Brad ' One Punch' PickettRosi Sexton - MMA inspirational athlete
Rosi Sexton - Inspirational MMA Ambassador
Words and photography by Lee Whitehead.
Rosi Sexton is more than just the country’s leading women’s mixed martial artist; she is a complex and driven lady who sees no restrictions in the pursuit of physical and psychological happiness. As a role model for the sport, she is one of the best the country has ever produced, irrespective of gender.
SPIKED: So how did you get started in MMA?
Rosi: I was always very interested in martial arts when I was growing up, and by chance a flyer came through the door for Tae Kwon Do, so I gave it a try. I fell in love with it because it was the first real physical activity that I enjoyed doing. When I went to University I tried a few different things and ended up doing MMA after seeing a documentary called ‘Natural Born Fighters’, featuring Ian Freeman and Lee Remedios. I saw a few clips of competition and went about finding a club so I could get involved.
SPIKED: Surely at that time there weren’t many women training, so were you slugging it out with the guys?
Rosi: In the early days, yes, most were 20+kg heavier, I spent a lot of time getting sat on, the first few sessions were a bit strange, but after that they began to respect me and didn’t mind me being there. It’s good to train with people of different sizes and weights, otherwise you can be held back - it helps you develop strength and ability.
SPIKED: Do you still train with big guys?
Rosi: Training with bigger people can make you defensive all the time. The ideal situation is a mix of people; it’s difficult from the perspective of size and power if you’re against really big people, its more of a size issue then a gender issue. Once you’re into the swing of things, after a bit of sparring and grappling, you develop a balance and respect. If I am sparring hard it’s usually within a weight class or two.
SPIKED: So no heavyweights then?
Rosi: Well, as long as both know what you are doing, ground drills and stuff are fine, some things work better for a smaller person or a larger person. For example, jab sparring with a heavyweight wouldn’t be much help.
SPIKED: So your prime training team for a fight is all lighter weights?
Rosi: I have 4 or 5 girls who come down regularly to train and a few other male bantamweights and so on. There are a few other good women who drop in here and there to help. If I am looking for somewhere to train I try to find places where there are clusters of people at a similar weight.
SPIKED: So the key to success is the right sparring?
RS: Partly. To be honest, the training partners are almost as important as the coaching, there are some really good coaches out there but it’s important to get the right training partners to help you progress.
SPIKED: So what would you say to someone considering MMA? For fitness or sport?
Rosi: MMA is very is intense and there is a lot of close contact, so it won’t suit everyone. I can’t argue to say that this sport will suit all, but for those who are considering taking it up then the main thing is to find a good gym. If you want to be taken seriously as an athlete then that’s key, beyond that it is about having fun and working hard.
SPIKED: And what about someone who is already training, but considering that step into competition?
Rosi: Make sure that you are with a camp that will take you where you want to go, they support you and build you up in the right way, at the right pace and find the best matches for your skills at the time. Too often people win a couple of matches and then get thrown to the wolves. If you start with grappling competitions, amateur fights or Muay-Thai inter-clubs then you can build up your experience. The danger with women’s MMA being the next big thing is pushing people up the ladder too quickly.
SPIKED: You often hear of fighters, irrespective of gender, doing well in their first matches then getting smashed when they collide with someone with more experience.
Rosi: As opposed to other combat sports, there is a huge skill set to build before competition. If you are going to compete, you have to spend a lot of time at it to make sure you can handle yourself in every area. If you come across someone who is very skewed in a certain area you have to be able to contend with them; some fighters progress too quickly and never recover from a big loss or don’t know where to go afterwards.
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