How did you get involved in MMA and how long have you been training?
-I started training at age 15, so almost 10 years. My husband Randall and I have been together since I was 12 and he started training and coming home and "practicing" on me. By the 20th time I'd been kicked in the face I decided it was time to learn and "practice" on him!
Where are you currently training, and what's a typical training week like for you?
-I train at a lot of gyms. My main gym is the facility my husband and I run, The S.H.O.P. MMA & Fitness Training Center. I also train at The House of Pain, Relson Gracie Jiu Jitsu Academy, and Title Boxing Club. I train anywhere from 36-42 hours a week. My typical day consists of an a.m. and a p.m. session of technique and sparring. On days that I coach I do my strength and conditioning training and in between naps.
Tell us about your upcoming fight, who you're fighting and where?
-I will be fighting on The Invicta FC3 card in Kansas City on October 6th. I will be taking on Michelle "Karate Hottie" Waterson as I debut at 105 lbs. She is 9-3 with six of her wins coming by submission. She is a well rounded fighter and it looks to be a very exciting match!
What is your best experience as a fighter? What is your worst?
-The coolest experience I've had is meeting Kevin Randleman before one of my amateur matches at Tuff-N-Uff. He told me to get a big slam for him and I did, he was really cool about it, he was a legend when I got into MMA so it was pretty awesome for me!
-The worst was when I showed up to one of my amateur matches and the girl I was supposed to fight turned out to be prego! She was stoked I was pissed!
What advice would you give to other women who are reading this interview and want to get started in MMA?
-Find "real" people to train with, coach you, manage you, and promote you. This is a dark sport with everyone wanting to be the best and in the process people will walk all over your dreams to reach theirs! Finding quality training where you get a wide mix of every discipline is very important!!!
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?
-Like I said before quality training is a must! There are too many females out there that get by on being tough! Evaluate your training, if you are not technically sound take time off from competing and fix it. Competition will always be there, skipping the work to do so will only cost you in the long run! Bad training leads to poor records you can’t dig your way out of! Unfortunately that’s the case with many gals out there and that’s exactly why mainstream isn't interested! Invicta's on the right track with the talent they fill their cards with!
When do you think we will see women divisions in the UFC?
-Never! I think Strikeforce will be Dana's way of not putting his foot in his mouth about women competing in the UFC. I think he will turn that into a female and male feeder promotion. He'll eventually see the money it makes and have to incorporate the ladies somehow to fill his pockets fuller.
What or who are your inspirations in MMA and life?
-Well as corny as it sounds my husband Randall Schuckman is a HUGE inspiration to me! He has faced a lot of adversity in this sport and has never quit! He took time off to train and since he has gone undefeated in MMA, Muay Thai, and Boxing. He won Golden Gloves this year and I just admire his work ethic! He never quits trying to improve and he has truly been blessed with the talent of coaching!
Who are your favorite MMA fighters?
-I like Josh Grispi, Vitor Belfort, Amanda Nunes, Megumi Fuji, and Dominic Cruz.
How do you enjoy your free time when not training or fighting?
-I don't really have much free time. If I’m not competing, Randall or one of my students is competing so I rarely get time off. I do like going out to eat, hiking, tubing, really any outdoor activity. I like to build Japanese drift cars, preferably Nissan Z's. I also really like interior design, I love decorating!
Of course we have a few questions for the male readership as well.
Are you single?
-Happily married for 5 years.
What are your turn-ons?
-Confidence.
What are your turnoffs?
-Insecurity.
What would you say is your best feature?
-I think I have a pretty witty sense of humor! I love to shoot the shit with the guys!
Any future plans or dreams?
-To be #1!
Any shout outs you would like to make?
-I'd like to thank my head coach Randall Schuckman, my BJJ Professor Joaquin Baca, and all my training partners! I would like to thank all my sponsors, Babes of MMA, Tussle Fight Gear, 303 Ink, Altitude Organic Medicine, Tan Time, Klench Kustoms, Botanico, and Sparta Combat League you help make this possible for me! Last but not least, I want to thank the good Lord, he is my strength and my rock!!!
Thanks for your time Lacey, proud to sponsor you and we can’t wait for your successful debut at 105 this Saturday at Invicta FC in Kansas City, KS. For the latest on Lacey visit her website, Facebook and Twitter pages.
Michelle Waterson defeated Lacey Schuckman via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28).
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