Through the Lens of Tracy Lee

Written by Jacob Nuesser

Courtesy of fightchix.com

If you have attended a major mixed martial arts event in the last four years, you have no doubt seen Tracy Lee. She is the pretty face ringside in designer jeans and MMA-branded top, welding her digital SLR and backpack with laptop and lenses. What sets Lee apart is that she is a self-made success story who has gained the trust of the fighters. That trust has lead to some of the most candid looks into fighters’ lives that have ever been documented.

Lee started off with a website called napkinnights.com. Living in Las Vegas, there is always a party going on, and that is where the photos started. Lee would shoot fighter after-parties and then started going to the fights. She enjoyed the fights, but since going to EVERY fight can be expensive, she started to shoot them so she could gain press access.

As Lee’s photography talents grew, her contacts and passion for the sport allowed her to branch out within the industry. She shoots a lot of the major clothing lines in the MMA industry, as well as outside the industry. She will also take on projects by performers and DJs. In the near future she will be working as the on set photographer for an upcoming movie. 

When asked how she has earned the trust of so many fighters Lee responds, “I’m not quite sure how it happened, but I don’t question it too much. The guys trust me, and it seems because one fighter does, that trust is often handed on to the next, and then the next. I appreciate that they do so that I can continue to bring unique content.” While some fighters remain a bit elusive due to management, Lee understands, and finds it harder to find the time to go between training camps and hit all the fights she attends.

Lee has gained access to some of the biggest names in the sport, in some of the most personal times. “They have been some of the most memorable times of my life. I shot BJ, Urijah and crew as they ran up an active volcano. I shot Rampage as he finished his training camp in Liverpool. I went to Harajuku and Roppongi with Denis Kang. I shot Randy Couture’s Christmas party and Dan Henderson’s celebratory BBQ and Annual Pig Roast. Each and every one of the experiences has been amazing. I am thankful that I started blogging in ‘08 because I have a diary to look back on for the rest of my life,” Lee said.

When asked if she has any favorites, Lee responds, “I love working with Dan, Urijah and Rampage although it’s not limited to those guys. That’s the awesome thing about being in this industry. So many are really down to earth and fun to be around.” 

Lee is solo on most of her fight journeys, but is always up for the adventure. She says the whole industry is a lot like a family. Her last trip to the UFC in Montréal included several after parties with MMA celebrities and she also introduced “Fighting” star, Channing Tatum, to Chuck Liddell. On the way to the introduction Tatum said “I’m gonna geek out”, star struck by his favorite fighter.

Tracy Lee has done a lot to capture private moments in the lives of several of the industries top MMA fighters, but her accomplishments extend beyond combatlifestyle.com. Her photos have appeared on yahoo.com, espn.com and several MMA sites, but Lee takes it all in stride. “You know, I have to admit that people enjoying my photos is one of my favorite things…I get emails and people coming up to me telling me that they enjoy what I am bringing to the table so it drives me to keep doing it and continue improving on it.”

With the recent passing of Charles “Mask” Lewis, Lee masterfully captured the emotion at the memorial service. She has, over the years, developed a friendship with the founders of Tapout. It was a personal favor to them that she was on location for the memorial, to document the event. She knew Lewis, but not as well as she would have liked, but feels fortunate to have spent as much time with him as she did. She has had a closer friendship with “Punkass” and says, “I can’t explain how awesome and down to earth they are.”

With as busy as Lee’s life is, one often wonders if and when she has any downtime -or even time for sleep. She has some breaks in between major fights, but often works on her blog and gears up for the next training camp or fight event. She used to train BJJ with Sergio Pehna in Las Vegas, but has been limited to workouts in hotel gyms, such is life, living on the road.

Tracy Lee is one of the hardest working women in the mixed martial arts industry. She has developed friendships that have allowed the general public access to the private lives of the sports brightest stars. She also appreciates other women in the industry. “There are a number of female photographers (Esther Lin, Daisy Rojas), Miss Rara from IMMAE, as well as Joanne from MMA Girls, and Melissa from the WEC. They are as passionate about the sport as I am and I’m lucky to be friends with them.” 

The next time you are at a fight event in Vegas or a major promotion like the UFC or Strikeforce, be sure to look for Tracy Lee. She will be easy to find rushing around to get the best shot. Just make sure you follow her, because adventure and MMA’s A-list are sure to appear.

For more information on Tracy Lee visit http://www.combatlifestyle.com

A True Professional

 

Written by Jacob Nuesser

Tara LaRosa is disgusted that Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos did not make weight…then blamed it on her menstrual cycle! This is UNACCEPTABLE and UNPROFESSIONAL, and shows complete lack of dedication!!

This was the status update on Facebook from highly regarded, but under-promoted women’s MMA fighter Tara LaRosa. LaRosa is currently the No. 1 ranked female Bantamweight fighter according to WAMMA. With a 17-1 record and unbeaten since 2003 it is easy to see why she deserves that ranking. What is interesting is that many of her wins come from common opponents with the likes of Gina Carano, who is wildly regarded as the face of women’s MMA.

Tara LaRosa has never missed weight.

LaRosa has always been athletic. She grew up playing field hockey, basketball, and softball. While she was in college she joined the judo club. Field hockey came and went, but the judo evolved into no gi grappling, Brazilian ju-jitsu and Muay Thai. She started fighting in MMA in 2001. 

LaRosa is a Bodog Champion and has fought in Hook and Shoot, SmackGirl, XFO, and recently, Extreme Challenge. She is a Jersey girl at heart, but now lives and trains in Philadelphia at the Fight Factory. Under the guidance of Steve Haigh, Ricky Lee, Zach Makovsky and Michael Rankin, LaRosa cross-trains in all disciplines as well as strength and conditioning. She is a complete mixed martial artist who has nine submission wins and three more by way of KO.

Before a fight, fighters backstage will sleep, grapple or hit pads. LaRosa’s ritual is a bit different. “It seems to be a ritual for me to get really incredibly nervous before a fight,” LaRosa said. “It starts about 7-10 days out from a fight, then in the locker room before a fight… I can’t stop straightening things up. I also listen to music a lot to calm my nerves… and after I warm up, until I am called to the ring… I dance. I’m the only one that can hear the music from my ipod, but I’m just dancing away like I’m in a club. I’m fairly certain that anyone who has seen this is convinced that I’m a nut case! It helps me keep the nerves under control.”

LaRosa doesn’t have one specific influence that brought her into fighting, but she appreciates the work ethic of wrestlers. She cites Randy Couture and Jens Pulver as fighters she has looked up to. She is also a fan of the “little guy divisions” and enjoys the fighting skills of Miguel Torres, Zach Makovsky, Nat McIntyre, Uriah Faber, and some of the 155ers: Eddie Alvarez, Joachim Hansen, Frankie Edgar, Clay Guida, and Diego Sanchez.

When asked what she thinks of the current state of Women’s MMA she responds, “I don’t really know what to think …We finally have internationally recognized rankings through WAMMA for the four largest women’s weight classes (115, 125, 135, and 145), and there are again opportunities for women to get television exposure again from Strike Force, and Bellator. So, I guess it’s moving forward again, from where we seemed to have stalled with the demise of EliteXC and BodogFIGHT.”

The trick for promoters outside of the UFC is to stay in business long enough to expose and promote women’s MMA to the general public. Often, like the men’s lighter weight classes, female MMA matches are fast paced with a greater emphasis on technique. Gina Carono’s fights are often Fight of the Night candidates.

Does the UFC need to add a women’s division for women’s MMA to thrive? LaRosa doesn’t think so. “I think it just needs to be marketed correctly, and in the right places to gain exposure,” LaRosa said. “The UFC would be nice though. I would imagine that the WEC would pick up a women’s division since it kind of fits there pretty well.”

The WEC is creating a home for lighter-weight fighters, and perhaps women will find a home there as well. If female fighters are going to be taken seriously, just like any fighter, they need to treat the sport with respect and professionalism. This is where some think a few of the highly promoted females have fallen short. Carano has repeatedly missed weight and recently Cyborg missed by several pounds. As two of the top female draws, this is completely unprofessional. Both Carano and Cyborg are fighting much lighter fighters.

Josh Barnett has some strong feelings on Cyborg’s weight issues . “Her (Cyborg) victory is hollow and her turning a blind eye to her lack of professionalism is deplorable,” Barnett said. “Never once was an apology uttered. Never once did I see one act of accountability. I don’t know how to say it in Portuguese, but Cyborg is deserving of no respect and no praise. If you were ever a fan, I’d find someone of better character and better heart.”

That person is Tara LaRosa.

LaRosa takes the sport very seriously. “Missing weight is a cardinal sin,” LaRosa said. “When you neglect to make weight, it shows a lack of professionalism, lack of dedication, and a huge lack of respect for your opponent, the promotion, and the sport and everyone in it… especially, when it is a highly publicized event.”

But is it actually harder for women to make weight? Not according to LaRosa. “No, it is not that hard for a woman to make weight… regardless of wherever you may happen to be during your menstrual cycle. I’ve had 18 fights over seven years, and I have never missed weight. Sometimes the cut has been easy, and sometimes it has been really tough… it tests your resolve. To me, training and making weight for a fight is the most tedious and grueling part of the whole sport… the actual fight itself is easy! So, I’m very disappointed with this epidemic of persons both male and female that are missing weight.”

The promoters have been smart so far in the building of Cyborg and Carano. They are often fighting women who are moving up in weight just to fight them. This gives them the illusion of dominance. When compared pound-for-pound, LaRosa thinks there is more talent out there that isn’t being pushed. According to LaRosa there are a lot of tough and complete female fighters out there, like Megumi Fuji, Rosi Sexton, Michelle Tavares, and Roxanne Modafferi.

“These women have more complete skill sets in MMA, and much more experience,” LaRosa said.

Would LaRosa want to fight Carano or Cyborg? “I’d be interested in fighting Gina or Cyborg, but something would have to be worked out since they are two weight classes higher than what I am fighting at currently,” LaRosa said.

LaRosa doesn’t want to compromise her career as a top fighter at 135 lbs. for the lure of being an overnight sensation at a higher weight class. She feels that being lured to fight in higher weight classes can often be a taking a fight your set up to lose.

She is currently in negations with Strikeforce, and hopefully the 135 lb. talent-rich women’s division will begin to get the promotion and exposure it needs. Women’s MMA needs professionals to advance the sport, and one of the most talented is waiting for her shot.

For more information on Tara LaRosa visit http://www.taralarosa.net
Jacob Nuesser is a certified Jeet Kune Do instructor and trains at Hackneys Combat and FLO MMA. He is also the co-founder of FIGHT CHIX Apparel (www.fightchix.com)
 

 

Cyborg, Carano on collision course

By Kevin Iole, Yahoo! Sports

Cristiane Santos could probably walk down the street in any major city in the U.S. and not have a soul recognize her.

Many fight fans may not recognize her real name.

But say her nickname, Cyborg, and the reaction is always the same: When is she going to fight Gina Carano?

Santos, a Brazilian who meets jiu-jitsu specialist Hitomi Akano of Japan on Saturday’s Strikeforce Card at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., on Showtime, has been on a collision course with mixed martial arts’ most popular female fighter almost from the moment she made her U.S. debut on an Elite XC card in Stockton, Calif., on July 26.

She fights like a female version of Wanderlei Silva, one of the most feared strikers in mixed martial arts history.

“I don’t think a day goes by that someone doesn’t ask me when Gina and Cyborg are going to fight,” Strikeforce promoter Scott Coker said. Strikeforce purchased many of the assets of Pro Elite, which was going out of business. Among them were the contracts of two of the most high-profile women in the business.

Saturday’s card is the first for Strikeforce since the purchase, but Coker said he never had planned to put Carano and Santos on this card. Carano, though, plans to fight again in the summer and that may be the time the fight occurs.

“Gina’s management wanted the fight right away, but it always seemed to make more sense to me to wait a little and to let it build,” Coker said.

Santos, 23, is as eager for the fight as Carano, which will be the biggest in women’s MMA history when it is held. Though Pro Elite considered it a pay-per-view bout, Coker said he’ll put the fight on Showtime.

She was a national-level handball player in Curritiba, Brazil, when Chute Boxe Academy trainer Rudimar Fedrigo happened to see her.

He saw her athleticism and her intensity and thought she’d be a natural for MMA. Santos, who was then known as Cristiane Justino, wasn’t so sure. But she reluctantly agreed to give it a try.

It turned out to be a life-changing event for her, and not just because she would go on to become among the elite female fighters in the world. On her first day in the gym, she met Evangelista Santos, an MMA fighter who was training at Chute Boxe. He eventually became her husband.

He, too, is nicknamed Cyborg, though there’s no argument in the family over who the real Cyborg is. “It’s his name,” she said. “I took it to honor him.” The Santoses aren’t the only couple in which both husband and wife became fighters – Randy and Kim Couture and Spencer and Emily Fisher are MMA fighters, while Brandon Vera is an MMA fighter and his wife, Kerry, is a Muay Thai boxer – though they’re the only ones who are known by the same name.

She said her style resembles her husband’s because he’s worked with her on her technique from the early days.

And she said it’s helped her mentally, as well. Every fighter has self doubts, but she said having a spouse who is a fighter as well makes a significant difference.

“He totally understands what I’m going through,” she said. “He’s an experienced fighter and has been around a long time. I may come across something I haven’t seen before and he can talk to me about it and explain it to me. And when I have a problem, he’s very understanding.”

She didn’t fight for nearly two years until joining Pro Elite, because she said there weren’t many women at or around her weight of between 140 and 150 pounds. She continued to train, but was getting frustrated by not being able to fight. Pro Elite, though, put it on two of its Elite XC cards and she suddenly skyrocketed to stardom.

“You just have to watch her first for a couple of minutes and you know why,” Coker said. “She’s like a Tasmanian Devil. From the first second, she’s all over you. She comes out and comes at you and tries to wear you down and knock you out. That’s the kind of fighter people love.”

Carano is one of the top draws in the sport, be it a man or a woman, and she also employs an entertaining style. Santos said she likes watching Carano fight, but would prefer to be the one in the cage swapping blows with her.

“She’s a pretty good fighter, but I don’t know how good she really is,” Santos said of Carano. “She always has a lot of media around her because she’s famous, but [fame] won’t win a fight. You have to do it in the cage.”

Santos said she doesn’t know all that much Akano, her opponent on Saturday, but insisted she won’t be looking ahead to a date with Carano.

“You know how MMA is,” she said. “There are so many ways to win and to lose. You have to be just as prepared for every fight. And I think one of my strengths is the way I prepare. I know [Akano] has very good jiu-jitsu, but my goal is to prove I’m an all-around fighter.”

FIGHT CHIX After Party this SUNDAY after Chicago WEC

BE THERE!

Fight Chix will be hosting another world famous after party at Level Night Club in Chicago after WEC Torres vs Mizugaki. Level is located at 1045 North Rush Street
Chicago, Illinois 60611. The party will get started at 11:30 at go until 5am! (SO TAKE MONDAY OFF) Be sure to say hello to Elisabeth and Jake and Trevor. We are looking for hot girls who have what it takes to be a FIGHT CHIX model!

First 100 people in the door who mention FIGHT CHIX get a free prize!

Rumored to be there, Urijah Faber, PunkAss from TapouT, Miss Rara, Tracy Lee, and more!

Tara LaRosa—the Best Women’s MMA has to offer.

Tara LaRosa born in Woodstown, New Jersey is a professional female mixed martial artist who previously fought in BodogFIGHT. She was the first and final BodogFIGHT 135 lbs champion. She recently defeated HOOKnSHOOT 125 lbs champion Cody Welchin in a non title fight at a HOOKnSHOOT/BodogFIGHT co-sponsored event. She is considered one of the top female Mixed Martial Arts fighter holding wins over other top Mixed Martial Arts fighters including of note Amanda Buckner and Kelly Kobald. LaRosa is presently signed with the American Fight League.

Tara has a 17-1 record and as a multiple champion in various promotions it is only a matter of time before this star gets to shine with the growth of Women’s MMA.

Tara said she would shoot us some photos from an upcoming shoot—but here is a shot of one of her BJJ trainers.

For more information on this crowd pleasing fighter check out her site at http://taralarosa.net/

APRIL NEWS

Signature Shirts for Jennifer Widerstrom and Miss Rara will be released in April. They are in production now and you can pre-order today. Fight Chix Bikini is available NOW. The Track Jacket Sport, as seen at the Arnold Fitness Expo, is ready to ship.

This month’s bundle is going to be the April Booty Bundle…all 3 colors of booty shorts for $33.

If you are in Chicago for the WEC, be sure to hit up the FIGHT CHIX after-party at LEVEL where we will be looking for FIGHT CHIX models and hanging with Fighters! Say FIGHT CHIX at the door for a free gift to the first 100 people!

Get Ready for the Sexy Side of MMA this summer

We also want to express our love for Tapout and their fallen leader MASK. He continues to inspire us with his message to believe.
enter Believe for 10% off your order.