Bosnian striker Nejra Repp is stepping into the spotlight at LFA 222 this Friday night, set to face former GLORY kickboxing standout Aline Pereira in a clash that could define the next wave of women’s striking talent.
For Repp, who’s built her reputation on crisp technique and relentless pressure, this isn’t just another fight, it’s a statement opportunity against one of the most recognizable names to cross over from the world of elite kickboxing.
Repp’s (4-2) story doesn’t start in a gym, a ring, or a cage. It begins in the 1990s during the Bosnian War, where she and her brother grew up simply trying to survive. The resilience forged through that hardship has shaped her into the fighter she is today.
“It was tough times. If there’s anything that I learned from that experience, the survival story of everything that I’ve went through, is the grit and the resilience,” Repp told Cageside Press.
“That’s in my family and myself. Like I always say the fight itself, in the cage, is nothing compared to what my family and myself have been through.”
Reflecting on her childhood in war-torn Bosnia, Repp says the perspective she gained back then still drives her today. The struggles of her past, she explains, make the challenges of fight week feel small by comparison.
“It molds you into the person you are today. For me it’s like I can stress about the fight, what’s worse? The fight itself or not being able to eat for days? This weight cut to me it’s easy. I can eat the next day! There’s food on the table,” she said.
“It’s not like not knowing if we’re going to have food the next day or if we’re going to get attacked by a sniper or something like that.”
The grit, fire, and resilience that define Repp are evident every time she steps into the cage. At LFA 215, she faced early adversity against Lidia Helena, getting dropped by a left hook in the opening round but surviving to fight on. In the second, Repp turned the tables landing a thunderous right hand that dropped Helena cold. With a nod to her corner, she walked away victorious.
“I grew up with an older brother so you know what, I had to survive! Yeah I got dropped. It was almost like a flash. I was up in a matter of not even a second, but I wasn’t going to go down like that and that’s the resilience that we talk about,” she said.
“That kind of translates over into the fight. You’re going to have to really put in some work to get me out of there, and I don’t care who you are. The second round came and my coach was like, ‘You got to go.’ I was like, ‘yes sir’, we went for it.”
That viral moment quickly became a signature highlight in Repp’s career. A mix of raw emotion and swagger that fans still talk about. She laughs now when recalling how unplanned it really was.
“The head nod at the end, everyone always brings it up,” she said with a smile.
“I didn’t even try to do that! It just came out naturally! I was talking to my husband and he was like, ‘You do that a lot!’ It’s just natural. Everyone’s just like, ‘oh that’s a mean walk off!’ I wasn’t even trying to be mean! It just came out.”
Now, Repp steps into one of the biggest moments of her career. A co-main event clash with Aline Pereira, the sister of UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira, at LFA 222. The matchup has drawn plenty of attention given Pereira’s famous last name and kickboxing pedigree, but Repp isn’t interested in the hype. She sees this fight as a test of skill, not celebrity.
“I wouldn’t say it’s just another opponent. Just because I feel like I’ve got to give credit where it’s due. I do think she’s going to be an elite striker, I’ve seen some of her matches, but as far as the weight, I don’t look at that,” she said.
“At the end of the day she’s human, I’m human. It’s nice that she has that name behind her, but I’m not going into the fight fighting him. At the end of the day it’s her skill set against my skill set. I wouldn’t say it intimidates me or makes me feel any certain way. I know who I am and what I bring to the table. It does make me excited though.”
As fight night approaches, Repp’s confidence is unmistakable. She promises fans a showcase of her striking and the kind of intensity that defines her style.
“Expect fireworks! Expect a really fast-paced fight, and a lot of bombs being thrown,” Repp said.
Watch the entire interview with Nejra Repp above. She faces Aline Pereira at LFA 222 on Nov. 14.
