This fight was special. It was the type of fight that people had been waiting for. While not everyone was ready to watch, a quick look around would reveal people peeking through their fingers like children at a scary movie trying to get a glimpse of the action. As the octagon door closed Ronda Rousey and Liz Carmouche were set to show the world that women’s MMA had reached a new level. This was the scene at UFC 157, when the first ever women’s UFC bout would take place. While this was a massive moment for women’s MMA, it took a great deal of work before this fight to open the door for such an amazing opportunity. Fight promotions had long been afraid to showcase women’s fights and prior to the now defunct Strikeforce deciding to promote women’s bouts on live broadcasts, it seemed that going to a local show was the only place you could see these athletes apply their craft. Today, there are more opportunities for women fighters. Promotions like Invicta FC and JEWELS are dedicated specifically to women’s MMA and have had tremendous success. The female fighters who paved that road leading to that first UFC fight, as well as fighters who have just reached the path will be able to look at that moment being assured that they can walk through the doorway of success, knowing they belong at the highest level of the sport. Today, local female fighters across the country are working hard to reach that level, and here in Portland, it is no different. This week, I had the pleasure of talking with two incredible athletes, Glena “Heartless” Avila and Liz “Lightning” McCarthy. These two talented fighters are working hard to show the world what they are made of and why they love this sport.
I first spoke with Liz McCarthy. Liz is an atomweight (105 lbs) fighter who trains with Team Quest. Liz was very impressive as an amateur fighter going 6-0 to start off her career. Her great skill got her an opportunity to compete for Invicta FC in her professional debut. As a hot up and comer in the atomweight division I wanted to find out just how far Liz is looking to go in the sport of MMA. I asked her, being such a successful young fighter, what are some of her long-term goals in MMA.
“I have big aspirations for my fighting career, but I still have a lot of work and time to put in to get there. I would love to someday fight for Invicta’s atomweight title, but for now I’m focused on improving my skills and fighting my way up the ranks. Invicta has done a lot to grow women’s MMA and the divisions have really strengthened in the last couple of years. For now, I’m satisfied to have the honor of fighting on the same cards as many of the women who I’ve been watching fight professionally since before I had my first amateur fight.”
I went on to ask Liz how her experience has been fighting with Invicta FC. Liz spoke glowingly about the organization. It seems that the reputation Invicta has developed is going to keep trending upward. While Invicta is currently home to the top atomweight contenders in the world this is also a division with a slew of talented fighters. Some would argue it is the most competitive division in all of women’s MMA. With that in mind I asked Liz for her thoughts on the possibility of the UFC adding an atomweight division.
“I don’t know what the UFC has planned for the future, but it has been really exciting to see how women’s MMA has grown since they added the 135 lb division. I’m excited to see how the addition of the 115 lb division changes things, but I don’t know how soon or if a 105 lb division might be added because several atomweight fighters have committed to the 115 lb season of The Ultimate Fighter.”
Speaking with Liz, it was apparent that she has the drive to make it a long way in the sport. She is just two fights into her professional career but seems to be ready to fight her way to the top. If ever there were a local fighter to keep your eye on she could be the one.
Next I spoke with Glena Avila. Glena is a strawweight (115 lbs) fighter currently training with the team at Rose City FC. She’s the focus of a recent documentary titled, “Glena,” from Emmy-winning director Allan Luebke. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival this past January (see more at glenathemovie.com). Glena started fighting back in 2009, four years prior to the Rousey vs. Carmouche bout at UFC 157. I wanted to get a sense for how things had changed since her start in the fight game. I asked Glena if she had noticed differences in the way people react when they find out she is a fighter now compared to when she first started fighting back in 2009.
“Yes, Invicta FC built a whole promotion around strong women fighters and women getting signed to the UFC changed peoples perspectives quite a bit. So with all that happening, women’s [MMA is] finally getting recognized as a legitimate sport. I’m not looked at like a nut case anymore but rather a respected athlete.”
Glena started her fight career a little later in life; she was already 33 when she made her amateur debut. With that in mind I asked Glena, now 38, what the future held for her fighting career.
“I’m just taking things day by day. I’m healthier now than I ever was in my twenties so who knows, I could be doing this for a very long time. As far as goals go, well that changes as I follow this road. I’d love to fight for Invicta FC some day but it would be incredible to fight in the UFC as well. I like the idea of mentoring & teaching too.”
One of the problems that women’s MMA seems to be facing is a lack of competition. The pool of fighters just isn’t as large for women’s MMA as it is for men’s at this point. In closing, I asked Glena if she had noticed an influx of younger fighters making their way onto the scene.
“I have. It’s like all of a sudden there are up & coming girl fighters everywhere, which is an amazing thing to see happening. They just keep coming. I feel like women in this sport have made a statement, that we’re real, we’re tough, and we’re here to stay.”
Glena is an inspiring person; her physical strength is second only to her mental toughness. As a person who took a chance on a fighting career later in life, she has proven that hard work and determination pays off. It is fortunate that her story has been documented on film so that she might be an example for people looking to take a chance on pursuing their dreams.
With local fighters like Glena Avila and Liz McCarthy helping to shape the landscape of women’s MMA in Oregon, new fighters, young and old, will have a better place to compete because of the hard work that has been done before they arrive. While “Heartless” and “Lightning” continue on their path to the top, we just need to be ready for it when they get to the end of that road and kick the door in.
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