Tara LaRosa rode underneath all the hype that drove the preceived battle of the best women in MMA in August.
LaRosa will be back in the cage Nov. 20 in a small show in Philadelphia, about a month after competing at the U.S. Grappling World Team Trials in Phoenix Oct. 22-24.
LaRosa, a Woodstown, N.J. native, watched when Cris Cyborg pounded out Gina Carano to win the brand-new belt at 145 pounds in Strikeforce. She listened a little to the debaters that elevated Cyborg to the title of best pound-for-pound fighter on the women's side.
Outspoken and opinionated when she chooses, it's not the pursuit of fame or money that drives LaRosa to fight. It's the competition.
While rankings often are not worth the cyberspace they take up, LaRosa is No. 1 in WAMMA's 135-pound division, although she has contracted her last four fights at 125 pounds. Above that, she is considered by many to be the best pound-for-pound female mixed martial artist, despite a recent lack of victories over big-named opponents.
On Nov. 20, she will fight 125-pounder Valerie Coolbaugh, whose 3-2 record pales in comparison to LaRosa's 17-1 mark. They have one common opponent in Sally Krumdiack, who made Coolbaugh's pro debut a defeat in 2008 but lost to LaRosa earlier this year.
LaRosa should be in good shape for the fight, as she will have to cut down to 121 pounds for the U.S. Grappling World Team Trials. Should she make the team a third straight year, LaRosa will compete in the 2009 Grappling World Championships in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Dec. 12-13.
The MMA fight card, titled "Locked In the Cage", takes place at a new venue in Philadelphia called Sherman Hills/Alexander Hall, located at 3510 Scotts Lane, Bldg. 28. LaRosa's Philly Fight Factory teammate, Wilson Reis, also is on the card, slated to face Dwayne Shelton.
Comments