More and more fighters these days grow up with a dream of fighting for a living. While it once was something that seemed unattainable or just wasn’t familiar to a younger audience, now it is more present as a profession. However, that was not the case originally for LFA’s Melissa Croden.
The Canadian prospect began training and was nearing her amateur debet, yet she was still not sure if this is what she’d do for a living. A once in a lifetime trip to Thailand change that perspective and put her on the course she’s travelling today.
“I’d say that it was before my first amateur fight,” Croden said. “I went to Thailand when I first started training. I trained at Tiger Muay Thai for like three months and turned it into a bit of a test for myself – with the question in mind ‘do I actually want to do this?'”
On that trip, she put herself through a mental and physical ringer to see if she would be ready for what it would take to reach the highest level. After putting in three hard months, the choice was obvious for her.
“I really just put pressure on myself to see what it was actually like to train like that,” she said. “I came home back to Canada and said this is what I’m going to do. So I ended up quitting my full time job, going back to part-time, and training as much as I could.”
Now all in and 5-2 as a professional, she’s looking to take that next step. With a win this Friday at LFA 195, that may just be another chance at the LFA title – which would put her on a shortlist for a UFC call-up.
“I think at 6-2 and because I do have a 100% finishing rate, I think there’s a good chance of getting that phone call,” she stated. “That’s what I’m hoping for. That’s what I want and that’s what I’m going to ask for.”
You can catch Melissa Croden’s fight with Ashley Deen as part of the LFA 195 main card. The fight card will start at 10pm EST this Friday on UFC Fight Pass.
