Cassie Robb Interview

Photo Credits:
Photos 1-2: Invicta FC/Esther Lin
Photo 3: Jerry Chavez
Photo 4: Crime Scene Fotography
Photo 5: Real Time Moments


Cassie Robb is coming off a loss in her pro debut against Laura Sanko. Robb won the first round before losing in the second. However even in defeat Robb showed great promise and potential. She returns to the Invicta cage July 13th to take on Livia Von Plettenberg in a fight that while the opening fight, could be one of the most exciting fights.

Q: Your last fight you lost to Laura Sanko. You won the first round before losing in the second, looking back, anything you wish you had done differently?
A: I wish I would have been more aggressive in the second round. I knew I was winning and I think I let it get to my head. Part of it is I just lost what I was doing. She got the takedown and landed on top and I was like "Oh my God, how did that happen." I tried to defend the best way that I could. I knew giving her my back would be risky, I would rather get choked out than ground and pounded. I took the risk and it didn't work out. I will be smarter in my next fight and think about what I am doing.

Q: With it being your pro debut, could excitement or nerves played a part in that second round?
A: Definitely! I never had the cameras in my face or any of the publicity and marking. I had a little pressure on me and I kinda lost it. I don't think it will happen again, I am to focused and ready for my first win in Invicta.

Q: You are fighting Livia Von Plettenberg coming up, how do you feel you match up with her?
A: I think it is a great match-up. It will be one of my toughest fights. She lasted all three rounds with Joanne Calderwood and JoJo is a tough girl. I think it is gonna be tough and hard to finish her but I will do my best to do so. I will be ten times better and really showcase, I am hungry for a win.

Q: Everyone knows the recent drama you were caught up in so I won't go over it, but has it affected camp at all or the reverse, has camp helped you block it out and put it behind you?
A: Yeah, I really just put it behind me. It got to a point where I didn't wanna hear about it anymore. I kept getting things posted to my Twitter and Facebook and he kept messaging and apologizing to me. It was too much. I am trying to focus on my fight, that is all I am thinking about. I have no use for drama, my mind is on winning and that is it.

Q: When I interviewed her she said she expects you to strictly take it down. Do you feel people under-estimate your stand-up?
A: I totally think that. I am known for my ground game, all my wins are submissions, but it doesn't mean I am not good at other things. If I feel I am in danger then I will take it down, but I have been working my stand-up like no other. People will have to wait and see what is gonna happen. Maybe I will take it to the ground, maybe I will stand and bang.

Q: If it does stay up for an extended period, you are confident you can hang with her?
A: Definitely! The thing is, maybe I would be worried about finishing her standing. JoJo is a really tough opponent and she went all three rounds with her. It will be tough to finish each other. I think that is what will make it such a good fight. This could possibly go all three rounds to.

Q: Seeing that Joanne couldn't finish her, if you were to finish her, how big of a statement would that be?
A: I think it would be a huge one. It would definitely get people to stop under-estimating me. I was the underdog in my first fight, especially against a girl in her hometown, no one expected anything of me. I kind of opened there eyes that I deserve to be there. Now I am really gonna show them.

Q: She is at Team Quest, known for their wrestling so you have to assume her wrestling is getting better, but if it goes down can she hang with you?
A: I think she might be able to hang with me but I don't think she has a chance to submit me. I pride myself on my submission defense. Aside from Laura, she was really squirmy and sneaky. I usually don't have so much trouble getting out, especially rear naked chokes. Passing guard to, every time I tried to get my leg over hers, her leg was underneath. I don't think Livia will have that on the ground. Laura was a pretty good wrestler to.

Q: Is there a key to you winning this fight?
A: I don't really think there is. I like to keep my options open. I have a variety of ways I could finish her. It might end up on the ground a everyone expects but it will not come that quick. I am not gonna have it straight on my mind. I wanna stand and put on a show for everyone to see. There isn't really a strategy, you get hit once and that whole game-plan can be ruined.

Q: you are the first fight, do you like to get it done early like that?
A: Yeah, I like to fight early and watch the rest of the show, especially with Invicta, there are so many action-packed fights that would be a bummer to miss. I have never fought that early for other promotions. It is a nice switch-up. Sometimes waiting in the back made me more nervous and think "when am I up? How many more fights?" There is a little pressure to start the show out but I didn't have a problem last time, I can live up to it again.

Q: With so many top fighters on one show, do you go in with a desire to not only win but steal the show and be the fight everyone is talking about?
A: Totally! I would love that. Who knows what it will take to get to that point, but I know I will do something special. I don't know if it is this one or the next one, but I will be one of those girls for sure. Maybe I will get in there and do a ten second flying triangle and then I will have the fastest submission.

Q: She has been very respectful, is that something you appreciate?
A: Definitely! I don't think it needs to be any real beef. Yeah, you are getting in there to fistfight, but I have the utmost respect for any girl gets in there and has the lady-balls to do it. It is really scary. Anyone who says they are no scared is lying. It is nerve-racking and an adrenaline rush, especially victory, that is the best part, makes it all worth it. I appreciate she has been respectful, no trash talking, I feel I have been the same way. it is respect for the girls who get in there and do what you do.

Q: Do you have a prediction?
A: Not really. It is hard to have a game-plan cause it can all switch up. Something goes different and the whole plan is messed up. Don't expect me to take it right to the ground. I am gonna stand with her and put on a show for everybody and show I am not just a wrestler. If it does come down to it, I will take her down and I will choke her out, I will come out with my hand raised.

Q: Any idea what you want after this or just one at a time?
A: One at a time. Some day I would like to fight for a title for Invicta, but I don't think I am ready for Michelle Waterson just yet.

Q: Your girlfriend Stephanie Skinner also fights, you gets more nervous when the other fights, you or her?
A: I think we are pretty even. It is hard to see someone you care about get hit and kicked and choked. She would probably say me and I would say her. Honestly, it is about the same.

Q: Anyone you want to thank?
A: My fiance Stephanie Skinner, my coaches Benjamin Schissler and Diana Rael, my team Serial Boxe Killers, my sponsors, Inksmith Tattoo, Jack-n-Grill, Straight Bully, Mass Destruction MMA and L.A. Boxing.

Maura Gay Delaware Open Prep Journal

Blog 1: 8 weeks out

Hey everybody! My name is Maura, and I’m a figure competitor from Pennsylvania. I’m currently 8 weeks out from the NPC Delaware Open, which will be held on August 10th. This is a hometown show for me, so I’m super excited to hopefully have my friends and family in attendance.

This past week I started carb cycling. I’ve found in the past that my body really responds well to carb cycling, and I felt that it was time to reincorporate it into my nutrition plan. Right now I’m doing four low days, two moderate days, and one refeed per week, scheduled according to what muscle groups I’m training on that particular day. My nutrition follows the principles of the Intermittent Feast, which is an approach made popular by CPT Nate Miyaki. My meals during the day consist of protein and fat, with most of my carbs coming in at night.

My weight training stays heavy pretty much all the way through my prep. I have a little bit of powerlifter in me that has to be satisfied every time I lift. I prefer to lift heavier for fewer reps. This week just so happens to be a max effort week, so I’m a very happy camper. I weight train five days per week, one muscle group per day. I train very early in the morning due to my job (well before the sun comes up), and I try to keep my workouts to under an hour.

As far as cardio goes, I tend to stay far, far away from anything remotely steady-state, and very rarely go over 20 minutes. I love doing strongman work for conditioning, but now that I’m home for the summer, I don’t have access to the prowler, tires, farmer’s carry bars, and battling ropes at my university’s gym. I do, however, have access to a sled, which is seriously awesome. Aside from the sled, I like to go to the track on the weekends for sprints and stadium stairs, or I’ll go to “The Wall,” which is a relatively short hill with a 26.1% grade. At this point in my prep, I’m doing cardio two days per week, 10-20 minutes per session.

So that’s a little overview on me and my training and nutrition. I’ll be keeping you updated with at least weekly blogs as I come up on my show!

Lauren Taylor Interview

Photo Credits
Photo 1: Invicta FC/Esther Lin
Photos 3-5: Sherdog/Dave Mandel


In April Lauren Taylor came in as a late replacement to face Kaitlin Young for Invicta. Many people overlooked Taylor and thought Young would make short work of her. Taylor proved that was a mistake winning a decision over Young. Now Taylor returns to the Invicta cage on July 13th to take on Sarah D'Alelio in a fight that Taylor says has Fight of the Night written all over it. Confident yet also very humble, Taylor has all the attributes to quickly become a fan favorite.

Q: Your last fight in April, you won a decision over Kaitlin Young. Kaitlin was the biggest name opponent you had fought and it was Invicta, were there any nerves going into that fight?
A: Of course, there is nerves going into any fight. Lately I have changed my view on how I view fighting and it helps me calm my nerves. I am just in there to put on a good show and do my best and be the best fighter I can be. When I look at it like that, it is not all about winning and losing. It is about being offensive and showing off all the new skills I have learned and playing a chess match with my opponent and trying to show the world the best fighter that I can possibly show them. When I look at it like that, fighting becomes really fun for me. If I go in thinking it is a do or die situation, it builds up a lot of nervousness and I can't focus on what I am supposed to be doing.

Q: You came in as a late replacement and most people not familiar with you were thinking it was an easy win for Kaitlin. Did you feel overlooked?
A: Maybe, but I would have overlooked me. It's nothing to be bitter about. It was nice to go to a fight as such a heavy underdog.It was a cool experience. I don't mind being the underdog at all. It takes a lot of pressure off. I like short fight camps. Less time to stress, less time for injury or illness. The downfalls are that maybe your cardio won't be in order or you don't have time to train for that one person, but for this fight with Kaitlin my cardio was already good.

Q: What does it mean to you that Invicta brought you back so quick?
A: I signed a contract last October, a three fight deal. It has just taken things lining up for me to get out there and be able to fight for them. It wasn't a big shock for me although it might be to the rest of the world. The truth is, I train really hard and right now fighting is all I am doing. It is not a part-time job, it is what I am devoting my life to and I like to throw myself into it as much as I can.

Q: You have Sarah D'Alelio coming up, how do you feel you match up with her?
A: I think it is interesting. I have never fought anyone like her. Never fought anyone who is as good on the ground as she is. She is a pretty decent wrestler, it will be cool. It is easy to look good on the ground when you fight a boxer with no ground experience like I did with Jennifer Scott. She was pretty lost. Kaitlin has been around for a long time but she is known for her stand-up. Before that, I had fought all boxers, not by choice, it is just how it worked out. It will be interesting to fight someone with a good ground and wrestling game. her stand-up has come a long way. I train with all guys and they are always stronger than me, bigger than me, and a lot of times a higher rank in Jiu-Jitsu and it is hard for me to see progress till I fight. Now I can see where I stand among women in my weight class. Till the fight it is hard to tell if I have made any progress.

Q: Sarah and Kaitlin are polar opposites, how does that change how you train?
A: It will change some of the things I work on. For any fight I would work on getting out of a crappy position but with Sarah, she likes top half guard and side control. I don't wanna get caught there. Kaitlin liked to throw kicks so we worked on checking it and throwing a right hand. Specific stuff like that. I still take as many Jiu-Jitsu classes as I can, I still spar, I still do strength and conditioning.

Q: She will wanna take it down, are you confident you can hang with her down there?
A: I would hope so. It is hard to say, we will see in the fight. One thing I know about me is there is no quit in me. She can get me In a crappy position and I am not gonna stop fighting and look for a way to hurt her. No matter where the fight goes I am looking to whoop your ass. I am not too worried about it going to the ground. Even if it does, I am gonna make it miserable for her. She might submit me, she might get on top and ground and pound me, but it won't be quick and easy and she is not gonna enjoy getting there. If I can make her pay enough in that transition then she won't do it.

Q: In the Kaitlin fight, when it did go down, you were really good at getting the dominant position. With Sarah I expect you have a strength advantage, if it does go down, will that help you get those dominant positions?
A: Oh sure, I'll take whatever I can get. I think you're right, I think technically she is a little bit better, trickier on the ground than I can be but I don't think she will be faster or stronger and that helps in MMA. Strength and speed really count for a lot when you are slippery and sweaty as opposed to in a Gi or when someone is dry. It is a game changer, a lot harder to get submissions. You have to get submissions in transitions, in the scramble and I am pretty good in the scramble. Strength will play a big role in who comes out on top.

Q: Even if you are in a clinch can that strength help you keep it up?
A: I suppose it could. Yeah!! She is a good wrestler, I am not bad myself, I'm not an idiot when it comes to wrestling. Kaitlin took me down and it wasn't the most pleasant thing I ever experienced. Sarah did an interview and said she wanted to stand and bang with me, which is fine. For this fight, I honestly don't care where it goes, you wanna stand and bang then I am gonna make you pay, you take it to the ground, I am gonna make you pay, you wanna clinch on the fence, I am gonna make you pay. Even if I come out on the losing end, it won't be easy for her and won't be painless. Either way, the fans will appreciate that. That is what fans wanna see, they don't wanna see a mismatch, they wanna see a fight, they wanna see blood and scrambles and heart, that is what I bring to the table, I bring all this stuff the fans wanna see and I am gonna give them a good show.

Q: In regards to her saying she wants to stand and bang, do you believe that or do you think she is trying to just throw you off?
A: That's a good question. I don't know. I came across it and listened and was like "well, gotta take it with a grain of salt." Who cares? All my TKO's have come on the ground, so in my mind I'm like "why would you wanna go the ground? That's where I always win. If you think you are better on the ground, and think you can hold me down and TKO or are slick enough to get a submission on me, you are taking a pretty big chance there." The other half is, if you wanna stand and bang with me, guess what? You are still gonna get TKO'd. I don't know what she is thinking. This is gonna sound bitchy and I don't mean it to, but I don't really care what she is thinking, it matters very little to me. She can take it wherever she wants and I am gonna make her pay.

Q: If it does stay up, can she hang with you for an extended period?
A: That's a good question. I think her stand-up is a little different than mine. The last eight weeks I have made a lot of progress and am excited to show people. I hope it does stay standing for a couple minutes at least. She likes to lead with an uppercut and has a different style. We will see. Styles make fights.

Q: Is there a specific key to you winning?
A: Hurt her really badly. Honestly, that is the key. The chances of me submitting her are slim to none. I have a general game-plan. My coaches and I will sit down and review tape and they tell me what to do. They have a good game-plan and I carry it out. Whatever they say, I will do.

Q: Do you have a prediction?
A: I predict I am gonna win. it is gonna be a great fight. A lot of people are looking at Rose Namajunas and Tecia Torres for Fight of the Night, and they are both talented and it will be a good fight, but Sarah and me have Fight of the Night written all over it. When you get to good wrestlers, usually they stand and bang. Everyone wants to see that. If it goes down, we are both scrappy and skilled, two women who know how to go at it. I think the fans win with this one.

Q: What would back to back wins over Kaitlin Young and Sarah D'Alelio say about Lauren Taylor?
A: I think it would say more about my team really. I have a great team behind me and pushing me. I have awesome coaches, they have never steered me wrong. I have worked really hard. I have a great work ethic. I work super duper hard. I think that is what it would say. Once you are in the top ten, they can lose on any given day. I beat Kaitlin, but if we fight ten times, it doesn't mean I am gonna beat her ten times, it doesn't even mean I am better, it just means it was my night. She would come out on top some times and I would some times. It is hard to say someone is better because styles make fights. You have to consider all the things, did they have a good weight cut, did they have a family emergency, did they get sick, was a coach sick, did they have to change something, all these factors that go into it that don't reflect how good a fighter is.

Q: Any idea what you want after this, or just taking it one at a time?
A: One at a time. I would like a break. I am pretty sure Invicta will have a card in October, I haven't talked to Janet Martin or my manager or anything. I have been basically in fight camp all year. My camp is in Houston and my partner is in Florida and I miss him. My son is coming to visit after this fight. I wanna take time off and hang with my family before I get back to the grind again. I don't know what Invicta has in mind, especially with the 135'ers who have gone to UFC, I don't know what that means as far as the 135'ers with Invicta.

Q: Anyone you want to thank?
A: I want to thank Gracie Barra Katy, my coaches, Pat Applegate and Alex Cisne especially, and Aaron Pena. Also my training partners, especially Skylar McMellian, and the Mango family for making me feel so welcome, they've been great to me from day one. Thanks to American KnockOut Wear for being an awesome sponsor, they're the best, go buy a shirt, Klench Mouthguards and to my boyfriend Joe, I love ya babe. My manager Paul Stockler, he's been awesome, he is the best.

Gina Begley and Emily Bartee Invicta Preview

With us now being just a month away from Invicta's next card, I wanted to sit down with two people I really admire, the hosts of the popular Pro WMMA Now show, Gina Begley and Emily Bartee to break down the card and get their thoughts on some of the match-ups.

Q: First, I want to talk about your show, Pro WMMA Now. What has been the best and worst parts of hosting the show so far?
GB: I think the best part is I get to talk to these females that I am just a huge fan-girl of. We get to talk to Jessica Eye, Barb Honchak, so many people that I look up to as a fighter and ask them questions that I really want to know.
EB: Being the nerd that I am, learning about them as a person, how they are and how their lives play into what they want to do. Sometimes it is hard when you have a job, you have school and then you try and fit training in. You talk to all these women who are professional athletes and that is how they live, they balance their jobs, their work, their training, I like hearing about that, it is motivational.

Q: Is their a worst part?
GB: For me the worst part has been when we come across the negative stories. Not because I didn't wanna do it, but because it existed. I am happy we can play a part in bringing information out but it is a bummer to know it was going on and happening to these females, the whole Brett Atchley thing. That has been the worst part.
EB: I agree completely. Also sometimes, the fans, people in the chat-room are not helpful as far as chat room conversations. Going back to what Gina said, you like when you can talk about happy things, but as soon as something gets negative, it brings you down. You are talking about something you love and it isn't always pleasant.

Q: Have you had a favorite guest?
GB:Rose Namajunas has been one of my favorite guests. She was really funny and easy to carry on a conversation with. I felt like I was just talking to someone on the phone.
EB: I would say when Gina talked to Tecia Torres on her previous show. Hearing her story and background. Like Rose, she is an excellent interview.

Q: Gina, what is the best thing about working with Emily?
GB: Emily is very smart and well organized. If she doesn't know something she will go and look in the right places to find the information that she needs. I can always count on her to be prepared. I am never worried that she will say or do something that will cause a problem. She is one of the best co-hosts I could ask for.

Q: Emily what is the best thing about working with Gina?
EB: She will point me in the right direction and help me. She is extremely patient. When she asked me to host the show I was afraid she wouldn't be patient cause I didn't know that much. Every girl we have on Gina might know some background on them but I would know their names and that is it and she has been extremely patient with me.

Q: Invicta is coming up and you mentioned the recent drama of late, how big a role can Invicta play in helping everyone move past the drama?
GB: When it was necessary Shannon Knapp did what she needed to do, she went to a public forum and let the women know "this is how it is and if you have a problem you can come to me." Once her athletes knew that, I don't think there is a problem anymore. That is the best thing about Invicta, if there is a problem they work it out and solve it and now we move forward.
EB: Invicta is setting what is o.k and what is not. There is so much spotlight on women's MMA right now and Invicta is setting a good spotlight, a good aspect of women's MMA. They are overcoming things like what was happening with Eric Holden and Brett Atchley.Invicta's biggest role is bringing the right type of spotlight to the fighters.

Q: Going back to the first Invicta, did you imagine it would last this long or was there any thought it was some niche thing that wouldn't survive?
GB: I think Invicta has found a need and they are filling it very well. They are one of the top promotions and I think they will be around for quite a while. I don't think it is just a niche that they are filling and if it is, it is a niche that needs filling for a long period of time. I don't think a lot of people were sure at first but with the fights they put together and they shows they work out, I think people are impressed with the level of talent and where they are bringing it from. They are bringing it from all over the world and I don't think people expected that. As long as they continue to do that, I think they will do just fine. Especially holding four shows a year, I am not sure how they would do on a monthly basis. Shannon Knapp and Janet martin are smart and know what it takes to make this a long-term thing.
EB: I kinda did and kinda didn't. When the first Invicta came out, that was when I began training. You hear all these things about how women's MMA is gonna come up. Women's basketball came up and died down, women's baseball came up and died down. I kinda thought women's MMA would do the same thing. But with how professional Invicta is, I never imagined it would keep going this strong. With the card coming up, it has athletes from all over the world. I never would have foreseen that happening.

Q: The Main event is Cyborg and Marloes Coenen. It is a rematch, Cyborg won the first one, Gina what does Marloes have to do to get a different outcome?
A: I think she has to be stronger. Marloes has fought Liz Carmouche and Sarah Kaufman, she had a battle with Liz. I don't think either of them come with the tenacity that Cyborg does. I see the fight going very similar unless she is prepared to pull out a submission before it gets that far but I can't really see it going any differently. Cyborg comes out like an animal and I love it, I love to watch her fight.

Q: Emily, with the baggage Cyborg has, the failed steroid test and things, is it good or bad to have her as a champion and a face of a company?
EB: I think it would be more competitive in a way. Yes she failed a drug test and is clean again, but she still has the benefit of having trained on steroids. I feel now that she is cleaning up and getting good fights, it might be o.k. and makes it more competitive for the other females who don't like her to get her out of that title fight.

Q: Another fight is Ayaka Hamasaki vs Claudia Gadelha. It is two undefeated fighters yet no one seems to be talking about this fight, do you think it is due to people being unfamiliar with them?
GB: I think so. I am not familiar with them myself. I am not familiar with a lot of the Japanese fighters or their careers. There are so many from Brazil and the U.S., it is hard to keep up with so many.
EB: I think it is part unfamiliarity and part the familiarity with the others fighters on the card. Invicta will have an excellent show, we know that, but if you have a full card of people that are the majority people you didn't know, I feel people would try and know more, but with this card there are so many names that people already know, Leslie Smith, Jessica Penne, Julia Budd, Joanne Calderwood, Bec Hyatt, people that everyone already know.

Q: Gina, you have fought, they announced Sarah Schneider as Joanne Calderwood's opponent and many have said she isn't at the level of Joanne, if you were in her shoes would it upset you or would you be able to block it out?
GB: On the amateur level I have been in her shoes. When I fought Shannon Culpepper. From that perspective the best thing to do is say "that's o.k., I am still gonna train and do what I need to do and be prepared." If you lose, there wasn't an expectation, but if you win it is that much better. Look at it as a win/win situation. I think it can be a really good thing for her.

Q: On the flip side could it be hard for Joanne to not look past her?
GB: I think Joanne is a professional. She just needs to fight her fight. She is gonna prepare and when the fight is over she is gonna move on.

Q: One I look forward to is Sarah D'Alelio and Lauren Taylor. No one gave Lauren a shot against Kaitlin Young and she beat her. Sarah is on a roll to, who is this fight more important for?
GB: Lauren has six fights, didn't have much of an amateur career. It was shocker with Kaitlin's experience and she went out and won decisively. A win for her will boost her career even more. Sarah is battle tested, she is tough. It wouldn't be devastating for her to lose to Lauren Taylor.
EB: I feel like it is more important for Lauren. She is undefeated. People didn't think she would come out like she did and if she keeps it up it will elevate her in everyones mind. Her opponent has three losses, one more won't kill her. But carrying an undefeated record, you wanna be like Claudia and stay undefeated, keep on climbing.

Q: Another one is Leslie Smith and Jennifer Maia. Jennifer coming off a big win over Zoila Gurgel and everyone knows what Leslie has done. Leslie has been a bit of a talker, is that good, bad or neither for helping her get these big fights?
EB: I feel it is good, it causes drama and fans love drama. Like the Bec Hyatt and Jasminka Cive fight. The public perception and seeing it, the drama, it made Bec Hyatt more well known. It can do the same for Leslie, put her in the spotlight more. It makes people recognize her and she backs it up in the cage.

Q: Gina, Jennifer took Zoila's striking away from her, Leslie has had stand-up wars, does Jennifer have to fight that same way against Leslie?
GB: it is a good possibility. Shut down her striking and work her game. But that is true in any match. The fighter who does their game-plan can dominate a fight. She will come prepared. I think ti would be a good game-plan, but I don't know how great it would be to go to the ground with her either.

Q: Julia Budd is fighting Ediane Gomes, Gina is this Ediane's biggest test so far?
GB: Absolutely! Julia Budd is 10-1 or 11-1 in Muay Thai, an extensive kickboxing career and has done well in MMA. She is very talented and very strong and good at what she does. It will be a good fight and great test for Ediane.

Q: Should the winner get the next title shot?
GB: I think it is a good title contention fight for the winner to take on the winner of Cyborg and Marloes. Julia has been building herself up, and the winner does very much deserve the title shot.
EB: Gina talked about Julia building herself up, then you have Ediane who had the title shot but wasn't able to fight. Ediane will have drive to get what she feels she should have had and Julia will have that drive as well. Placing a title shot on this fight will make it even better.

Q: Bec Hyatt is fighting Mizuki Inoue. Bec has become very popular very fast, what do you attribute that to?
GB: She speaks her mind. On social media she is very logical. People appreciate her honesty. She is very even keeled. She is very involved with fans and people like to feel like they have a connection with a fighter. Her fans appreciate that they know who Bec Hyatt is.
EB: Her fan exposure. She has had two fights with Invicta. The first was on short notice and she lasted the entire fight. The next fight had a lot of drama with it and she was an animal in the cage. Fans want to know her and also she is foreign, from Australia and that makes it more interesting for fans.

Q: Everyone is excited about Rose Namajunas and Tecia Torres, why are people so excited for this fight?
GB: They are both entertaining. Tecia is high energy. She is undefeated, not just in MMA, but also kickboxing. She has never experienced a loss. Rose is high energy herself, she puts on a show. The flying arm bar was amazing. Someone will have to take a loss a people are dying to know who it will be and how it will happen.
EB: They pull out things that are unexpected. It is hard to predict this fight, you never know what they will do an that adds an element of interest. You have past performances, Rose's arm bar and Tecia's really good last two fights. People like to be entertained and know they can follow these two for a long time.

Q: Gina, what does Rose have to do to win?
GB: Rose is aggressive, she goes after it and is not fearful. She needs to be herself and do what Rose Namajunas does. I think she will be fine. Tecia has her stand-up and is good with her footwork. Rose should take it wherever it leads her. With her wrestling, it may be in her favor to look for a submission.

Q: Emily, what does Tecia have to do?
EB: Having watched Rose in her last fight, Tecia needs to not let it go to decision. All her pro fights were a decision. It will be putting herself at a greater risk. She has to finish it with stand-up and not let Rose take it to the ground.

Q: Is there a fight we didn't address you are excited about?
GB: I am excited to see Ashley Cummins. We had her on our show and she talked about her last fight and I am excited to see her back in there. I am excited for both of these women. I wanna see if Veronica can pull out another knockout. They are all good fights. I can't say we really missed one that I more excited than ones we talked about.
EB: Jessica Penne and Nicdali. I am interested to see what Nicdali can do. The ones I haven't seen, they are the ones I wanna see. I wanna learn and the more I learn, the better I will be.

Q: What will be fight of the night?
GB: Rose and Tecia. They are so high energy. I see it being fight of the night. If not, then the main event, with the explosiveness that Cyborg brings.
EB: Tecia and Rose. It will have fireworks coming out of the cage. The main event has great potential. If Marloes doesn't get beat in round one and it goes the distance, it will be amazing.

Q: Tomorrow for the UFC Alexis Davis and Rosi Sexton, who wins?
GB: I am going with Alexis. She has put a lot of time and work in. I would like to see her get her shot at Ronda Rousey. She talked about how fighters have gotten Ronda's back and if she was there, she would finish. That is what I would like to see.
EB: I agree. Part is because I don't know much about Rosie. I know Alexis and feel the more exposure I have I am more likely to pick them. With her getting maybe a title shot, it will give her more drive.

Q: Anything you want to add?
GB: We appreciate you interviewing us. We are super happy to associated with you and have you as a friend of our show. I want to thank Gary Thomas and Juan Valle of Bluegrass MMA and Pro MMA Now. Emily for being the best co-host and always being prepared.
EB: Than you for having us. What motivates me more and more to look up female fighters and remember is when people put me under a test. Every interview is a test. So thank you for this. Also to Gina for being so patient with me. Thanks to Bluegrass, Frank Ramirez, Juan, all these people who help us.
GB: Thanks to Bangtown Fightwear for supporting our show.

Livia Von Plettenberg Interview

Livia Von Plettenberg is coming off a loss in her last fight to Joanne Calderwood. But in the loss, Livia showed she is an incredibly tough fighter with a ton of heart. On July 13th she returns to the Invicta cage to take on Cassie Robb who herself is coming off a loss in which she showed a huge amount of heart and toughness. While this is the opening fight on the card, it could very well be the show stealer in my opinion. Here is my interview with Livia about this match-up.

Q: Your last fight you lost a decision to Joanne Calderwood, but showed you are an incredibly tough fighter. What did you learn about yourself from that loss?
A: I learned a couple of things. I knew that I was tough but I learned that I really have a good chin. I didn't know it was that good till that point. I also learned that I maybe have to be smarter in choosing fights. That I lost to Joanne turned out good because Invicta brought me back, but it could have gone the other way as well. It could have harmed my career. Up till that point I never cared about my record, I just wanted to fight. I never cared who I was fighting so I took every fight I was able to get. I don't regret taking against Joanne, but it showed me that in the future I have to be smart about my match-ups as well so my record doesn't get completely messed up. Fighting-wise, I found some mistakes that I wasn't to happy about. Some things I seemed to do wrong in striking. I was able to work on that and work on my wrestling as well. All in all, it was a good experience for me and it made me grow more in a couple ways, fighting-wise and record wise.

Q: As you said, you showed you had a great chin, but looking back, is there a point you feel you should have tried taking it to the ground?
A: The whole fight. I wanted to take it to the ground, my wrestling was simply not good enough. My plan was to take it to the ground up until the point I felt the first knee in my sternum. Her knees are intimidating. I wasn't secure enough to shoot in the way I should have done and that is why I didn't get the takedown. I like wrestling and am working on it but it is definitely my weakest point in MMA. That is what I have to work on a lot more. It wasn't good enough for Joanne's skills at that time.

Q: You have Cassie Robb coming up, what do you know about her?
A: She is a good wrestler which will be interesting. I saw some of her fights on YouTube and saw she is very scrappy and she likes to work a lot. She doesn't give you time to breath. I think this will be a question of style, who is better at the other fighters style. If she is a better striker or I am a better wrestler.

Q: She lost her last fight to Laura Sanko. Did you see the fight and if so, what did you think of her performance?
A: I saw that fight. She was really tough the first round, I would have given the first round to her. Like I said, she is working a lot, not giving time to rest. She is definitely scrappy. I will try to outwork her.

Q: Where would you say you have the biggest advantage, would it be the stand-up?
A: I guess so yeah. I think she won't even try to stand with me. Even though you can't really tell how my stand-up is from the fight against Joanne cause I couldn't show much of it, I was more defending than attacking. When I am really striking and prepared, I think stand-up wise I will be better than Cassie. Standing will be my best option.

Q: When you feel she will strictly be trying to take it down, how much of camp do you work on just defending takedowns?
A: You know I am training at Team Quest and the focus here is on wrestling. I am working probably ninety percent of my camp on takedown defense and wrestling in general. I would say a lot.

Q: If she does take it down, how confident are you that you can hang with her?
A: Actually I like being on the ground. I don't consider myself necessarily a striker. Striking is probably my best skill right now but I am always working to become a more well-rounded fighter, doing a lot of Jiu-Jitsu. I am a Blue Belt in Jiu-Jitsu so I am not that stupid on the ground haha. I am confident I can work on the ground with her.

Q: You are respectful and not a trash talker and she hasn't trash talked either, is that something you appreciate?
A: Definitely! My opinion is that it is important to respect your opponent. I wouldn't mind if she trash talked but I wouldn't answer to it. It definitely helps draw attention to a fight and I think sometimes trash talk helps a fighter to be hyped and get attention. I love fighting and don't want my opponents to be my enemy. I am not going to war even though a lot of fighters say that. It is not a war for me, it is just something I love. I am happy there are others who love it as well and fight with me. I see it more as sharing something. If I can avoid it, I step back from the trash talking.

Q: You guys are the first fight, do you like to fight early and get it over with?
A: I think it's good cause I actually know the time when i am fighting. I remember one fight I was still getting my hair done when I was supposed to fight so I didn't warm-up and that didn't end really well. I like knowing how much time I have left for warm-ups. Other than that, I don't really mind. It is nice this time cause all my friends in Europe can watch, it will be 1:00AM in Vienna when I fight so everyone can watch.

Q: What does it mean for you for Invicta to bring you back so quick after a loss?
A: It means a lot to me. Actually when I stepped out of the cage after my fight against Joanne, Janet Martin came up to me and hugged me and said that she would definitely bring me back as soon as possible. I am really blessed that I get the chance to show how I fight when I am well prepared, mentally prepared and physically prepared. It means a lot to me, a really good feeling.

Q: Do you have a prediction?
A: This time I am pretty sure it is my game. Cassie is coming off a loss and that means at least for me, that I am working even harder. She will definitely put it all out there. I am on top of my game right now, camp is even better than I expected. The only thing I see going wrong is when I make a stupid mistake, which could happen but is very unlikely.

Q: As a fan, is there any fight you look forward to on this card?
A: I was looking forward to Joanne vs Claudia which isn't happening now. I am a big fan of Joanne. No one ever hurt me like she did. I love the fact that she is super technical, I prefer technical fights to brawls. I think Sarah Schneider might not be as strong a match for Joanne as Claudia would have been. I like Bec Hyatt, she is a nice girl, I met her at Invicta 4, I look forward to her fight. of course rematches are always interesting so I look forward to Cyborg versus Marloes.

Q: Any idea what you want after this or just going one at a time?
A: One at a time. I am just finishing University, I know I said that my last fight to. Turned out I couldn't do the exam sooner than June and I am in Portland so can't do it. I will do it in October. Fighting-wise, we will have to see. It depends on whether I win or lose.

Q: Anyone you want to thank?
A: First of all my new sponsor in Germany Boxhaus, so far they are the only ones supporting me. My mom and brother for supporting me emotionally and financially. Everyone from Team Quest, especially Matt Lindland who helps me so much. They took em in like I was part of the family and I really appreciate that. Last but not least, my gym in Vienna, Box Team Vienna who help me when I am back in Austria.

Invicta 6 Predictions

Photo courtesy of Invicta FC


Time for our usual Invicta Predictions that we do for each Invicta card. Voting is simple, click on your winner and method. Results will be revealed a couple days before the event. When Joanne Calderwood's opponent is made official we will add her fight on to this.



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Amanda Wyatt Interview

This weekend Amanda Wyatt returns to the cage in an exciting match-up with Hannah Fitzpatrick for the Universal Cage Combat featherweight title. Wyatt and Fitzpatrick both bring solid records and resumes into this fight and should provide a fight that entertains the whole way. Here are Amanda's thoughts on the match-up.

Q: First, a little background, can you talk about how you got started training for the sport?
A: I actually started training because I was a single mom of three kids and I wanted to get into shape. I have always been interested in sports, I always watched UFC. I always liked that. I found a gym I liked and stuck to it.

Q: Did you know right away you would want to fight or did that come later?
A: I pretty much knew right away. I have always been scrappy.I went with the intention of wanting to take a fight when my coach and I felt ready.

Q: Some might not be o.k. with the thought of their daughter or friend getting in a cage and getting punched, did anyone close to you react negative?
A: Oh yes! Some of my family, my mom, acted a bit negatively. Even some friends. The view o they had was brass knuckles, going in a cage and beating the crap out of each other, they didn't understand the full aspect of the sport.

Q: How hard is it to balance raising kids with training?
A: It is hard. Thankfully my team and coach are awesome. I try not to bring the kids because it is a contact sport and we are always live training. I have wonderful people who help take care of the girls. Anything I need, my teammates and coach are there for me and make sure I get my training. If it is midnight and I got the time, they train with me, I am lucky for that.

Q: First time you did fight, were you nervous or excited or both?
A: Definitely the nerves, not knowing if it would hurt, would I win, would I disappoint people? The walking out is harder, when they call my name, my nerves are going, but I get in the cage and get going, it is on, I am ready.

Q: You have Hannah Fitzpatrick this weekend, what do you know about her?
A: I don't know much about Hannah. She is 3-1, I am 4-1, we are pretty comparable. I don't know much about her style. She is an up and comer and so am I. It's gonna be a good fight.

Q: Does not knowing much about her make it harder to come up with a game-plan?
A: No, it doesn't really matter. Sometimes I look up opponents to see their style and attack weaknesses. I focus on my own game, I know what I am good at and my strength and go from there. My coach always comes up with the game-plan and it has worked well for me. I go with whatever he says.

Q: She has to do some traveling for this fight, you have done that before, from your own experience can that have a negative affect on her?
A: For her, I don't know. I came 700 miles, a little farther than she did. I don't mind traveling, it gets me out of the atmosphere I am always in and gives me more experience. I want to take that win home if I am coming all this way just to fight an opponent cause I can't find opponents locally. I feel I am going all this way, leaving my children and work, I really want to win. I imagine she feels the same way.

Q: Is there a key to winning this fight for you, something you need to do?
A: I don't think so. I am a well-rounded fighter, I feel comfortable standing or on the ground. I don't feel there is a certain thing, just fight my game-plan.

Q: It is for the title, is that title important to you or more just a status thing to help market yourself?
A: I would say, every fight is like another day at the gym, I am looking for the next level. I don't want to stay an amateur forever, so I am looking for more experience. It means something to earn a belt, it is something I want, it is a pride thing. I feel like it is something I can earn and deserve to have. I ma having trouble finding fights so in some ways it can be even harder.

Q: Do you have a prediction?
A: I am gonna do my best and let the best person win.

Q: You both have some hype around you and good records, how big a win would this be?
A: It would be a huge win for me. It would mean something to me and I am not taking it lightly. A big win for me definitely.

Q: Do you know what you want next or just one at a time?
A: I do go one at a time. I have another fight offer but it is not confirmed. I try and take them one at a time.

Q: Have you given any thought to how many fights you want before you turn pro?
A: Between ten and twelve. Pretty much when my coach says we are ready. I am not looking to jump in there just because I got a little hype or a title. I am not looking to advance till I am ready cause those girls are serious.

Q: Long term is the goal something like Invicta?
A: Definitely! Invicta is in my sights.

Q: Are there any fighters you like to watch and learn from?
A: Tecia Torres, I like her technique and style. I have been a fan since she was an amateur. Of course Ronda Rousey, Miesha Tate, Cat Zingano, those girls I like watching.

Q: Anyone you want to thank?
A: My teammates at The Martial Way, my coach Jason Sedowski, for making this all possible. Kitty Perry, she helps take care of my children and that is most important over anything, also Anytime Fitness.