Katie Perez will debut in Rizin FF in opposition to Kate Lotus on Might tenth. Along with her first battle in one of many largest promotions on the earth coming in opposition to a surging contender with lots of combative cache in Lotus, when discussing this chance, all elements thought-about, Katie Perez mentioned [via Bowks Talking Bouts],
“Yeah, it’s a giant deal for me. It’s very thrilling. It seems like a pure end result of lots of effort, time that’s been put in constantly. It’s form of a type of such as you maintain grinding, grinding, grinding, maintain your head down, and the reward for that’s alternative. You simply form of must maintain working at it. I undoubtedly have a checkered report when it comes to my total success. Numerous that has to do with the thoughts house I’ve been in and the way in which I’ve been capable of apply myself in my fights.”
“However I do consider that the standard of coaching I’ve, my ability degree, that is precisely the place I’m imagined to be. That is simply the subsequent step on my journey. It’s not like a ending level. It’s like the subsequent step for the subsequent chapter. So, I’m very excited.”
When requested if she is working with a sports activities psychologist and if not, what has made the distinction in overcoming this psychological hurdle, Katie Perez acknowledged [via Bowks Talking Bouts],
“No. Yeah, completely. I feel individuals say it quite a bit that like preventing is 90% psychological and 10% bodily. All of us give attention to the bodily. We’re coaching six days every week, hours day by day, courses and studying. However then like onerous software whether or not it’s sparring, or rolling, or power and conditioning applications. So like all of us you realize pay lip service to the truth that it’s 90% psychological and 10% bodily.”
“However I feel the coaching tends to replicate an emphasis on the bodily and also you simply form of neglect to domesticate that mindset. I do know all through my profession, I’ve struggled quite a bit with imposter syndrome. With not believing that I’m able to this. I nonetheless have a tough time typically considering of myself as an athlete. Like I’ll be like I’m an athletic individual.”
“I’ve been a professional athlete for like six years and like getting paid to do a sport. So, it’s not like a pretend factor, and I’m doing at a excessive degree with actually intense competitors. Completely loving it, devoted my life to this. My sleep schedule, my weight loss program, every little thing is round this. However I nonetheless typically have a tough time form of clicking the gears on ‘I’m an expert athlete.’ I’m an MMA fighter, these items.”
“The labels have a tough time like jelling with the identification of the individual, I feel for me anyway. Numerous it has to do with self-worth points [and] form of like the place I got here from once I began preventing. In lots of methods, I began coaching to search out myself once more and to form of reclaim me a bit. I could not have deliberately carried out that but it surely was undoubtedly the unconscious effort has been studying to spend money on myself. Care about myself, self-discipline as a type of self-love.”
“So yeah, in earlier fights I’ve typically been hesitant, tentative, afraid of messing up, probably not afraid of getting damage. I’ve been lucky in my profession to probably not maintain any horrible injury or something like that. Knock on wooden as a result of it’s fight sport. It’s going to occur sooner or later to someone, but it surely’s not one thing that like I dwell in concern of. It’s undoubtedly like a concern of messing up, of constructing a silly mistake.”
“Of embarrassing my coach, my staff, of placing on a efficiency that’s like, oh my gosh, and I’ve carried out performances like that. I’ve assured these performances by being afraid of them. That’s one thing I’ve been grappling with actually intensely. Not only for this battle camp, however like life normally over the previous few years. Like I mentioned, searching for out a sports activities psychologist is a good effort.”
“I truly simply do lots of one-on-one time with my coach. Like I do personal periods with him, and like a type of per week minimal is an hour of identical to speaking by way of stuff. Stuff that’s on my thoughts, stuff that’s like praying on me. It’s just like the questions you possibly can’t ask throughout coaching as a result of the why doesn’t matter when it’s time to work. However the why does matter if you’re attempting to chip away on the nonsense in your head. So we do have devoted time put aside for that.”
“I’m doing lots of studying and lots of reflection, journaling, work on myself in a really lively sense to beat and functionally embrace these features of myself that I’ve shied away from. In order that I can use the right issues on the right occasions. Like there’s a time to be ego pushed, and it’s within the cage. There’s a time to be egoless, and that’s coaching and studying. In coaching, you don’t should be frightened about wanting silly cuz you must. You ought to be attempting new issues.”
“You ought to be outdoors of your consolation zone in order that by the point you get to the cage, you’re in your consolation zone. You’re in your component. I’m used to being uncomfortable. I’m used to being drained. I’m used to being in a relentless state of utmost wrestle. So, that is simply dwelling. So, that’s what I’ve been engaged on. That’s what I’m excited to embrace and actually showcase for this battle as a result of the stakes have by no means been larger.”
When requested if that could be a related mindset she has inside different endeavors like being a musician, author, and painter, or possibly not a lot the identical mentality as a result of she shouldn’t be hooked up to the earnings as in the identical approach, Katie Perez quipped [via Bowks Talking Bouts],
“That’s truly a extremely cool approach to put it. I feel it undoubtedly falls right into a class all its personal for me, and I feel that simply is the applying. A musician may completely be in that very same house of like I don’t wish to let my bandmates down or my symphony. No matter group that they’re working with or my trainer, you realize. If they’ve a tutor they usually’re attempting to carry out this lovely work that they’ve practiced and practiced and practiced. They’ve put work in collectively on.”
“It’s nearly that sure, one individual is performing but it surely’s the work of many individuals being expressed by way of the artist in that second. So like all sort of dwell efficiency artwork or dwell efficiency something, I assume. An athletic efficiency would depend as effectively. Positively you realize theatrical efficiency something like that, it’s; completely you possibly can be in that house.”
“It’s not that for me as a result of these creative endeavors have very a lot taken a pastime house in my life. There was a time once I was performing violin and fiddle. Whether or not it was for weddings or dwell in bars for enjoyable or once I was within the orchestra of the symphony, like these occasions. Sure, there would have been a component of that. Sort of tha holding again as a result of I’m afraid of messing up. I’d reasonably play secure than play wonderful. I feel that confirmed up extra in issues like auditions.”
“There’s one thing about jelling with a gaggle as a result of it’s not a solo efficiency that it’s somewhat bit totally different. I don’t know. You’re catching the wave of the group reasonably than relying solely on your self. Portray, nah, cuz for me it’s 100% managed. I can simply not submit one thing. I can simply maintain it to myself like that was terrible. It’s not occurring the wall.”
“I’m simply going to color over it and begin over. I do {that a} truthful quantity. I’m attempting to get higher about that and be extra trustworthy. Like posting issues which are in progress or I’m not pleased with or I’m like I’m going to return and rework this, however my technical ability isn’t there but.”
“Like I took on too bold of a venture right here. So I’m attempting to be extra trustworthy about these issues the place I really feel much less good. However yeah, as a result of I’ve extra management over that. Like I don’t do any dwell portray periods. I simply curate what I do or don’t make obtainable for individuals to see. So I feel that form of layer of management takes that component out of it. However yeah, something that’s dwell and at a excessive degree is completely able to of feeling that approach.”
Within the context of beforehand preventing for promotions Combate, Invicta, CFFC. After being requested when the dialogue with Rizin particularly started ramping up, Katie Perez mentioned [via Bowks Talking Bouts],
“Properly, so it’s form of humorous that you just talked about these issues. I’ve been given these superb alternatives previously. Each single time I form of like constructed the strain and constructed the strain and constructed the strain like that is it. That is my likelihood, my one shot and if I blow it, it’s over. That’s form of made me freeze and lock up. So, it’s embarrassing. CFFC, I truly didn’t even know the way huge that present was till I used to be current at it.”
“I used to be identical to, “Oh, it’s my professional debut. Right here we go.” I obtained on the market, and I used to be like, “This can be a actually huge deal.” Strolling out of it. After all, it’s not a nothing [event], you realize? No present is a nothing [card] as a result of a battle is a battle. Finish of the day, regardless of if a thousand individuals are watching or 1,000,000 or simply 15. However I didn’t know the way huge CFFC was actually till I used to be current at it.”
“Invicta, after all, I knew. I seemed as much as the ladies’s promotion. It’s form of like, as a feminine fighter, it’s going to come back up, and it’s going to be like a dream. It’s actually cool. Truthfully, if that they had extra frequent reveals, I in all probability would [fight more there] as a result of that’s what I need. I wish to battle, earlier than this very brief window that we get to work with is over. I wish to get my face in. I wish to see who I’m within the cage.”
“I wish to develop and develop. Be the most effective that I may be. The one approach to do this is to be cast in fireplace. In order that’s like; I need that fireplace. Which is why I ended up going with Combate for some time there. I had a grasp of how huge of a chance Combate was. However I used to be form of capable of mentally make it smaller for myself. Only for myself like peace of thoughts be like, oh, like yeah, we’ve got to do it on like a TV schedule, but it surely’s simply the way it’s carried out right here. It’s simply timing, timing, timing.”
“In order that, a cage is a cage, battle is a battle, and that helped me make it somewhat bit smaller. However in my thoughts, yeah, I do know that these have been huge alternatives. After I parted methods with Combate, and I do know they’ve been going by way of form of somewhat little bit of a change there, as effectively. By way of frequency fights and issues like that. Rizin is a promotion that I had dreamed of however by no means actually form of figured would come by way of. As a result of I do know it’s a must to have like good connections.”
“It’s a must to have all these items working for you, entering into your favor. Fortuitously as a result of I’m not the smoothest individual. I’m somewhat awkward… However my coach handles all of that for me. My coach can be my supervisor and he has made these connections. Outreach and clearly as a result of he’s so constant and his fighters are so constant. Crew Phoenix, we’re a small staff coming from a small faculty in Greensboro, North Carolina.”
“Lots of people have by no means even heard of. However each present that we go to, we make weight, we present up, we present out, placed on good fights. I don’t suppose there’s a promoter that we’ve ever labored with that hasn’t been stoked to have us again or to supply us alternatives again. I do know it’s a small, small world, even smaller battle world. So to my understanding, my coach simply obtained a telephone name saying, “Hey, I’ve obtained this battle supply for Katie. It’s for Rizin.” So it simply form of dropped on the center of coaching.”
“Really in the future like we’re at school and coach takes a name. He by no means takes a name throughout class. Like that’s not a factor that he does. He’s very centered on what’s occurring within the class itself. But it surely was like a pad work spherical or one thing. So everybody may simply form of get work in. He takes this telephone name, and it’s form of like what’s occurring? Don’t watch, get centered on what I’m doing. Then after that he’s like hey you bought a battle supply. I’m like, “Superior. Let’s go.””
“He’s like, “It’s in Japan.” I’m like, simply truthfully don’t know methods to reply that query. How did this come to be apart from consistency, work ethic, and my coach making the connections, having the conversations. So that somebody considered me when the chance arose and was like, “Yeah, this will probably be a superb match. This will probably be a superb matchup.””
Katie Perez has additionally been armed with sure knowledge from Mario Sperry previously. That title undoubtedly stands out as Sperry had a number of memorable Satisfaction fights from again within the day. This holds relevance as Satisfaction utilized the identical ruleset that Rizin has instantiated for his or her fighters in the present day. When requested if there was any work with Mario Sperry when it comes to sure coaching sequences or iterations for getting ready to battle below a rule set that enables for soccer kicks and face stomps, Katie Perez acknowledged [via Bowks Talking Bouts],
“So he was instructing a seminar on the Ginsburg Academy in Boston. The Ginsburg Academy is the varsity below which my coach and our faculty is affiliated. So it’s Institute of Human Fight, Ginsburg Academy below Professor Dave after which Grasp Mario. So, it’s this like very nice, tight lineage that we’ve got. Anytime he has a seminar up there, we normally attempt to make the journey up. My coach will convey a handful of scholars. All of us pile right into a van, load up, drive for 12 hours, do the seminar, after which drive again, identical weekend.”
“It’s loopy. But it surely’s a really intense weekend. We have been very, very lucky to get to spend a lot time with Grasp Mario with Mario Sperry. Inside the seminar itself within the time, we present up somewhat late, we keep somewhat late. You’re on that Brazilian time [laughs] but it surely was very intensive. Selfishly I used to be actually glad as a result of there was some form of jiu-jitsu match factor occurring. I don’t know if it was a NAGA or one thing.”
“However lots of people who would usually have been there have been unable to come back as a result of they have been attending that. Which meant that there was only a small handful of us with Mario Sperry for hours. So simply asking questions, spending time, after which after one of many seminar periods, we went out to eat dinner collectively. We hung out [together] and I simply obtained to sit down proper throughout from the desk. We decide his mind about what it’s like touring to Japan, what issues to look out for, methods to take care of the jet lag.”
“So I obtained to only sit with this legend amongst a desk of legends. There have been like I feel 14 black belts at this seminar which only a informal common day at professor Dave’s I assume. However no absolute legends of the game, and amongst them my coach. It’s an honor to be such a part of such a good self-discipline and to have these private connections. It’s one thing that I feel lots of fighters can actually lose sight of.”
“You get excited to call drop or to work with someone who’s obtained that shimmer on their title due to what they’ve carried out within the sport. However for me personally, like my coach is so tightly woven into all of this. I’ve entry to him day by day that as particular as this was, and superb because it was, and as appreciative of the chance that I’m, I’m not going to say like, oh yeah, I obtained the secrets and techniques from Mario Sperry. I obtained to spend time with him and with Professor Dave. Like these are heroes that I’ve.”
“So, it’s superb. However like my coach is correct up there in that form of echelon of fighters and of people that have been within the sport. Sorry I’m form of rambling however like I did get to select their brains and I did get to spend time with them. I obtained to roll with Professor Dave, and meaning I obtained destroyed by Professor Dave. However like so properly, so politely. So I obtained to see like holes in my recreation expressed in numerous methods as a result of these individuals don’t roll with me day by day or see the way in which I work day by day.”
“Professor John ‘Doomsday’ Howard, it’s identical to the standard of individuals inside this tremendous tight household of jiu-jitsu is phenomenal. Sure, it was a jiu-jitsu seminar, however we do lots of MMA stuff, too. Numerous the Grasp Mario, Professor Doom, we’re closely concerned in MMA. So, it’s only a actually cool alternative. Simply cool views as effectively, like we’re sitting at dinner and he’s going by way of his telephone sharing photos with me. I’m like, that is from like Satisfaction days. That is so cool.”
“Like simply photos of UFC legends earlier than they have been legends. Again after they have been like pimply youngsters form of. Simply very very cool. To be one of many fighters that he’s talked to, and he’s talked to so many individuals who’ve gone on to do nice issues. It’s simply form of like I’m in fairly phenomenal firm. Even when I’ve lucked my approach in right here, like that form of imposter syndrome nonetheless speaking, even when I’m right here by mistake, I’m right here. I wish to embrace that and be part of that.”
“Properly, permit myself to be part of it as a result of I already am. So [laughs], that’s form of the place I’m at with that. That was what I needed to precise with that submit. Like I obtained to spend hours with absolute legends and simply actually wealthy coaching time. So very cool. Very cool approach to kick off the final week of onerous coaching.”
Katie Perez: “my very best state of affairs is a few lovely violence” at Rizin 53
Though it is a catchweight contest, Lotus is likely one of the high tremendous atomweights within the firm. Additionally, Seika Izawa not too long ago vacated the RFF tremendous atomweight crown. When bearing on the potential alternatives {that a} win right here may internet her in a decrease weight class afterward, Katie Perez quipped [via Bowks Talking Bouts],
“Yeah, completely. That’s undoubtedly form of the place we’re at with that is eye on the prize. The one day that issues to me, the one day that exists is Might tenth. If I shine the way in which I intend to shine on Might tenth, yeah, like I’m an atomweight. So, making 108 is even simpler than 105. Which has all the time been a simple reduce for me. So, it’s not like I’m overly involved about it. However, yeah. No, that may be the dream can be to get frequent fights with Rizin at; I imply, I’m okay with the 51 kgs.”
“However like I’d I’d be delighted to battle within the tremendous atomweight. Such as you mentioned, items are shifting. That may be a tapestry I’d like to be part of weaving, for certain.”
Broad strokes observations has resulted in lots of describing Lotus as a hanging centric, sprawl and brawler who reveals levelling up in her anti-grappling battle to battle, to maintain issues within the get up realm. Conversely, Perez’s observe report has a number of submission finishes that bolster her ledger. When requested if a submission end is how we see the story unfurling on Might tenth in Japan, Katie Perez mentioned [via Bowks Talking Bouts],
“So I’m on the lookout for a end. I’ve by no means been one to win by resolution [laughs]. You may see that proper in my report. I’m not choosy about how that end occurs. Whether or not it’s strikes or submission, I’m not choosy about it. My aim is to be dominant, be ahead shifting, be pressuring, embracing who I’m. I’m not a counter-fighter. I don’t suppose that’s a secret.”
“I feel lots of my fights can be found to look at. I don’t suppose in any of them I efficiently play the counter striker recreation cuz that’s simply not who I’m. I’m a really like ‘bull in a china store, let’s go get this’ form of individual. Over time, I’ve been capable of refine that, and inside coaching achieve this extra intelligently than identical to head down, one-two, one-two, straight ahead. Like I feel I did that in my first battle and as an beginner like that’s what that beginner profession was for. Like okay that’s who you might be.”
“Let’s discover ways to do this higher. Yeah, I imply clearly if this goes to the bottom, that’s a spot I’m very, very snug and have lots of success. However yeah, I’ve been growing my hanging simply so long as my grappling. I feel a giant a part of why I’ve struggled to carry out within the hanging aspect of issues is that mindset wrestle. Sort of as soon as issues are on the bottom, and also you’re shifting, there’s probably not house for hesitation. Such as you’re simply in movement, and also you’re in wrestle, and also you’re in tightness.”
“So whether or not you’re clinching otherwise you’re simply truly grappling, it’s all like; the items are already shifting. So the gears are interlocked and also you’re form of caught. In hanging, in case you are an individual who can get that paralysis evaluation, you may be stood there and get stung after which be like, “Wait, I’m supposed to reply. Oh, wait. Then get stung once more. Then like you possibly can have that form of slinky impact. The place you’re not in sequence with the way in which that the timing is progressing. So I feel it’s extra exaggerated on the ft.”
“That’s why lots of people will in all probability have a look at my battle profession and be like, “Oh, she’s like 100% grappler and sometimes not true. I consider myself as an MMA fighter. [Grappling] is MMA-oriented. My hanging MMA-oriented. A mix of the martial arts, the blending of the martial arts. However yeah, the way in which that appears for me is lots of ahead strain. Numerous foot on the gasoline sort preventing, which, I feel most individuals have a tendency to love watching anyway.”
“So, hopefully it’ll be a pleasant thrilling battle for everyone. I do know that the Japanese followers are a number of the finest on the earth with the way in which they respect what the coaches are doing and what the fighters are doing. Just like the appreciation for the artwork of what’s taking place within the cage. Like, yeah, okay, there’s the violence of it, however the violence is gorgeous. That’s what I wish to embody right here is the gorgeous violence.”
“So, that’s Might tenth. That’s what to search for. That’s what my very best state of affairs is a few lovely violence. My aim is to go on the market and make myself proud. To go away every little thing within the cage. No matter occurs, a meteor may strike, and the battle is over. Like no one is aware of what occurs. However once I’m in there, win, lose, draw, something, no matter occurs, I wish to convey my finest. I’m going to convey my finest self to that cage. I’m going to go away all of it on the canvas, and we’ll see what occurs.”
