What influenced your decision to switch from kickboxing and Muay Thai to MMA? "I started off with kickboxing and just loved fighting and competing. I knew I wanted to dedicate my life to fighting. At that time it was all i knew. A few years into fighting I was on a reality tv show "Fight Girls" and started competing muay thai. From the show many more opportunities arose and I was exposed to more than just kickboxing. After the show I was contacted to host a local MMA show called "Combat Wire" on the show I had the chance to work with and interview MMA fighters like Clay Guida, Bas Rutten and Miguel Torres. This exposed me to MMA and really made me want to get into it so I would have more opportunities to fight. And it really seemed like that was the way to go as far as really making a career out of fighting. I started training at Clay Guidas gym and continued to compete in muay thai and also MMA."
A majority of your fights have been won by way of decision. Is your strategy usually to outlast and outperform your opponent or would you prefer to win by KO or submission? "I have been so consistent with fighting over the past 10 years and have never gotten away from training so my body is really always conditioned to go the distance in a fight. I think just like when I started training in kickboxing I took a lot more risks. With MMA one mistake could cost you the entire fight. Or if you lose a dominant position you could be fighting from the back that entire round and lose because of that. My fights strategy has always been to think a step ahead and stay safe and not make mistakes that can cost me the fight. But I'm trying to break away from that and be more dynamic and take more risks. I have the athletic ability to do that but I've been so focused on just controlling the fight. I know a lot of it comes a little bit from ego. I was so use to winning and being at the top of the game in kickboxing and muay thai. When I started MMA I had to start as a pro and started out 0-2 . But I knew I was better than that. After that I just focused more on knowing the sport and what judges look for. And it's all about controlling a top dominant position. But now I'm ranked #5 in the straw weight division and have proved I can hang with the best. I have been working with my coaches on being more dynamic and stepping out of my comfort zone. I believe in my fights to come; you will see a much more dynamic Felice Herrig. Don't get me wrong I always bring it and I always show up to fight. I'm constantly evolving and working my weakness's and this is just the next step for me."
What is your most memorable MMA moment? "Every fight is my most memorable fight. Because no fight is the same and the level of competition just keeps going up and up. Every fight feels like the most important fight of my career and the biggest test. For me I have to over come a lot of mental battles with my fights. Most of the girls I fight end up trying to trash talk me so it puts more pressure on me to beat them. My last fight against Heather Clark was a huge test for me, knowing she was a 125 pound fighter and at one time was ranked in the top 10. She came down to fight me and had been running her mouth for the past 2 years. So for me it was a great victory to beat her. And there was a lot of controversy afterward because I let my emotions get the best of me when I screamed in her face. I know it was not the right thing to do and it showed lack of sportsmanship on my part. But it's very hard to contain your emotions at a time like that. Especially when I kept quiet my entire training camp as she was running her mouth and talking poorly of me. So for me it was such a memorable moment. But again it may be just because it was the last fight I had. I don't think I will really be able to pick out the most memorable moment of my career until I'm all done with fighting. Even then it's like picking a favorite child. All my fights are special to me in a different way."
What goals are you currently working towards in your MMA career? "I'm always working on setting new goals and becoming a more well rounded and complete fighter. I am always looking at the areas in my game I need to improve on. I don't wish to share them just because that's information I don't' really want future or potential opponents to see. But aside from MMA I really want to use my experience in MMA to break off into doing something in the ways of the entertainment industry. It's always been my dream since I was a little girl to be an actress and play a super hero in a movie. I can't fight forever. I would like to make my mark in MMA and solidify myself as one of the pioneers who helped pave the way for the future of WMMA"You lost your MMA debut fight against Iman Achhal, did that discourage you at all or was it a driving force? "Of course it discouraged me. Most fighters are very competitive and don't take loses so easily. And I was use to winning. I went 27-3 in kickboxing so It was very frustrating to come into MMA and have to start all over again. What was even more discouraging was she won by stalling. All she did was push me up against the cage and hug me, without even improving her position. I'm a fighter and I want to fight. But it showed me that that was the name of the game in MMA and I couldn't sit around and know why I lost without making the adjustments that I needed to. It really made me focus on getting the training that I needed to improve my grappling. I tried out so many gyms across the country. I wanted to do whatever it took to make sure that I would get to the top in MMA just as I did in kickboxing."
What is the weirdest thing a fan has asked you to autograph? "I have had so many items sent to my gym to sign and send back. None of them are really weird to me because we all have our own quirks. I'm just thankful to have fans care enough to support me. I remember though one time at a fight event a drunk guy came up to me and took his shirt off and had me sign his chest. That was a little weird. But for me nothing is really too weird. I like to have fun and just enjoy life and please the fans."
You seem to be very active on twitter often interacting with fans, what is the strangest thing tweeted to you? "The strangest thing I've ever been tweeted is probably not even appropriate to write down. Guys get pretty vulgar on twitter. One guy sent me a message saying " I would like to lick the soles of your dirty, stinky feet" other guys send me naked pictures on my fan page. I get some really weird messages. But a lot of the ones that are so off the top I'm sure are just to get attention .But I've really seen it all when it comes to weird, creepy tweets."
Do you have any per or post fight rituals? "Every fight i keep adding pre and post fight rituals so its hard to keep up now. All my fights have a theme. I design and have all my fight outfits custom made. And then I always look for little signs before the fight . For instance, my last fight I did an entire super girl theme. So leading up to the fight if i saw someone in a super man shirt or such I would say to myself or whoever I'm with " look its a sign" Its so quirky but I think it helps take my mind off of the fight. Everything involving my fight has to match. I go shopping and make sure everything for weigh ins matches my fight outfit and even my after fight party outfit and the ribbons in my hair. I'm not sure if that's more of a ritual or OCD lol. :) After weigh ins I always go to Outback steakhouse and get 2 lobster tails, a baked potato and salad. And I have a charm bracelet specifically for my fights. I get a new charm after every fight. Its like my trophy bracelet. Even when I get down and think sometimes maybe things aren't going my way I look down at it as see how much I've accomplished. As you can see I'm a very complex person."
Felice I want to thank you for your time, is there anything else you would like to add?
"Everyone make sure to follow me on twitter @feliceherrig and like my fan page.
And thank you to all my sponsors- Alienware, Allmax, Americana MMA , Battleware, SoldierFit, Extreme Fit nutrition and Dom Fight Gear. and my management SuckerpunchEnt and all my coaches at Team Curran."
And thank you to all my sponsors- Alienware, Allmax, Americana MMA , Battleware, SoldierFit, Extreme Fit nutrition and Dom Fight Gear. and my management SuckerpunchEnt and all my coaches at Team Curran."
