Julie Kedzie
Interview by Robert Sargent
Speaking with MMARising.com, 2005 HOOKnSHOOT Women's Grand Prix Champion and former EliteXC star Julie "Fireball" Kedzie discusses the numerous exciting fights from her past and her plans for the future in this entertaining interview.
Known as one of the most charismatic and fan-friendly female fighters in mixed martial arts, Kedzie has endured highs and lows in her career, but has always kept a smile on her face. From first becoming a star in the HOOKnSHOOT promotion to being featured in one of the most famous female MMA bouts in North American history against Gina Carano, Kedzie is a tough test for any opponent and will always give nothing less than her best. Taking time out from training, she discusses her recent victory and her plans for the coming years.
MMARising.com: Hi, Julie, and thank you very much for taking the time for this interview. To start off, can you tell us a bit about your background growing up and what first drew you to competing in mixed martial arts?
Julie Kedzie: I grew up in the marital arts; my father enrolled my sister and I in Tae Kwon Do when I was only five years old, and I just stuck with it. I think that a part of me always knew that I wanted to be an athlete of some sort, and I was already very passionate about martial arts. Mixed martial arts made sense to me. It was a culmination of practicality, skill and personal growth and, when I saw the first all-female HOOKnSHOOT DVD, I realized that it was the perfect outlet for my competitive drive as well.
MMARising.com: Outside of fighting, you also hold a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature. Were your fellow students aware of the fact that you competed among the best female mixed martial artists in the world, or did you keep a low profile while working towards your degree?
Julie: I inadvertently kept a low profile in my college days. Most of my peers saw me as an "art-y" girl more than an athlete and I don't think that many of them actually know that I fight today! Although I was training for fun throughout college, it wasn't until the summer before my final semester of school that I decided to take things more seriously. I had my first fight right after I graduated.
MMARising.com: Do you feel that your education helps you when you are involved in a fight, by allowing you to better formulate strategies for dealing with an opponent, or do you find yourself relying more upon your physical strengths?
Julie: I think that I actually rely more on brawn than brains (which could be because I'm blonde - haha, just kidding!) Honestly, though, I aspire to find a balance between the two. The most successful fighters that I know within the sport are the individuals who also think outside of the sport and still have incredible focus and power once the cage door closes.
MMARising.com: Your nickname, "Fireball," perfectly sums up your explosive and often aggressive style of fighting. When did you first receive the name and who gave it to you?
Julie: Actually, I was given the nickname by Greg Jackson; not because of my fighting style, but because of my temper, which can kind of go off in a moment's notice. Normally, I am a smiling idiot, but during one kickboxing practice, I was feeling a little more emotional than normal. Greg swept me and did a little victory dance when I hit the floor. I (and I am VERY ashamed of this, looking back) responded by rolling to one knee and punching him in the balls. Hence, "Fireball."
MMARising.com: You are one of the true veteran female fighters in MMA, with your 13-8 record including battles against nearly every single top contender in the 135-pound division, yet you are just 28 years of age. Do you see yourself competing in mixed martial arts for many more years to come?
Julie: I have only just begun!
MMARising.com: In 2005, you won the HOOKnSHOOT Women's Grand Prix with three wins in one night, including victories over tough competition in Jan Finney and Molly Helsel. How important was that tournament victory to your career?
Julie: The tournament was probably more important to my career from an inward perspective than in a step up the ladder. Obviously, it was a tremendous notch on my belt in terms of recognition as a professional fighter but, more importantly, it showed me that I was capable of fighting for thirty minutes against some very tough people. It is a huge physiological advantage for me. In any fifteen-minute fight against an opponent, I can now say to myself, "Hey, you've done this twice, against different people who were less gassed than you!"
MMARising.com: In addition to the wins over Finney and Helsel (both of whom you have defeated twice), you picked up a huge victory over future EliteXC star Kelly Kobold in August of 2007, which handed Kobold only the second loss of her lengthy career. Would you say that that has been your biggest victory to date?
Julie: I think that the win against Kobold was a huge victory for me, but I will always maintain that my best wins are in front of me.
MMARising.com: Your spirited battles with highly-touted stars Tara LaRosa and Gina Carano saw you take both of them the distance, which is an accomplishment in itself. Though you came up just short in both, do fights like those provide you with added motivation as you prove to yourself that you can compete with the best?
Julie: I definitely think that I can compete with the best, and I hope that those matches showed that. The next question is: Can I BEAT the best? (The answer is yes...just wait and see!)
MMARising.com: The fight with Gina, at EliteXC: "Destiny" in February of 2007, proved to be one of the most important and impressive women's bouts to date, as it was awarded Fight of the Night honours. On a card featuring the likes of Frank Shamrock, Renzo Gracie, Antonio Silva, Joey Villasenor, David Loiseau, KJ Noons and Mike Pyle (among numerous other top fighters), it was your fight that stole the show. What were your thoughts in the days following the battle with Gina?
Julie: I thought, "Damn, it sucks to have to go back to work with two black eyes and no victory to show for it!" Haha.
Actually, beyond my disappointment, I had very strong feelings of gratitude. Gina is an incredible fighter (and woman!) and there is a tremendous satisfaction to be found when you go toe-to-toe with someone that intensely for three rounds, whether or not you get the "W" in the end. I also thought, "Wow, those Greg Jackson and Joey Villasenor guys were really, really nice! I hope I get to talk to them again sometime!"
MMARising.com: Did you find that the fight against Gina led to more fans becoming familiar with you and your career?
Julie: Yes, absolutely. Obviously, the Showtime fight didn't reach the level of notoriety that the CBS fights did, but I found that I made a few fans and I really appreciate their continued support.
MMARising.com: What lessons did you learn from that fight and how have they helped you as you have progressed in your career?
Julie: I think that the most important lesson that I learned is that if I truly want to succeed as a professional fighter, then I need to dedicate myself to it whole-heartedly, without distraction. Although I have had quite a few fights, I am still VERY young in my development as a fighter and probably jumped the gun on my public persona. I am (unfortunately) not one of those amazing superwomen who can juggle multiple careers and children, etc. Whatever I do, I have to focus on it 100%. It was a great lesson to learn, and I hope that I have taken the necessary steps to improve myself.
MMARising.com: Last summer, it was reported that you had signed on to compete in the American Fight League alongside Tara LaRosa and others, but the AFL seemingly disappeared as quickly as it had arrived. What is the situation like with the AFL? Do you still have ties to them or are you currently working as a free agent?
Julie: The AFL was great conceptually, but fell apart under the decline of the economy. Neither I nor my management have heard a peep from them since I signed with them, and the contract has long since expired. As it stands, I am not affiliated with any organization at the moment.
MMARising.com: You train with one of the best camps in mixed martial arts, at Jackson's Mixed Martial Arts in Albuquerque, New Mexico. How long have you been a member of the academy and what is it like to work with Greg Jackson and his renowned team of trainers?
Julie: I have trained with my team for over two years now, and nearly every day I wake up excited to train. The only way that I can describe training under Greg Jackson and Mike Winkeljohn (and the rest of the team) is that it is like being an art student and having Leonardo da Vinci and Picasso look over your shoulder. In an environment of masters, there is always something new to learn; there is always a new perspective, and yet somehow there is still the freedom to create your own way.
MMARising.com: In addition to training with rising star Michelle Waterson, you have also recently worked with the #1 female fighter in Canada, Sarah Kaufman. As both of them are talented strikers, has this helped you to develop improved striking and footwork?
Julie: Yes, both women have helped me to improve my game, but it is not just limited to my striking. Sarah is also incredibly talented on the ground, and Michelle is a very talented and naturally explosive athlete who is quick to capitalize on any of my mistakes and make me pay!
MMARising.com: What are the main lessons that you have learned from working with Michelle and Sarah?
Julie: More than the striking lessons that they have schooled me on, I have learned two very different psychological lessons from two very different fighters. In my opinion, Sarah exudes a patience and precision that I need to incorporate into my maybe-sometimes-a-little-too-emotional game. Meanwhile, Michelle is like a sister to me and can always tell in a practice when I need to focus in or take a step back. I feel that each woman brings an enthusiasm for the sport that fuels mine.
MMARising.com: On July 4th, you returned to competition and picked up a dominant decision victory over Kat Alendal. What are your thoughts on the fight with Kat?
Julie: My thoughts are, "Damn, Katrina Alendal is one tough-ass woman!" I am very impressed with her as a fighter and I think that she has a great career ahead of her. Although I was pleased with my performance in the initial rounds, I am happy that a fighter of her talent and confidence pushed me in the third, so that I now have an opportunity to learn and grow from the mistakes that I made.
MMARising.com: There are numerous past and present champions at Jackson's Mixed Martial Arts. Having already become a champion in HOOKnSHOOT, how long do you feel that it will be before there is gold around your waist once again?
Julie: My dream is to be the best fighter in the world, and the common recognition of that dream is a belt. So, naturally, I want a strap. However, I think that it may be quite some time before I am the best but, once belted, I intend to stay that way. As it is, I am content to fight the fights in front of me until that chance becomes available.
MMARising.com: With Strikeforce possessing arguably the top female division in North America right now, would you like to debut in the company in the near future?
Julie: I would love to fight for Strikeforce, especially if they continue to support five-minute rounds for female fighters.
MMARising.com: If you were to join the ranks of Strikeforce, would a fight with solid opposition such as Miesha Tate be of interest? What about a showdown with Kim Couture?
Julie: Well, Couture is now in a different weight class from me (the last time I talked to her, she was intending to fight at 125), so I don't see that match happening anytime soon. I have a lot of respect for Ms. Tate and think that it would be a great fight, but honestly, I am trying to stay away from the "what if" games. I focus more on performing in the gym than in fantasy matches in my head.
MMARising.com: If you could set up a fight against a dream opponent (including as a rematch from a previous match), who would it be and why?
Julie: Fedor [Emelianenko] is my true dream opponent, but I think that may be a little out of my reach right now, LOL! In all honestly, beyond rematching and avenging all of my losses, my eye is on Ms. Cyborg. However, just like Fedor, this is a match that might be a little beyond my reach. I am a natural 135-pound fighter and fighting at 145 pounds would be a HUGE disadvantage for me, both physically and medically. I may have to sit on this dream for a while and just enjoy her fighting spirit from the television.
MMARising.com: As of right now, what do you feel is your biggest strength in fighting and what is one area that you must continually strive to improve?
Julie: More than anything, I believe that I need to improve upon my confidence and self-belief. I don't know if this is common with all women (or people in general), but at some point in my adolescence, I got away from who I really am and have only recently come to recognize myself again. I know it sounds very silly and trite, but self-confidence has been a very elusive opponent in my career and it's one that I intend to conquer more than anything else.
MMARising.com: You have competed in 21 fights in just over five years, which is an extremely active schedule for a female fighter. Is there a set number of fights that you would like to reach before ending your career, or will you be involved in the sport for as long as it is still fun and challenging?
Julie: When it comes to being challenged in MMA, of course I want to continue to fight and remain relevant in this sport. However, when my coaches say that I've had enough, I hope that I am smart enough to listen to them. Until that point, however, I hope to at least hit triple digits.
MMARising.com: What can fans expect from you in the remainder of 2009?
Julie: I have recently signed on to the UWC reality show and I hope that it is a fruitful contract. In my career, I have come to understand that hard training must be mixed with a bit of marketing, and I am attempting to understand that part of the process, although I am a little out of my element! However, you HAVE to step outside of your comfort zone to grow, and I hope that this is one more step in my evolution as a fighter and a human being.
MMARising.com: What are three things that you want fans to know about Julie Kedzie?
Julie: I want them to know that I am sincere in my quest to be the best; that if they can learn anything from my story, it's that it IS possible to follow your dreams - if, to quote a great man, you SIMPLY BELIEVE. That, and know that I am truly sorry that I can't return all of my e-mail and MySpace messages.
MMARising.com: What would you most like to be remembered for at the end of your career?
Julie: I would like to be remembered for working hard and, oddly enough, endeavouring to express gratitude. A huge lesson that I've learned in my (still very short) career is that you cannot take things for granted.
MMARising.com: Do you have any final comments or shout-outs to sponsors or friends?
Julie: I will always say thank you to my good friends at TapouT, and of course my team, coaches and friends at Jackson's.
MMARising.com: Thank you again for your time for this interview, and we look forward to seeing more of your exciting fights in the future.
Julie: Thank you!
MMARising.com would like to thank Julie for her time for this lengthy and entertaining interview, and we wish her nothing but the best in her quest to dethrone "The Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko!
