Top strawweight up-and-comer Vanessa “Lil Monster” Demopoulos has had an eventful summer to say the least.  After making history in July as the first strawweight champion in LFA history and a turn on Dana White’s Contender Series, one of the most charismatic prospects in the lighter weight classes saw her star turn brighter with the added attention.  “I feel like my fan base prior loved me and then loved me even more after.  The people who follow me are loyal and kid.  I got a few more followers and love them all the same.”

A cartwheel!? 🤸‍♀️ @Monster_Demo is bringing all the tricks out. #DWCS pic.twitter.com/VQ4xPi1GSR

— UFC (@ufc) August 12, 2020

Indeed, after recording a Submission of the Year (with a reverse triangle) to win the LFA title, the former stripper turned fighter had her origin story introduced to a wider audience following her appearance on Contender Series.  After a three round effort came up short against Cory McKenna, Demopoulos spent no time in getting immediately back to the gym to improve on her game.  She splits her time between Saekson’s Muay Thai and the famed Black House MMA gyms in Southern California where she works alongside the likes of Tabatha Ricci and UFC and Invicta veteran Danielle Taylor.  On the fight with McKenna, Demopoulos said “My biggest takeaway is to remember the point system in MMA.  Also, I need to work on my positions.”

Demopoulos has said in interviews that remaining LFA champion did not soften the blow of coming up short in her first shot at achieving her UFC dream.  As a champion of the unofficial feeder system to the UFC, one figures that she remains on the short list for a call-up and would be in better position even more so with a victory.  But to Demopoulos, looking ahead to the possible call-up is not on her mind as much as focusing on the task at hand. “My focus isn’t to think about the UFC. But yes I am already on the radar.  I was on the radar before the Contender Series and especially after the show but I have to go out there and do my thing in this fight and not focus on anything else.”

Her upcoming opponent Lupita Godinez is a perfect 4-0 with previous experience in Combate Americas but will jumping to the top of the line in a fight with Demopoulos for the title in her LFA debut.  Godinez had previously reached out to her upcoming foe on social media for advice on her own career, and now the two will compete with a belt on the line.  On Godinez, Demopoulos said “I think she’s tough and all I’ve ever fought is tough people.”

While she is set for her own fight, it is not lost on her that her good friend and teammate at BlackHouse MMA is in an important fight of his own 24 hours later in the UFC.  While the MMA world knows the “The Spider” as an MMA legend, Demopoulos is excited to see her friend Anderson go out with a victory. “I really want to see Anderson go out on top! As a person he is truly one of the kindest humans ever! I wouldn’t want to be standing across from him in a cage but as a person one of the best people you’ll ever meet.”

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“I just wanted to get back in shape, I just wasn’t happy with myself,” Norville told Cageside Press recently. “I just walked into a gym one day and basically just fell in love with jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai, all that stuff. I was working with a general contractor, one of the biggest general contractors in the nation. It was just a lot of hours. I loved what I did. But you just get so consumed into something that. It’s good money, but at the same time, you’re taking away from something else. And that happened to be health.”

Norville (0-0) will face Loveth Young at LFA 94 on UFC Fight Pass and explained why now was the right time to move up from her amateur career.

“This whole year has been really tough just trying to find a fight in general,” Norville explained. “COVID has been damper on all sports, really. A lot of the high-level amateurs had just turned pro. And so we had a chance to speak with my coaches. They saw the work that I was putting in and, and decided to just go pro. And then I had the help of my manager, Julian, and Upgrade Marketing he helped me get this fight with LFA.”

Young (1-1-1) is coming off her first career loss to current LFA champion Vanessa Demopoulos at LFA 81 in January. Prior to the setback, the 31-year-old picked up a win and “No Contest” against Invicta FC vet Cynthia Arceo.

Norville has the added benefit of training at one of the best gyms for female training partners in San Diego Combat Academy. Along with current Bellator champion Ilima-Lei Macfarlane, the gym also has standouts Liz Carmouche and Pearl Gonzalez training there as well.

“Mean Bean Reen” likes the style match-up and believes if the bout stays standing, this 115-pound contest won’t hit the judges scorecards.

“She likes to stand and bang and so do I,” Norville said. “I think it’s gonna be a finish, honestly some somebody’s gonna finish each other. Obviously, I feel confident in my stand up, wrestling and ground (game). So I feel like I have a really good chance of getting my hand raised”

LFA 94 takes place on Oct. 10 at Hartman Arena in Park City, Kansas. Strawweight champion Vanessa Demopoulos defends her title against undefeated Loopy Godinez.

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