With a strong win over Ayaka Hamasaki at Invicta FC 6 this past July, Brazilian contender Claudia Gadelha is poised to achieve greatness when she battles champion Carla Esparza for the Invicta FC World Strawweight Championship December 7th.
Undefeated through eleven bouts, Gadelha is looking to validate all her sacrifice and effort; something winning the Invicta Strawweight Championship would certainly accomplish.
Corey Smith: You were so interested in martial arts at a young age that you actually cut class to go to the gym. What were those first few years like for you? Did your parents ever catch you cutting class?
Claudia Gadelha: Well, I grew up in a smaller city in northern Brasil and there it is really old fashion and people looked down on women who trained at that time so I had to train secretly. This meant cutting class every now and then. When my mom realized I was cutting class to train she kicked my butt.
CS: You believe the key to success in MMA is continuing to evolve as a fighter. On that note, what have you been focused on lately in regards to your skill set? What does a typical training day look like for you?
CG: The key to being successful in MMA is to stay well rounded and practice everything. I focus on nothing specifically and believe in my coaches and my team. A typical day of training for me depends entirely on the day of the week.
CG: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, is wrestling in the A.M followed by conditioning at noon and at night I train boxing technique. Tuesday and Thursday it’s boxing in the A.M followed by MMA sparring and finished off with BJJ in a Gi. Finally my Saturday has my last two trainings of the week, A.M conditioning and P.M boxing.
CS: Fighters have spoken both for and against fighting in front of a hometown crowd. Have you experienced fighting before a hometown crowd and what are your thoughts on it?
CG: Yes, I have fought plenty of times in front of my home crowd, it has its ups and downs because it’s great to have the support of everyone who you know personally but at the same time there is added pressure. I really enjoy it though.
CS: You most recently fought at Invicta FC 6 in July, which marked your Invicta FC debut as well. What was that experience like for you?
CG: It was amazing, it was a realization to myself because I always wanted to fight in the big shows and Invicta is currently the biggest event in WMMA on the planet. One thing that really sticks with me is how well taken care of the athletes are by the event. I really enjoyed it and can’t wait to be back December 7th.
CS: On December 7th at Invicta FC 7, you will be facing current Straweight Champion Carla Esparza. What do you believe is the key to victory in this bout?
CG: I think the key to victory in this fight is going out there and leaving my heart inside that cage. I also will fight my fight and make it a war.
CS: What would winning the Invicta FC World Straweight Championship mean to you personally and professionally?
CG: Well personally it would mean the world to me because I had had a tough life to become an MMA fighter and I endured many hardships that would make most people give up.
CG: There was a time when I couldn’t afford a bed and had to sleep on the floor on a piece of Jiu Jitsu mat that was given to me. I also had times when I had not much money to eat so I would try to sleep all weekend, and spend less on food.
CG: I lived all that for this moment to realize my dreams. Professionally, this would make me one of the best in the world and that has always been my goal. It would be the answer to all the hard work I have put into martial arts the last decade.
CS: For those that have not experienced it, how would you describe the walk out to the cage?
CG: For me this is my moment of happiness and that’s the only way to describe it. It feels so good.
CS: Most fighters list the weight cut as the hardest aspect of being a fighter. Setting that aside, what do you consider the hardest aspect of being a fighter?
CG: To me it is three separate fights. First it’s the training camp and it is very strenuous on your body. Second, is the weight cut and this is difficult because I cut a lot of weight, over 20lbs. And third is the fight and that is the reward because it’s everything you work for.
CS: Aside from fight preparation, how much MMA do you watch purely for enjoyment? Anyone in particular that you are a fan of?
CG: I consider myself a student of MMA so I find myself watching a lot of fights. My favorite fighters are of Jose Aldo, Rennan Barao because they are my team mates and two of the absolute best in the world. And also Cris Cyborg; because to me she is the best pound for pound female fighter on this planet.
CS: Your coach orders you to take a day off from training and bars you from the gym. How do you spend the day?
CG: I take days like this to sleep all day, and when I decide to wake up I love to go to the beach.
CS: Lastly, MMA takes a team to succeed alone inside the cage. Who would you like to thank?
CG: I would first like to thank God.
CG: And Andre Pederneiras and Jair Lourenco and the entire Nova Uniao family.
CG: And lastly my mom and dad, they live so far from me but give me so much strength to be here in Rio de Janeiro fighting and chasing my dreams.