If you have been following our blog, you know I have been
preparing for my 2nd fight. Now, it has been a little over one week
since I fought at Trinity Kickboxing Championship 2 in Rahway New Jersey, and I
am here to tell you all about it.
After returning from Thailand I was feeling more ready than ever to step into the ring. I knew that my technique had improved and my drive had heightened, but most importantly I could feel my mental state in the perfect place.
Camp and Weight Cut...
My fight camp was much more laid back than I had anticipated it would be. Between working full time, and making time for my family, finding hours to spend at the gym and training was impossible. I found myself training Muay Thai 3 times a week and hitting the gym maybe 2 times a week if I was lucky. I really started to realize the importance of quality over quantity. I am lucky enough to have amazing trainers who give me the freedom to adjust my own camp based on my needs and weaknesses. For this fight I really wanted to focus on pacing myself, using the ring, and harnessing aggression. With that goal in mind, I spent most of my time sparring and working on tactical approaches, while still getting technical work in as well.
Making weight for this fight was much tougher than had hoped it would be. I normally walk around at about 145-147lbs, and for this fight I had to cut down to 130lbs (I normally fight at 135lbs). Luckily for me, I shed roughly 10lbs while training in Thailand. With two weeks left until the fight I had about 6lbs to lose, no sweat right? Wrong, my weight cut came down to the wire... For more elaboration on my weight cut check out our previous posts!24 Hour Weight Cut and Weight Cut Struggles
Day of Weigh Ins...
Finally the day of weigh ins has arrived! I woke up in the morning feeling nothing but excitement and focus. Paul and I headed over to my hairdresser Alicia's house to get my bright red locks cornrowed. It's funny, but it was not until I looked in the mirror when all was said and done, that I felt like I was actually going to be fighting. We had planned to go to the gym and spend some time cutting the last of my weight in the sauna before making the trip out to Jersey, but due to time constraints we headed straight to the gym to meet up with our trainer Ed Thornton and fellow fighter Tony. At this point I haven't had anything to eat or drink for upwards of 18 hours, yikes! We loaded up the car and got on the road to Rahway! A few hours and several tolls later, we arrived at our hotel.
After a few grueling hours of last minute weight cutting, it was finally time to weigh in!! We headed over to the address we were given, come to find out its actually a bar! We all piled into the dark and crowded bar and waited for the weigh ins to begin. I will say, the one thing I love about the Muay Thai and Kickboxing community is how friendly and humble almost everyone is. While waiting for the actual weigh ins to start we got a chance to mingle with some familiar faces, coaches, and fellow warriors, it was a good way to keep the mind off of the insatiable hunger I felt. At last, they called my name! Check out the clip of weigh ins. Sam and Christina Face Off . I chuckle every time I watch that clip. I am normally a very smiley and friendly person, but clearly the weight cut struggle had my mind in a whole new place...
Time to refuel! As soon as Tony and I weighed in, we ran out of there to eat and drink, and become human again! We spent the night eating Pho (a Vietnamese soup) and drinking as much water as possible, of course there was some other foods and fruits and goodness thrown in there too. Finally feeling like a person again, I was more focused than ever.
Fight Night
I woke up in the morning with a sense of peace. I knew how it felt to get hit, kicked, kneed, swept, knocked out, and beaten down mentally, there was nothing I couldn't endure. I knew in my head and heart that whether I got my hand raised in the end or not, I had already won. If you can do something you love, push all your limits, and inspire people along the way, you have won much more than a fight.
We stepped out to grab breakfast before heading over to the Recreation Center. We arrived just in time to wait in line for fighter physicals, my favorite... I was in and out of there in no time. As I walked around the venue, I imagined myself stepping out into the spotlight and onto the ring. I imagined hearing my walk out song play in echoing room. ( Sail- AWOLNATION ). I pictured the whole fight in my head time and time again from the beginning to the end, until it felt like I had done this 100 times.
I felt calm, too calm to be fighting that night. I kept waiting for the anxiety, for the butterflies in my stomach to start fluttering, but it never happened. I knew I needed to do something to get myself amped up. Luckily for me, my team mate Tony was fighting his bout before mine. He went out there and went to war with his opponent! He lost by close decision to a Jersey native after three tough rounds of battle. Knowing how hard he trained and how much he wanted that win gave me them last bit of motivation I needed. I was ready to take that win without question.
We tapped gloves, and it had started! Normally I am not a fighter who throws lots and lots of volume, I try to pick my combinations and pace myself. That was not the case for this fight, not at all. Through all three rounds Christina and I stood in the pocket and left it all in the ring. The first round caught me by surprise, I had not expected her to move forward so much, I knew I had to push back the last two rounds. My legs felt like bricks and throwing kicks was nearly impossible (definitely something to work on). Somewhere in that second round I reinjured my right pectoral muscle which I had previously injured in training a week or so before the fight. I relied on my jab to pull me through the rest of the fight. When that last bell rang, every person in that venue was cheering and screaming, I had never heard people so excited before. I knew we must have put on one hell of a show. Check out my fight video! Samantha vs Christina Trinity 130lbs
As we stood side by side waiting to hear the results, I was nervous for the first time. I knew I had poured my heart into that ring, I had hoped it was enough. I fought against a tough girl, who was unafraid and wanted it just as bad as me. When they announced that I had won by unanimous decision ... I was so incredibly happy!! My first win!!
I am lucky enough to be a part of the fight team at Thornton Martial Arts and Fitness in East Hartford CT. Ed and Lynda Thornton are two of the greatest people, trainers, mentors, and friends anyone could ask for. I could never thank them enough for all their sacrifice in making our dreams reality.
I have amazing training and sparring partners who help push me, even when I feel like I've given up on myself.
Without all of these people, I would have never made it this far.
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