There’s something unique about the journey of a professional fighter—especially when it starts from a young age. Take a moment to imagine yourself at 11 years old, thrown into a jiu-jitsu tournament where your gi (the martial arts uniform) is five times your size, and you get defeated in 15 seconds. Most would walk away, right? But for this fighter, it was just the beginning of an epic journey that would later lead to professional MMA.

👊 How It All Began Our protagonist’s journey began at age 11 when her father, a huge UFC fan, signed her and her siblings up for jiu-jitsu. While many might dabble in a sport, she stuck with it—eventually embracing not just jiu-jitsu but also striking. 🥋 Despite the bumps along the way (like being outclassed in her first-ever tournament), she persisted, driven by her competitive spirit.

By age 13, she saw the legendary Cyborg vs. Gina Carano fight in Strikeforce, which solidified her ambition to become a professional fighter. From then on, her focus never wavered, even as she balanced school and jiujitsu competitions. Winning her first MMA fight with a triangle choke in under a minute at 21 was a sign of what was to come. 💥

The Mental Game 🧠 What most people don’t realize is the mental toll that comes with training and competing at such a high level. It’s not just about physical strength; it’s about battling the mind too. She talks openly about how, as a teenager, she was competitive, but there were times she felt burnt out. For many athletes, the pressure to perform at such a young age—especially with a competitive parent involved—can weigh heavy.

But as she grew older, she managed to strike a balance between pushing herself and giving herself grace. While some of her siblings stepped away from competing, she continued, driven by a deep love for fighting and the thrill of competition.

✨ Transitioning to Professional MMA At 18, she was ready to turn pro, but finding fights proved to be a challenge. Amateur fighters were wary of her grappling skills (thanks to viral videos of her jiu-jitsu performances on YouTube), and many backed out. It wasn’t until 2021 that she had her first professional MMA fight, and she dominated.

Her MMA journey had just begun, but challenges lay ahead.

Stay tuned for Part 2, where we dive into overcoming major health setbacks and facing off against legendary fighters. 💥