Prior to working in the sport of MMA what were you doing?
-I have always been a fan of sports so prior to working with the sport of MMA and UFC I was already working in the sporting world. I had already been working with Univision Deportes which covers UFC, Liga Mexicana de Futbol (Mexican Soccer League), baseball and cycling.
How did you get into the world of MMA?
-I have always been a fan of the sport. When I was given the opportunity to work with the UFC I was completely honored because I am such a fan. I have worked with Fausto Ceballos before, who is the vice president of UFC Espanol, and he was the one who gave me the opportunity to be a part of the UFC, as well as Patrick Perez and Juan Cardenas who are a huge part of the UFC.
Who have been some of your favorite MMA interviews so far?
-I have had many fun interviews with fighters, but I will say that Daniel Cormier is always a character and fun to talk to. It’s always an interesting moment with him because you never know what he is going to say.
Who are your favorite MMA fighters?
-I will say I have a lot of respect for all these guys that I have met and seen fight, but I would say because of my background, and where I come from, being Mexican-American, I will say that Cain Velasquez is one of my favorite fighters. But I am also a fan of Georges St-Pierre and Anderson Silva.
Are you a fan of the ladies competing in MMA and why?
-I am a fan of the ladies competing in MMA because I feel that they are amazing fighters, and have the ability to compete at a high level. I also think they are very entertaining to watch because they go into the octagon giving everything.
What or who are your inspirations in MMA and life in general?
-I would say that most of the fighters are very inspirational. A lot of the times people don’t know their stories, but once you get to know them and see the struggles they have gone through it’s really inspiring how hard they have worked for all that they have. And I believe that life in general is about how hard you work to get what you want.
Do you have any advice for aspiring sports and MMA journalists and reporters?
-My advice is, if you love a sport and are passionate about it, work hard and make your dreams become reality. Never in a million years did I think I was going to be working with UFC Espanol, but I knew how much I loved the sport and one day would be able to work doing what I love.
Outside the world of MMA, what other ventures or fields are you involved in?
-Outside of MMA, I am a sports reporter for Univision Deportes, as well as an actress and model. I recently received an Imagen Award for a Telenovela that I worked on with some amazing actors. I have also done some modeling shoots and shot some calendars. I have done several campaigns for products such as Wen Hair Care by Chaz Dean and Dearden’s Department stores.
What is something most people don’t know about you?
-I think a lot of people don’t know that I am a super goofy person, semi-comedic, and I love cooking Mexican and Italian food.
How do you enjoy your free time?
-I usually spend my free time going to the movies, being creative by re-decorating my house, and trying to come up with new dishes to cook for my family.
Any future plans or dreams?
-Future plans would be to go back to Europe and travel that side of the world a little more, and future dreams would be to keep living my dream and making the most of it. I want to be a role model for young Latina’s in the US and become the next Sofia Vergara.
Any shout outs you would like to make?
I would like to thank my family, mom, dad, brother and friends for always supporting me in everything that I do and believing in my dreams as much as I do. And thank you to my manager Blanca Valdez for working side by side with me all the time.
Thank you very much for your time Joanna and keep up the great work in the MMA world! For more on Joanna Zanella check her out on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and stop by her website.
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