Babes in the Cage Friday, Carla vs. Felice

XFC 15 goes down this Friday in Tampa, FL at the St Pete Times Forum.  The co-main event will feature a couple of beautiful fighters who are making some noise in the straw weight division.  Carla Esparza (5-2-0) will take on Felice "Lil Bulldog" Herrig (5-3-0).  Wish your favorite good luck on Facebook at Carla-Esparza or FeliceHerrig.

Hot Video Featuring Miss TapouT Jennifer Swift

Check out a new video by reggae legend Eek a Mouse featuring the beautiful Miss TapouT Jennifer Swift!  Say hello to Jennifer on Twitter @Jennifer_SwifT.

Ashley Salazar Puts us in a Purple Haze

The beautiful Ashley Salazar recently shared some new pictures taken by Ian Nathaniel Photography at New Karma Studio.  Always up to big things so don't miss a second of Ashley on Facebook and Twitter.

Muay Thai Babe Liana Tunmer Back in Action Today

We recently got acquainted with Muay Thai babe Liana Tunmer.  This 28 year old beauty is 5'8", 62 kg and calls Manchester UK home.  Today Liana will step back in the ring at Camp Siam in Oldham Manchester for her second amateur Muay Thai fight.  Currently training at Spirit of Golden Cobra, Liana initially started her fighting career with some Karate and Kickboxing.  Not long after Liana discovered Muay Thai and has also worked on some BJJ which she will eventually take with her to the MMA world.  Liana's favorite MMA fighters include Felice Herrig, Tonya Evinger, Gina Carano, Michele Gutierrez and Kaiyana Rain.

Self described as a feisty character, very loud, bubbly and very passionate about everything she does.  Liana tried her hand at modeling but can't sit still long enough.  Liana is very expressive and spent some time singing and song writing as well but it was her love for fighting that has finally brought her to the ring.  Battling her brother growing up helped foster this appreciation of the combat world.

Glad we connected with Liana now so we can watch her fighting career progress from the very beginning.  Good luck tonight from Babes of MMA!  Reach out to Liana on Twitter @LianaTunmer.

Mercedes & Jade, Bellator Season Six Can't Come Soon Enough!

Tonight is the season five finale of Bellator Fighting Championships which means it will be a long winter without Bellator stunners Mercedes Terrell, Jade Bryce and Sweet Submissions.  Bjorn Rebney please make it a priority to bring back both ladies next season and still waiting for your return to Chicago!  Who am I kidding I bet no one even knew there were words below those pictures everyone is still staring at.  Say hello to the ladies on Twitter @mercedesterrell and @thejadebryce.  Thank you to Mercedes and Jade for sharing all those great pictures and Eric Coleman for capturing such beauty for the official Bellator shots.

Meet MMA Stunner Shannon Ihrke

I had the pleasure of meeting today's featured MMA stunner at the ProElite: Big Guns event in Moline, IL a few weeks ago and learned quite a few interesting things about her.  This 23 year old blonde bombshell is 5'8", 115 lbs, measures 34-23-34 and currently calls the Quad Cities area home.  Shannon has ring carded for Bartenders Brawl at Joe's Bar in Chicago, IL, for ProElite: Big Guns in Moline, IL and will for King of the Cage on December 10th at Northern Lights Casino in Walker, MN.  Her favorite MMA fighter is GSP hands down!  Shannon looks up to the UFC welterweight champion because of his amazing cardio, effective jab, his humbleness and his professionalism.  Andre Arlovski quickly became another of Shannon's favorites after ring carding for his most recent fight, being a great entertainer in the cage while also remaining very professional outside the cage.

Shannon exploded onto the modeling scene about two years ago which has seen her appear on several calendars including a pin-up for Zebra Publishing, a tequila calendar for next year and numerous work for catalogs and print.  What really opened our eyes was her recent appearance in the December issue of Maxim Magazine for their 2011 Hometown Hottie Contest because she is currently a top ten finalist!!  Voting for the 2011 Maxim Hometown Hottie ends December 5th so make sure to vote daily here!  Shannon will also be featured as Miss June in the 2012 Maxim Calendar.

Are you ready for another crazy awesome fact we learned about Shannon?  Shannon is currently an active duty Sergeant (E-5) in the United States Marine Corps!  She also trains in the Marine Corps martial arts program.  Tough and sexy!!  With her military commitment ending soon Shannon will primarily focus on her modeling and some exciting work with Decorum Consulting.

Thank you again for your time Shannon and we look forward to having you back on our pages at Babes of MMA soon!  For more on Shannon be sure to check her out on Facebook, Twitter and Model Mayhem.

Jordan Nicole Gaza Rocks our World

Jordan Nicole Gaza burst onto our radar earlier this year and is already turning heads in the MMA world. Check out Jordan on Facebook and Twitter.  We just learned earlier this week Jordan will be returning to the cage on December 10th in Atlanta, GA so keep your eyes and ears open for more news.

Meet MMA Babe Ahlena Kelly

Say hello to mid western beauty Ahlena Kelly.  We had the pleasure of meeting Ahlena at the ProElite MMA event in Moline, IL a couple of weeks ago and had to follow that up with a feature.  This 21 year old stunner is 5'2", 103 lbs, measures 34-25-36 and originally from President Herbert Hoover's small hometown of West Branch, Iowa but now calling Davenport, Iowa home. 

As we mentioned Ahlena was just recently a ring girl for ProElite: Big Guns held in Moline, IL, carried cards for numerous local shows, modeled for RageGirl a new clothing line coming out based in her hometown of Davenport and modeled for Reggie Warren Jrs girl line.  Ahlena first discovered MMA six years ago when her aunt who is friends with Pat Miletich took her to watch her very first UFC on PPV.  Like many of us she was hooked, her passion for the sport grew, she started collecting UFC posters, attending events and had her dream come true when she was selected to ring card for ProElite MMA.  Ahlena also works the front desk at Miletich Training Center now called Champions Training Center.  Her favorite MMA fighter is Vitor Belfort since the beginning because he is so exciting to watch, hard working, been through a lot in life and he fights for it.  Anthony Pettis is also a favorite of Ahlena's because his style is so different and you can always expect a great performance.

It was great meeting Ahlena and know we will be seeing more of her in the MMA world soon so keep your eyes open.  In the meantime connect with Ahlena on Model Mayhem, Facebook and Twitter.

November 2011 Aspiring MMA Babe of the Month - Jordana Leigh

Our November 2011 aspiring MMA babe of the month is full-time model Jordana Leigh from Philadelphia, PA.  This stunner is 5'3", 105 lbs. and measures 33C-24-36.  She has eight years of modeling experience that includes work in promotional, commercial, short films and numerous publications.  Jordana also enjoys acting and singing in her spare time.

Gina Carano - New Haywire Movie Trailer

While we wait to see if Gina Carano will return to the cage we do have a new movie trailer of her upcoming movie Haywire! Haywire will be in theatre's January 20th.

Babes of Strikeforce: Britt vs. Sayers

This past Friday Strikeforce introduced a new ring girl Corinne Solomon, we saw the return of ring girl Corissa Furr and witnessed the arrival of new star Ronda Rousey as she defeated Julia Budd via arm bar submission at 39 seconds of the first round.  Check out more pictures at Strikeforce.com

November 2011 MMA Babe of the Month – Brittney Palmer

Our November 2011 MMA babe of the month is UFC ring girl Brittney Palmer. This breath taking beauty is 5’6”, 120 lbs and measures 34-24-34. As an artist, host, model and dancer, Brittney is already a six-year veteran of the entertainment industry. Having been featured in dozens of magazines and television shows across a plethora of media and networks, Brittney is best known as a personality and ring card model for the Ultimate Fighting Championship and formerly of the World Extreme Cagefighting. Despite that success, Brittney’s first love in life has always been art.

Born in San Diego, Brittney recently returned to her roots as a California girl after twenty-two years growing up in Las Vegas. When she’s not traveling for work, she can be found cresting waves, hitting big air on the slopes, and even jumping out of airplanes. And when her adrenaline rush is quenched, she’s holed up in her studio listening to Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, and many other classic rock and roll artists that inspires and drives her passion for art, painting the night away. Keep reading below for our recent interview with the charismatic and gorgeous Brittney Palmer.

How did you get into the world of MMA?

-I started as a ring card model when I was 20, working the boxing events at The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. From there I was the Octagon Model for WEC, and when they merged with UFC I was part of the package.

What were you doing before you became an MMA ring girl and model?

-Right out of high school in Las Vegas, I started working in the modeling and entertainment industry in Vegas. I was working as a promotional model first, then as a magician's assistant before dancing in a burlesque show.

Who are your favorite MMA fighters?

-Urijah Faber, Kenny Florian, and Kurt Pellegrini.

What are the strangest and sweetest comments MMA fans have said to you?

-The strangest was someone asking if he could drink my bath water, and the sweetest was someone asking to drink my bath water!

With all the rumors about leaving UFC many including us are glad to know you are still with them and also following your artistic dreams at the same time. Do you have any news on when we might see you ring carding again or any new projects with the UFC coming up?

-I never left the UFC, but the rumors have been out of hand! My grams tells me to always be happy when there are rumors though, because that means people are thinking about you. Art school is something I've always wanted to do, and I'm so happy to be getting better and pursuing art. I'll be back cage side really soon.

How is art school going? Do you study or train for a specific style and what is your style or vision for your own art?

-School is going great! I taught myself to paint through Youtube videos, so I really wanted to get that platform and basic technique down to see how I would progress. I've been focusing on a lot of figure drawing and I think the progress has really showed!

Awhile back we read that you would pose for Playboy if they came calling. Has Hef and the bunny nation called yet?

-A lot of my fans have said that they want me to do it, and I'm not necessarily against it. I guess if it's meant to be, it'll happen!

What is something most people don't know about you?

-I started painting in middle school and literally covered the walls at home with my artwork. And that I have seven tattoos.

What are your hobbies and how do you spend your free time?

-I love to surf, workout, and rock out to Led Zeppelin. And I'm usually painting, either custom pieces that I'm commissioned to paint, or pieces of my collection that sell, or creating new pieces. I'm always covered in paint!

Are you single?

-While I don't like discussing my personal life, I can tell you that I don't have any time for dating because I'm so busy with school and painting and working with my partners like Gamma Labs and designing my apparel line Stone Free.

What do you look for in a guy?

-Confidence! There's nothing more attractive than a guy that knows what he wants and where he is in his life.

What are your turn-ons?

-I'm a creative person and I love seeing other people's creativity!

What are your turnoffs?

-I hate it when people are too afraid to go after what they want in life. Live every day like it's your last people!

What would you say is your best feature?

-Physically I hear it's my booty and hair. But I think I've got a rad personality!

What are your future plans or dreams in life?

-I'd love to continue on the path that I'm on. I've been very fortunate to have such a dedicated fan base that supports my art career. I'd love to keep doing this for as long as I can.

Any special shout outs or thank you's?

-Thanks to all my fans for being so supportive! I'm on Twitter and Facebook and you can check out my artwork and pick up my 2012 Swimsuit Calendar at http://brittneypalmer.com/.

Thank you very much to both Brittney and her manager for your time. Keep up all the great artwork and as big fans ourselves we are looking forward to your return to the octagon Brittney!

Hang With the Beautiful Kenda Perez Tonight in San Jose

Are you headed to UFC 139 or in the San Jose area?  If so tonight is your lucky night to meet and hang out with The Best of Pride Host Kenda Perez at Studio 8 San Jose.  If you can't make it in person say hello to the beautiful Kenda Perez on Twitter @KendaPerez.

Fighter Babe Elaina Maxwell Makes her Muay Thai Debut on Saturday

We recently had the pleasure of interviewing fighter Elaina Maxwell. Let’s jump right into our no holds barred interview below and learn more about Elaina’s career and fight on Saturday.

How did you get involved in MMA and give us some background on your interesting journey into martial arts?

-I have always been an athlete of some kind because I love competition. I started playing soccer in grade school in Salt Lake City, Utah with my twin sister, Ila. Yes, I am the older twin by three minutes. After moving to Muscle Shoals, Alabama due to my father's work transfer, I picked up my love for volleyball in middle school, which I played year-round for twelve years. Having no martial arts experience whatsoever, I started in somewhat of a strange way because I initially used kickboxing as an off-season workout for volleyball and track and field when it was the latest fad in workout trends. I fell in love with the contact, intensity and competition of San Shou, which is Chinese Kickboxing. While finishing off my volleyball career and pursuing my educational goals at San Jose State University, I made the USH! Fight Team in 1997. I began to grow as a martial artist from there under Cung Le's guidance. After taking some time off to complete my last volleyball season, I began training on a more serious level because I missed the feeling and intensity of competition in my life. Going to school full time and working part time helped me to dedicate myself more to martial arts. This helped me to become a more disciplined athlete in all aspects of my life through consistency and learning the overall mentality of a martial artist. In 2003 after my first World Wushu Gold Medal Championship in Macau, China, I received my BS in Business Administration with an emphasis in Human Resource Management. When in training for a fight, I make many sacrifices on a daily basis from eating the right foods to training double days. I am pleased to finally see the fruits of my labor, becoming a 3-time World San Shou Champion as well as the North American San Da Intercontinental Middleweight Champion. I received my first professional MMA title, becoming the 2007 Golden State Light Middleweight MMA Champion. However, I knew that continued success only comes from training hard and staying consistent. I display an ongoing commitment to martial arts because I remain disciplined in my everyday routine and hungry for new competition. Venturing into Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in 2005, I will soon be a brown belt. In addition, I have been fighting professionally since 2006. Now that I have been practicing martial arts for so long, I can't even imagine my life without it because training and teaching has become such an integral part of my lifestyle. During the past fifteen years, I have become one of the pioneers of San Shou and MMA, making history over and over again. With both of my parents dying in 2006, I suffered a few setbacks, including two consecutive MMA losses and decided to switch up my scenery and training environment by moving to Las Vegas in 2008. After enjoying a two year sabbatical, training trip and vacation in Las Vegas, I then decided to move back home where the majority of my friends and family are. "It was definitely a fun experience, and I would do it again in a heartbeat!" says Elaina of her time spent in Las Vegas. While I was in Sin City, I trained with Shawn Tompkins and Randy Couture at Tap Out and Extreme Couture, including Robert Drysdale in BJJ. I am now training out of Gracie Fighter/Fairtex affiliate gym, Combat Sports Academy in Dublin, California, FTCC in San Francisco and Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu in Pleasant Hill, California. My head trainer is the USA Muay Thai Head Coach, Kirian Fitzgibbons.

Where are you currently training, and what's a typical training week like for you?

-Usually, when I am training for a MMA fight, I am all about BJJ (Gi & NOGI) and wrestling, along with Muay Thai, pad work, bag work, crossfit and conditioning, but since I am currently training for my first pro Muay Thai fight under the USA Muay Thai head coach, Kirian Fitzgibbons of CSA Gym in Dublin, California, I have not trained any BJJ or wrestling since this Thai fight has been booked. I have been sleeping, eating and breathing Thai since I received verbal confirmation. I listen to my body, so when I need a morning or afternoon off, I will sleep in!

Tell us about your upcoming fight, who your fighting and where?

-I am currently getting ready for my 1st professional Muay Thai fight; it will be at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Old Town in Las Vegas, Nevada on November 19th for Lion Fight Promotions. I will be on the main card fighting 5-3 minute rounds of Muay Thai with elbows. Check out the commercial playing at the Hard Rock for my upcoming fight here. In addition, I will be fighting MMA again in December for Impact, Muay Thai in Thailand also in December and MMA again in March for Janet Martin's new WMMA organization at 145 pounds!

What is your best experience as a fighter? What is your worst?

-I have so many, but I know the best has yet to come. I would not say it was my best experience as a fighter, but it was definitely one of the most memorable moments in my life seen in the third picture above. I was the first American man or woman to win gold at the Wushu Sanshou World Championships in Macau, China in 2003; simultaneously, UFC fighter Pat Barry was the first American to win silver at the same competition.

-Being a female in the fight industry, I have had to deal with many obstacles over the last 15 years, such as sexism and hidden agendas, but it is in dealing with these challenges that I have become a better fighter, person and role model.

What advice would you give to other women who are reading this interview and want to get started in MMA?

-Train with people that care about you!

What are some of the hurdles that you think Women in MMA need to overcome before Women's MMA will be considered a top level sport like Men's MMA is today?

-Sexism, I am not a WMMA fighter; I am a MMA fighter! I fight with 4oz gloves just like the men do!

When do you think we will see women’s divisions in the UFC?

-Never because Dana White is a douche bag and wants to see women in the cage with ring cards, not gloves on ready to throw down.

What or who are your inspirations in MMA and life?

-My daily inspirations are my parents (RIP) who died in 2006 one month before my Strikeforce fight in December.

Who are your favorite MMA fighters?

-Jon Bones Jones because he is a supporter of females fighting MMA, plus he kicks ass!

How do you enjoy your free time when not training or fighting? Any hobbies?

-Sleep, others are listed on my Facebook Fan Page: Elaina Beef Maxwell!

Any future plans or dreams?

-To be WBC Muay Thai World Champ and a world MMA champ for Janet Martin’s new MMA organization.

We have a few questions for the male readership as well.

Are you single?

-No, I am in a serious relationship with my Android; he is incredible – LOL! JK…yes, I am single!

What do you look for in a guy?

-Honesty, good looks, nice ass, must be fit or walk, tall and ambitious.

What are your turnoffs?

-Liars, jealousy, lazy and stupid.

What would you say is your best feature?

-My best asset is my AZZZZZZZZZZZZZ and my hour glass curves :P

Any shout outs you would like to make?

-Gracie Fighter/Fairtex Gym –  CSAGYM.com, Janet Martin, Mainstreet Chiro – Thanks Dr. Dan!

Thank you very much for your time Elaina and good luck on Saturday! Be sure to say hello to  Elaina on Twitter @elainamaxwell, subscribe on Facebook, like her Facebook fan page and check out her YouTube channel.

Babes of MMA Sponsored Fighter Chelsea Colarelli Defends her Title on Friday

Babes of MMA is proudly sponsoring Chelsea Colarelli. Chelsea will be defending her Xtreme Fighting League 115-pound title this Friday at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tulsa, OK. We recently caught up with Chelsea for an interview about her career, her fight on Friday and more.

How did you get involved in MMA/martial arts and how long have you been training?

-I have wrestled since I was 7 years old. I have three brothers so there was no escaping my girly hood. I started working at the Martial Arts and Athletic Center in Amarillo, TX. Mike Lister asked me if I would ever be interested in fighting, and I said YES!! I would love to. I got into a lot of trouble when I was young and it would benefit me to put all my anger in the cage. Sooner or later I learned that I could control all of it in the cage and put it down as an art not an anger issue!! I love it. I’ve been training for almost 5 years now. It never gets old. You always learn new things as you go on and train at different camps.

Where are you currently training, and what's a typical training week like for you?

-I train with some top wrestlers from Oklahoma. They are currently in Amarillo and just opened up a clothing line as well. Matthew Dodgen and Mark Dodgen are both NCAA Champions and I'm proud to be learning from them. I also get my boxing and kickboxing from Nick's Fight Club from Steve Nicholson who is an outstanding boxer and Marcus Sursa and Erick Braly for my kickboxing. I work out a few hours a day 6-7 days a week. It’s not about how long you workout it’s about how much you put into your workouts. That’s how I see it! I would take a light jog in the morning then go to work all day, in the evening is when it all starts for me. I usually start with wrestling and jiu jitsu then head off to stand up.

Tell us about your upcoming fight, who you’re fighting and where?

-My next fight is going to be in Tulsa, OK Nov. 18th at the Hard Rock Casino!! I'm defending my title against a tough opponent Ashley "Smashly" Cummins. I've never seen her fight before but in my last fight against Patricia Avionic she helped me warm up in the back. She is pretty strong and will be a good match up. We are both evenly matched and both great on the ground. I've seen her throw some hands and mine are quick as well. We will just have to see when the time comes! I have nothing but respect for Ashley as she is an awesome character.

What is your best experience as a fighter? What is your worst?

-My best experience as a fighter is getting recognized all over the world as a bad ass fighter and meeting amazing special guests. My worst experience is fighting for an organization that can't pay their fighters right after they give you that hard working check you just fought for!!

What advice would you give to other women who are reading this interview and want to get started in MMA?

-Ladies if you are very interested in fighting and getting into MMA it’s an AMAZING experience and you will get far in it if you put your heart into it.

What are some of the hurdles that you think Women in MMA need to overcome before Women's MMA will be considered a top level sport like Men's MMA is today?

-Well, we women need to all come together and have more respect for each other than the men do and tell Dana White he will get better ratings if he includes woman's MMA with the men’s card for the UFC!! We don’t need to look like the guys in body type but we fight like the guys and put on hands and throw bombs like they do. That's what I'm trying to accomplish.

When do you think we will see women’s divisions in the UFC?

-Women's divisions are racing up there faster than the men's came along so I bet you will see the women's divisions in UFC in the next few years.

What or who are your inspirations in MMA and life?

-My inspirations in MMA and in life are the ones that put their heart into the fight not just the show. One that never gives up what they love and actually fight for a reason and not to just get recognition out there in the ring.

Who are your favorite MMA fighters?

-My favorite fighters are Chael Sonnen, COWBOY Ceronne and a very humble GSP!! They are very dedicated and technical and I love to be technical.

How do you enjoy your free time when not training or fighting? Any hobbies?

-I make sure I embrace every moment that I'm not training. Fighting takes a lot of my time and I love it, but I also love my family more. I have two God children that I spend a lot of time with. They are spoiled I would say. I love to sing karaoke when I have free time and hang out with my family and friends’ just doing whatever comes up. I'm all game when it comes to learning new and exciting things out of training.

Any future plans or dreams?

-My plans for the future are to become a top ranked fighter and fight in Japan, and then I want to start a family so I can pass down some knowledge and stories to my carbon copies. One day in time though. I'm still young and will enjoy every minute of it until I know it’s time!!

We have a few questions for the male readership as well.

What do you look for in a guy?

-I look for confidence in a guy and a great personality; they have to keep me on my toes.

What are your turn-ons?

-I like a guy who works out and can beat me in sprints, hahaha and has a positive attitude about everything. Someone who digs R&B as much as I do and a guy who likes to go to church not just because he thinks it would look good for him.

What are your turnoffs?

-When a guy is negative or talks crap about another. I know most of us have those people that we don't like but just be respectful because Karma does come around.

What would you say is your best feature?

-My best feature I would say is my eyes. My ass has been known to get attention but I think I’ve lost that! Haha, so I would say my eyes.

Any shout outs you would like to make?

-I would like to make a shout out to NEARFALL CLOTHING. If you are looking for cool gear inspired by NCAA Wrestlers and making wrestlers all over inspired to be the best they can be then get your gear quick at Nearfallclothing.com. Shout out to Nick's Fight Club, FalloutMMA in Chicago for making me a top fighter and recognizing my skills. Babes of MMA for sponsoring me, Big State Remodeling, Bloody Knuckles and Apollo’s Karate.

Thank you too Chelsea for teaming up with Babes of MMA! New to Twitter so be sure to give Chelsea some shout outs @CColarelli. Good luck on fight night Chelsea!!

Fighter Babes Rousey and Budd Square Off Friday

Rising MMA stars Ronda "Rowdy" Rousey (3-0) and Julia "The Jewel" Budd (2-1) will square off Friday at Strikeforce: Britt vs. Sayers at the Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas and also live on Showtime at 11 PM ET.  This should be an amazing fight with the winner most likely being set up for a future title shot against one of two current champions Cris Cyborg or Miesha Tate depending on the direction Strikeforce plans to go with weight classes.  Wish the ladies good luck on Twitter @RondaRousey and @JuliaBudd.

Babes of UFC on Fox

Unless you were on the moon then you were probably watching UFC on Fox this past Saturday.  This was a historic event that brought MMA to the masses on the 18th anniversary of UFC 1.  In addition to that it was also UFC ring girl Arianny Celeste's birthday, what a special day it was.  Thanks to the beautiful ladies for sharing pictures and be sure to say hello to all of them on Twitter @AriannyCeleste, @KendaPerez and @ChandellaPowell.

Sexy Seager Condit

Check out the sexy shoot Seager Condit did with Headrush Brand.  Seager is a personal trainer, teaches some boxing, trained MMA for a few years, mother and did we mention the wife of UFC fighter Carlos Condit so keep those compliments nice.  Say hello to Seager on Twitter @MzSeager.  I think we can all agree that we can't wait for Seager's next photo shoot.