Fighter Babe Melissa Karagianis Returns to the Cage this Friday

Fighter babe Melissa Karagianis (2-0) returns to the cage this Friday for King of the Cage: Declaring War at the Black Bear Casino in Carlton, Minnesota. Fighting out of Toronto, Canada we recently caught up with the CUFF atomweight champion prior to her big fight this Friday for the interview below to learn a little more about her.

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

-So, I started martial arts at a young age earning my black belt in Taekwondo at 16. I then took time off training to focus on school. Shortly after I felt like I needed to get back into shape so I started Muay Thai classes. I fell in love with Muay Thai and competed regularly picking up several North American titles. I then transitioned into MMA about 2 years ago.

What's a typical training week like for you?

-I train at 6ix MMA in Toronto and my head MMA coach is Danny Beauclerc. I stay active all year round because I love training to be in fight shape. When I'm in fight camp I train 6 days a week. I usually split up my days with strength and conditioning in the morning and MMA training in the evening. I just started training at Striation 6 where I've added the Isophit into my strength training routine. I'm feeling stronger than ever! As for my MMA training it changes daily. I'm so lucky to train with a talented team that pushes me which allows me to keep growing as a fighter. I'm definitely the smallest at my gym which I think gives me an advantage when I'm in the cage fighting other atomweights.

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

-My upcoming fight is with King of the Cage December 9th in Minnesota. I'm fighting Jayme Hinshaw. This will be my second fight with KOTC.

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

-My best experience so far has been winning fight of the night when I fought for CUFF last November. It was my first MMA fight so that makes it extra special. I can't say I have any bad experiences with fighting. Every time you step in the ring or cage it's a learning experience.

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

-I recommend MMA to everyone, especially to women. You don't need to be a fighter to train MMA. It's a fun way to stay fit and learn self-defense. It's never boring and a great way to relieve some stress!

Who are your favorite MMA fighters?

-My favorite MMA fighters are Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Cowboy Cerrone.

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

-When I'm not fighting, or training I really value my down time. I use this time to catch up with friends and family. I have a very busy schedule as I also work as a hairstylist. I enjoy food a lot! Lol. So, when I'm not cutting weight I like to get dressed up and check out the newest restaurants.

Lastly before we let you go we would love to hear about your future plans and let you send some shout outs.

Any future plans or dreams?

-I plan on fighting regularly and hopefully I'll be fighting for the KOTC atomweight title in the near future.

Any shout outs you would like to make?

-I'd like to give a shout out to my team at 6ix MMA.

Thank you very much for your time Melissa and good luck on fight night! Click here for more event information including tickets and send your shout outs to Melissa on Facebook and Instagram!

Posted on December 6, 2016 by www.babesofmma.com