feel you can find competitive fights?

NRC: Yes I had a lot of success at 125lbs, and I also fought quite a bit at 115lbs. I feel best fighting at 105lbs. I feel that with the way Invicta FC has helped grow ALL the WMMA weight classes there are enough competitive fights for everyone.

CS: How were your experiences with Invicta as a company on the first two shows?

NRC: They treated me and the rest of the women like we deserve to be treated; like high level professional athletes. I can’t say enough good things about Ms. Knapp and Janet Martin.

CS: How familiar are you with your opponent on July 13th, Jessica Penne? What should the fans expect out of the fight?

NRC: Yes, I am familiar with Penne, she is the former Invicta world champion. Fans should expect a very exciting fight. I always fight hard as Hades.

CS: Invicta FC commentator and MMA champion, KingMo, has called you a female Wanderlei Silva because of your hard charging and violent style. Does this come from a desire to entertain the fans or is it more your natural fighting style?

NRC: It’s just the way I fight 

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

NRC: My mood on day and night of the fight is like every other day; 2 cents short of  loca! Just kidding! I am pretty calm. I have a few superstitions and routines; I always get my hair braided the day of the fight and warmup.

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

NRC: I can always hear my husband and main coach Travis Calanoc’s voice and I can also always hear Miesha Tate voice if she is there.

CS: When you aren’t training, what types of activities do you enjoy for fun? How do you relax after a long day of training camp?

NRC: I read books, comics and I study hair fashion. I also like to long board, cook, paint, and write poetry.  During camp I like to read a book or watch a movie, or have a discussion with my husband.

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

NRC: I would like to thank my sponsors: FighterGirls, Funkygums, Babes of MMA, Sangre Management, UPC Tulsa and Team UnderDawgs!!

NRC: Special thanks to Travis Calanoc, Charlie Mills, Nulf, Jose, and Miesha Tate.