Why do they fight?
Sunday 1 March 2015 11:06, UK
Ronda Rousey, the world's top female fight sports star, defends her bantamweight championship against Cat Zingano as UFC 184 showcases sportswomen who fight.
But why do they do it? Sky Sports has spoken to Holly Holm and Raquel Pennington, who will compete at the weekend in Los Angeles before Rousey v Zingano, for the next crack at the world title. We found out their entry into mixed martial arts is not what you might expect - and why they believe the sport is perfect for women.
When women see other women fighting, they’ll realise this is a viable and accepted choice of athletics.
The former 33-2-3 pro boxer with IBA and WBF world titles is now a 7-0 MMA fighter but only entered the gym to stay flexible...
Holm said: "I started doing an aerobics class and it just happened to be in the best MMA gym out there. That was lucky! I was a boxer, then joined some of the MMA classes. I learned how to kick and was excited to have some amateur kickboxing fights. I became passionate about it and now I’m the first MMA fighter to start with an aerobics background.
"This sport brings women a sense of confidence because nothing else provides such an intense physical work-out. Mentally you have to be focused, it’s a very emotional thing, and you learn about life going through just one fight camp.
"It can be intimidating to go into a gym full of men but our rise in the UFC shows that women can achieve whatever they want. You’ll see everyone is chasing a dream.
"When women see other women fighting, they’ll realise this is a viable and accepted choice of athletics."
It gives a woman the ability to really be her own person, to let her inner beauty shine.
In need of exercise to heal a serious injury, she now finds herself at the forefront of a sport she believes treats males and females equally...
Pennington said: "It was weird how I became a fighter. I was hugely into basketball and then I broke my back snowboarding. I was rehabbing and working out in my gym and saw a MMA class going on. I told my mum ‘I’ve seen this on TV, I’d like to give it a go’. She told me to go for it. I started training, I was a natural, and four months later I was in the cage for the first time. Here I am, eight years later.
"There are no other sports that are giving the women the platform MMA gives us. I think women’s MMA is getting a bigger stage than women’s football or tennis.
"We’re most definitely at the same level of importance as the male athletes but this is where we deserve to be. People might still see this a male sport but there’s a lot of females that have a talent and passion too. We’re finally getting that recognition.
"Practicing this sport builds confidence in everybody, particularly women. It gives us an outlet. It gives a woman the ability to really be her own person, to let her inner beauty shine.
"There’s so many women who don’t like to go to a gym and exercise in front of guys because they don’t have that confidence. Do this sport, it’s a whole different ball game. I now get messages from women of all ages who are inspired to live an active lifestyle."
Sky Bet's UFC and MMA odds are here, including Rousey v Zingano plus Conor McGregor v Jose Aldo
