Finally something I wanted to tick off my bucket list. To fight in a 4 woman. I have wanted to experience having 2 fights in one night for a few years now, but alas, for me this wasn’t to happen.
At the weigh in the draw was done to see who would be fighting each other first up.
The draw consisted of Leonie Macks, who I had just fought the month before for the WMC Australian Title and after a tough war I lost the chance of nabbing the belt. Watch the fight here
Then there was multiple world champion (which includes a WBC World Title) Lucy Payne who has had around 35 fights, is 182cms tall with a huge reach advantage and the favourite to win the eliminator.
and also in the mix, Maxie Smith, who is a tough fighter who’s been living, breathing and training Muay Thai over in the motherland, Thailand for the majority of her fight career, beating some very tough opponents over there.
No matter who I drew it was going to be a hard night in the office!
I drew Lucy for the first fight.
On the night, we were first fight out of the Eliminator.
Round 1, I started out landing some good kicks and knees, but then copped a hard knee to the sternum which knocked the wind out of me.
After this my brain decided it would go into la la land and I just stopped thinking and started fighting on emotions, which was the worst thing I could have done against some one of Lucy’s calibre.
I couldn’t get in on her reach and was constantly getting kneed in the face and body. I spent the next part of round 1 and most of round 2 just copping knees and not really doing much about it, I ate a nice knee to the teeth (which I wouldn’t recommend anyone experiencing if they can help it!).
Finally towards the end of round 2, I snapped out of it and started to try and nullify her knees by blocking them.
Round 3 was slightly better for me, my trainer Richie Walsh told me in the break to just go out there and have fun, it was very obviously i’d lost the fight at this point. Unless I happened to get a lucky shot in and get a KO, there wasn’t much else I could do other than enjoy myself. So I just went out there and threw anything I could, to try and get in on Lucy’s reach. I was jumping and throwing big swings with no dings and actually started getting my brain switched back on. I stopped being angry at myself which opened up my mind again.
I did manage to land a few nice shots. I was excited as I finally pulled off the teep/catch/pull & punch combo i’ve always done in sparring, but never actually done it in a fight. So that was a little happy dance for me.
Lucy used her reach perfectly and her experience completely out classed me. The focus in her eyes and the determination on her face was palpable. She’s a great fighter! I regret not being at my peak to fight her. I never mind losing if i’ve done my absolute best! I do however, get very disappointed in myself with a loss like this, an opportunity wasted to test myself (the best version of myself) against a World Class fighter.
Lucy has fought some of the worlds best (notably the amazing Tiffany Van Soest twice) and to have been able to come up against this type of experience should have been a highlight of my career. But it was not to be. I let my frustration take over, which stopped me from mentally navigating the fight. Lesson learned! (the hard way).
I walked away with a sore tooth and a banged up shin & ankle, but I also walked away with a massive massive lesson and a renewed thirst to learn more both physically and mentally! Lucy went on to fight Leonie Macks in the final, Lucy coming away with the win.
After a rough few days post fight with being disappointed in myself, I am so lucky to be surrounded by some very beautiful, caring and supportive people, these legends, helped me to get refocused and ready to get back to work. After 1 weeks rest, it’s back to training to work hard on preparing for my next fight…a tag team! Stay tuned! This ones going to be entertainment to the MAX!!!
Check out photos of my fight here:
Opponent: Lucy Payne – Supafight Gym
Weight: 60kgs – weighed in at 59.95kgs
Show: Siam Pro | 4 Woman Eliminator | Brisbane
Date: October 22nd, 2016
Result: Loss – UPD