Las Vegas, NV — Invicta FC’s Kay Hansen was named to ESPN’s Top 25 Under 25 this year, an honor she received last year as well. The difference being, in 2022, she actually made her exit from the UFC, later signing back on with Invicta, where she started her career.
But there’s still plenty of upside to the 23-year old, who caught up with Cageside Press ahead of the 14th Annual World MMA Awards.
“Definitely. I’m only 23,” Hansen told us regarding the optimism being shown towards her career. “I’ve been in this sport, I started training at 16, made my pro debut at 18. And to be 23 and walking the red carpet with some of the best in the game— I’m going to have slip-ups, and I’m on a public stage so everyone’s going to see them, but that’s fine. Like I said I’m only 23, and I’m excited for what the future holds in this sport.”
Hansen is currently healing up from injury, and is expected to return to the Invicta FC cage sometime in 2023. But at just 23, she’s managed to build her brand online, and compete for the largest mixed martial arts promotion in the world. That’s something she explains is simply the result of hard work.
“Honestly it’s a lot of hard work. I feel like for a lot of my teenage years and even young adult years— I’m still a young adult, but when you put it in perspective, I’ve been a professional athlete for a long time,” said Hansen. “I grew up playing sports really competitively and was going to go to college to play. So for me, I made a lot of sacrifices in my teenage years, and even still in my young adult years.”
“I spend all day every day in the gym, and when I’m not, I’m thinking about the gym. It’s hard to find balance, but I’m always thinking about fighting. That’s the reason I credit to any success or being where I’m at at 23.”
Watch our full interview with Invicta FC athlete Kay Hansen above.
