The rise of female fighters in MMA

Since the debut of the UFC in 1993, Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) has become a worldwide phenomenon. But whereas it was more or less a street fight in its early days, it has become an art form practiced by millions around the world. And what started off as a competition for men has gradually shifted over to women MMA fighters working their way into the spotlight.

I’ve recently spoken with one of the top amateur female MMA fighters in the country—Glena Avila. Glena is a fighter out of Portland, Oregon, and since her debut in September of 2009, she has been turning heads amongst the MMA world due to her outstanding performances in the cage and her unrelenting desire to get better every fight.

A long time fan of MMA and growing up with several brothers, Glena was familiar with wrestling and was interested in learning all aspects of MMA. She quickly learned submission techniques from her boyfriend who was a fighter, and she knew she wanted to compete in the cage.

“I took the first fight pretty cold without too much formal training,” says Glena. “Once the fight started my experience with wrestling took over, and at 1:17 of the first round the referee stopped the fight and I earned my first victory."

From there her amateur career seemed to take off rather quickly. Only three months following her first win she found herself in the cage with an experienced fighter, Janna Piper. Although she was a heavy underdog going into the fight because of Piper’s vast boxing background and MMA experience, Glena went out and fought her fight and won her first belt via split decision victory.

“Once I got the belt I realized my potential in MMA,” says Glena. “Beating Janna showed me that I could go far in this sport, so I started training more and dedicating time to perfecting my skills.”

Since becoming part of The Full Contact Fighting Federation, owned and operated by UFC Middleweight contender Chael Sonnen, Glena has won the championship title, has successfully defended her title and has become the first female to hold two titles in two different weight classes at the same time.

What stands out about Glena is that outside of the cage you would never think she was one of the best up-and-coming MMA fighters in the country. Behind her friendly smile and girl next door appearance is a multi-talented fighter looking to take down any obstacle that stands in her path.

“The spirit of competing is what motivates me to get out there and give it my all, fight after fight,” says Glena. “I’m there to win just like anybody else, and once the door to the cage closes, I’m all about business.”

When the all star fighter is not training or fighting in defense of her two titles, she works full time and spends as much time as she can with her 9 year old daughter.

“My daughter is the greatest motivation I have, and she is the reason I train so hard and strive to get better each fight,” says Glena.

In the near future Glena and her team prepare to start taking her fights on a national level to gauge how she fares against opponents from around the country. She hopes to be turning pro within the next year.

Glena Avila is living proof that anybody can achieve their dreams if they work hard enough. Through her fights she wants to send the message to women around the world to go after what they want and don’t stop until they get it. She encourages women to get out there and try MMA if that is something they are interested in.

“I want it to be known that women have the potential to do anything guys can do and we should never put limits on ourselves,” says Glena. “If we have a dream or desire we shouldn’t let other people hold us back; things don’t always come easy but by working hard we can make it happen like anyone else.”

Keep an eye out for the name Glena Avila as she continues to rise amongst the ranks of the best female amateur MMA fighters.

“Lastly I’d like to give a shout out to Rise Above MMA (the best gym in the Pacific Northwest for female fighters), Weather the Storm MMA (where I got my start), Tussle Fight Gear, Restless Clothing, Explosive Fighter, Columbia Laser Skin Center, and last but not least The Oregon Veterans’ Home.”