This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/scotland-blog/2012/nov/05/scotland-women-cagefighting
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| The cage-fighting trainee nurse hoping to conquer America | The cage-fighting trainee nurse hoping to conquer America |
| (8 days later) | |
| A former nursing assistant from Lanark, polite and softly-spoken, is hoping to take America by storm as Scotland's first female professional cage fighter. | A former nursing assistant from Lanark, polite and softly-spoken, is hoping to take America by storm as Scotland's first female professional cage fighter. |
| Joanne Calderwood gave up plans to qualify as a nurse to train full time as a fighter in mixed martial arts (MMA). Now she finds herself on the brink of fame after an emphatic victory in the United States. | Joanne Calderwood gave up plans to qualify as a nurse to train full time as a fighter in mixed martial arts (MMA). Now she finds herself on the brink of fame after an emphatic victory in the United States. |
| Calderwood knocked out opponent Ashley "Smashley" Cummins (YouTube footage here) in the first round of their fight in Kansas City in October. It took her unbeaten professional record to four straight wins, making her one of Britain's most successful international competitors in a sport its critics regard with wariness and distaste. | Calderwood knocked out opponent Ashley "Smashley" Cummins (YouTube footage here) in the first round of their fight in Kansas City in October. It took her unbeaten professional record to four straight wins, making her one of Britain's most successful international competitors in a sport its critics regard with wariness and distaste. |
| While the inclusion of women's boxing in the 2012 Olympics has shone a spotlight on the likes of British gold medallist Nicola Adams, mixed martial arts fighters like Calderwood have remained largely out of the public eye. | While the inclusion of women's boxing in the 2012 Olympics has shone a spotlight on the likes of British gold medallist Nicola Adams, mixed martial arts fighters like Calderwood have remained largely out of the public eye. |
| Yet in the United States, where women's MMA is "really huge", she says, promoters are looking for her next opponent. | Yet in the United States, where women's MMA is "really huge", she says, promoters are looking for her next opponent. |
| Modest and quietly-voiced, with aspirations to become a nurse, Calderwood doesn't fit the stereotypical image of someone who fights for a living. But with three knockouts to her name, no one in her sport is doubting her credentials: | Modest and quietly-voiced, with aspirations to become a nurse, Calderwood doesn't fit the stereotypical image of someone who fights for a living. But with three knockouts to her name, no one in her sport is doubting her credentials: |
| Everyone in America thought I was really quiet. But when I'm in the cage I really come out of my shell. | Everyone in America thought I was really quiet. But when I'm in the cage I really come out of my shell. |
| Calderwood's first experience of combat sports came when she began training in Muay Thai kick-boxing aged 13. | Calderwood's first experience of combat sports came when she began training in Muay Thai kick-boxing aged 13. |
| My brother was meant to be going to a class with a friend. | My brother was meant to be going to a class with a friend. |
| The friend pulled out, so I went along to keep him company. He didn't keep it up, but I did. My mum was really supportive - she thought it would be good for my confidence. | The friend pulled out, so I went along to keep him company. He didn't keep it up, but I did. My mum was really supportive - she thought it would be good for my confidence. |
| Calderwood excelled in training, eventually embarking on a competitive career and facing opponents from around the world, even travelling to fight in Bangkok. But while she racked up victories in the ring, the pressures of training while holding down a job were considerable. | Calderwood excelled in training, eventually embarking on a competitive career and facing opponents from around the world, even travelling to fight in Bangkok. But while she racked up victories in the ring, the pressures of training while holding down a job were considerable. |
| I was working at Central Ayrshire hospital. | I was working at Central Ayrshire hospital. |
| It was tough because I was doing twelve hour shifts and working nights. I was planning to go to university and become a nurse, but it would have been hard to fit training around my studies. | It was tough because I was doing twelve hour shifts and working nights. I was planning to go to university and become a nurse, but it would have been hard to fit training around my studies. |
| I decided that I really wanted to fight, and I'm only going to have about ten years where I'm able to do that, so while I'd still like to go to uni, it's something that I can do later on. | I decided that I really wanted to fight, and I'm only going to have about ten years where I'm able to do that, so while I'd still like to go to uni, it's something that I can do later on. |
| The decision paid off. Calderwood's Muay Thai record stands at 19 wins and two losses. She has captured British, European and world championships. | The decision paid off. Calderwood's Muay Thai record stands at 19 wins and two losses. She has captured British, European and world championships. |
| But when she saw a mixed martial arts training session, she realised that she wanted a new challenge. | But when she saw a mixed martial arts training session, she realised that she wanted a new challenge. |
| She was entering a controversial sport. | She was entering a controversial sport. |
| Popularised by the success of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, mixed martial arts has been portrayed by critics as a brutal spectacle, and is opposed by the British Medical Association. | Popularised by the success of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, mixed martial arts has been portrayed by critics as a brutal spectacle, and is opposed by the British Medical Association. |
| Competitors can attack with punches, kicks, knees and elbows or employ a range of chokes and joint locks to force an opponent to submit. The controversy over children as young as eight apparently encouraged to cage-fight in Preston in September 2011 added to its notoriety. | Competitors can attack with punches, kicks, knees and elbows or employ a range of chokes and joint locks to force an opponent to submit. The controversy over children as young as eight apparently encouraged to cage-fight in Preston in September 2011 added to its notoriety. |
| MMA aficiondos insist the Preston incident was not cage-fighting, but a form of wrestling. Fans and fighters argue that MMA has a better safety record than other sports and requires high levels of technical skill and physical fitness. | MMA aficiondos insist the Preston incident was not cage-fighting, but a form of wrestling. Fans and fighters argue that MMA has a better safety record than other sports and requires high levels of technical skill and physical fitness. |
| Calderwood has risen quickly in the sport, making her debut at Glasgow's Kelvin Hall, a venue long associated with top-level boxing matches – it hosts the UK Cage Warriors competition in December. She took a fight in India on four weeks' notice before coming to the attention of the US promotion Invicta Fighting Championships, which showcases women's MMA. | Calderwood has risen quickly in the sport, making her debut at Glasgow's Kelvin Hall, a venue long associated with top-level boxing matches – it hosts the UK Cage Warriors competition in December. She took a fight in India on four weeks' notice before coming to the attention of the US promotion Invicta Fighting Championships, which showcases women's MMA. |
| Calderwood's trainer, Guy Ramsay, said that her success was down to hard work and dedication. | Calderwood's trainer, Guy Ramsay, said that her success was down to hard work and dedication. |
| If you were to sum her up in one word, it would be 'focus'. There's no secret to it, she just trains incredibly hard. | If you were to sum her up in one word, it would be 'focus'. There's no secret to it, she just trains incredibly hard. |
| A former international level Thai boxer, Ramsay set up his Glasgow Griphouse gym in 2005. He said that MMA had gained popularity in recent years. | A former international level Thai boxer, Ramsay set up his Glasgow Griphouse gym in 2005. He said that MMA had gained popularity in recent years. |
| The growth has been exponential. | The growth has been exponential. |
| At the moment there's a show every two or three weeks. There are people putting on shows everywhere from Inverness right down to the Borders. And particularly in Glasgow I think there's been a transition from boxing to Muay Thai and now MMA is superseding everything. | At the moment there's a show every two or three weeks. There are people putting on shows everywhere from Inverness right down to the Borders. And particularly in Glasgow I think there's been a transition from boxing to Muay Thai and now MMA is superseding everything. |
| Ramsay said people came to the sport for a variety of reasons. | Ramsay said people came to the sport for a variety of reasons. |
| There's about a fifty-fifty split between people who want to fight and people who train for fitness. | There's about a fifty-fifty split between people who want to fight and people who train for fitness. |
| But a lot of folks start out looking to get fit and find they really want to compete. | But a lot of folks start out looking to get fit and find they really want to compete. |
| Some people don't think of themselves as fighters at first because they don't fit a certain stereotype, but that stereotype doesn't really exist. We have doctors, nurses, lawyers, carpenters all training with us. The only thing that matters is your willingness to try. | Some people don't think of themselves as fighters at first because they don't fit a certain stereotype, but that stereotype doesn't really exist. We have doctors, nurses, lawyers, carpenters all training with us. The only thing that matters is your willingness to try. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. Enter your email address to subscribe. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. Enter your email address to subscribe. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |