Kaitlin Young
Interview by Robert Sargent
From first becoming an overnight sensation with three devastating knockouts in one night to later competing on primetime CBS television, Kaitlin Young has made an impact at every step. She talks with MMARising.com about a return to competition.
With a smile that belies her vicious knockout power, Young first rose to prominence as the 2007 HOOKnSHOOT Women's Grand Prix Champion. She later faced Gina Carano in an all-out war on the historic first EliteXC card on CBS. Though the demise of EliteXC left her without a promotion to compete for, Young used the opportunity to finish her schooling and is now focused solely on establishing herself as a threat in the 135-pound division once again.
With all four of her wins coming by knockout, Young's highlight reel is among the best in the sport. She is never in a boring fight and looks to return to her winning ways inside a Strikeforce cage soon.
MMARising.com: Hi, Kaitlin, and thank you for taking the time for this interview. To start off, can you talk a bit about what first sparked your interest in martial arts?
Kaitlin Young: Well, I originally started training martial arts because I was forced to pick an activity. I'm not totally sure why I chose Tae Kwon Do. I think I felt like other sports were boring...and I had always loved the Ninja Turtles.
MMARising.com: You began your training in Tae Kwon Do at a young age and hold a Black Belt in the discipline, but you are perhaps better known in MMA for your skill in Thai boxing. Which of the two do you feel is more of an asset when you are competing in a mixed martial arts fight?
Kaitlin: Thai Boxing. Hands down! Personally, the only things that have transferred from Tae Kwon Do to MMA are certain head kicks and footwork. For the most part, my Tae Kwon Do training had created more bad habits than good ones. If a person has a desire to do striking for MMA, they should stay away from Tae Kwon Do competition.
MMARising.com: As part of the respected Minnesota Martial Arts Academy, you have the opportunity to train with a number of talented fighters and champions including (among many others) Sean Sherk, Brock Larson, Brock Lesnar, Nick Thompson and fellow female standout Cody Welchin. How beneficial is it to get to train with such an excellent stable of fighters?
Kaitlin: It has been very beneficial. It has given me the opportunity to learn by example in a lot of ways, rather than by trial and error. It is nice training in a gym where no one ever truly becomes "top dog," as someone in the gym will always be better at some aspect of the game. There are a lot of big name guys at our gym, and a lot more coming up, but there are also a lot of people that nobody hears about that train with the fighters – and they are very, very good in one aspect of the sport or another. It keeps our team constantly growing and improving. There is nowhere else I would rather be.
MMARising.com: As wrestling is a focal point at the academy and some of the sport's top wrestlers train there, do you now feel confident that you can take any fight to the ground if you need to or do you still prefer to keep the fight standing if possible?
Kaitlin: I've had a lot of help from those guys. My takedowns have become much more successful, and my takedown defense has improved a lot as well. I enjoy striking, but feel very comfortable on the ground. I will take/keep a fight wherever I think I can win.
MMARising.com: Most fans first became familiar with you when you won the 2007 HOOKnSHOOT Women's Grand Prix with three vicious knockouts (in a combined total of just 1:45) in one night. What was that whole experience like for you as you literally became an overnight sensation?
Kaitlin: The evening itself was awesome. Afterward, it was both a blessing and a curse. I loved getting higher-profile fight opportunities, but at the same time, I didn't have the ability to grow by fighting every month on smaller shows. My striking was good, but my ground game had a long way to go. It was a great experience, and I am happy with the opportunities that have come from it, but I feel that it maybe stunted my "MMA education."
MMARising.com: Perhaps the most notable win that night was your semi-final victory over current Strikeforce star Miesha Tate, as you knocked her out with one of the most devastating head kicks in women's MMA history. When that instantly became a staple of highlight reels online, did you find that that made even more people stop and ask, "Hey, who is this girl who's knocking everyone out?"
Kaitlin: A little bit. I think it has made me a more interesting fighter to promoters who are looking to put on an exciting show.
MMARising.com: After you won the HOOKnSHOOT Grand Prix, you faced off with talented submission fighter Sara Schneider at a Tuff-N-Uff show in February of 2008. Though you seemed to be in control of the fight during round one, Sara caught you in an armbar in the second round. Was the loss a major disappointment or did you opt to look at it as a learning experience?
Kaitlin: I thought I had that fight in the bag, and then I was caught. I was very disappointed. I don't deal with losses well. I did use it as a learning experience, though, and it helped to motivate me to work on my ground game even more.
MMARising.com: Despite the loss to Sara, you became a member of the EliteXC roster and got to compete in what was arguably the biggest women's bout in North America (at the time) when you took on Gina Carano at EliteXC: "Primetime" in front of millions of people on CBS. Going into that fight, what were your thoughts and how much pressure was put on you to perform well?
Kaitlin: I feel like the most pressure to perform came from me. I felt good about the fight beforehand, but I think that I didn't perform to the best of my ability. I'm not really sure why, but I just don't think I was in the right place mentally for that fight.
MMARising.com: Did you find that the high-profile nature of the fight, broadcasted live on network television, had a significant effect on you or were you simply concerned with Gina and nothing else?
Kaitlin: I was concerned with the fight, but I think there were more distractions than I had ever experienced. I had finals two weeks before the fight, a LOT more interviews and media time, and I had to travel out to California for the weekend for a promotional shoot. I think that all of these things interfered with my training to some extent. If I could do it over again, I would have been a little more stingy with my time.
Once I was actually in the cage, I didn't care about anything but the fight. I didn't notice the cameras or think about the millions of people that were watching through them. I hardly noticed the crowd. I was only thinking of fighting.
MMARising.com: That fight, which was an all-out war that disappointed no one, was stopped by the doctor after the second round due to swelling around your eye. Did you agree with the stoppage at the time or did you feel that you could have persevered and potentially even won the fight in round three?
Kaitlin: I don't think that I would have won the fight if it had continued, as Gina was dominating, but I was far from finished.
It is very frustrating to me that the doctor claimed to have stopped the fight because of a supposed "orbital fracture" and then proceeded to issue me only a 30 day suspension (standard suspension for an orbital fracture is 6 months – unless cleared by a doctor). I think she knew that I did not have a broken eye socket. You don't stop a fight because of a black eye.
MMARising.com: After the fight with Gina, you were set to face undefeated Canadian standout Sarah Kaufman at an EliteXC event in November, but the promotion folded after its October event and you, along with the rest of the roster, were left without a place to compete. How frustrating was it to not only have the fight with Sarah taken away – which no doubt would have been an amazing battle – but also to suddenly be left out in the cold entirely?
Kaitlin: It has been an odd year! I was so excited to get that fight and "redeem" myself after my last fight, but then it fell through. On top of the disappointment, I had dropped nearly all of my hours at work so that I could just go to school and train for that fight. Once the fight was cancelled, I found myself in a bit of a financial predicament.
MMARising.com: Rather than sit around and wait for an opportunity to come along, or compete in smaller shows in the interim, you opted to finish your schooling at the University of Minnesota instead, where you were majoring in Kinesiology. Having commented numerous times that you are aware that you cannot compete in MMA forever, do you feel that your education will be a significant asset in your life in the years ahead?
Kaitlin: I had about a semester and a half worth of full-time school left, so I decided to take a 20 credit semester followed by a 3 credit/3 week class and just get it done. I trained during that time, but didn't think I would be able to have a successful fight camp with that sort of schedule.
I love fighting, but it is not a dependable source of income. It has already made my life much less stressful now that I have finished college and have a good job. They have been very understanding of my training, and I am able to carry health insurance through them – which is wonderful when you spend a lot of time sparring and grappling.
In addition to providing me with a career, my classes at the University of Minnesota also gave me a lot to think about in my own training, nutrition, etc.
MMARising.com: You've also been working as the strength and conditioning coach at a non-profit girls' volleyball club near your home. Do many of your students know that you compete in mixed martial arts or do you focus strictly on volleyball while you are there?
Kaitlin: I don't think any of them know. I would talk to them about it if they were to ask, but usually we are just focused on the girls' strength training. Some of them have asked about my athletic background, and I tell them that I have competed in martial arts. I'm sure they will figure it out soon enough.
MMARising.com: Switching back to your MMA career, your name has come up a number of times in recent discussions involving the upcoming Strikeforce 135-pound women's tournament. What are your thoughts on the tournament and the Strikeforce women's division?
Kaitlin: I love the idea of an 8 woman tournament! It would be a good way for Strikeforce to generate interest in the women's division and introduce a lot of fighters that the casual fan is unfamiliar with presently. I'd jump at the chance to be a part of that tournament. I will fight anyone at 135, and Strikeforce has an awesome collection of fighters at that weight.
MMARising.com: If you are a part of the tournament, who are some of the top female fighters that you would expect to compete against along the way? How well do you feel that your skills would match up with theirs?
Kaitlin: If I had to guess, I would say the tournament would include Sarah, Shayna, Miesha, hopefully Roxanne and Amanda, and maybe Debi unless she is staying at 130 and below. I would say Tara, but I think that she is sticking at 125 for the time being. There are so many women who may end up in that tournament that I would love to fight. I feel like I would be right in there with them.
MMARising.com: Now that you no longer have to worry about juggling school (and homework) in addition to your fighting career, it is easier to dedicate yourself to training and developing your skills as a fighter?
Kaitlin: I think so. I feel much more focused. I am enjoying training even more. The hardest part of balancing school and training for me is that schoolwork comes home with you. Now I am either at work, at the gym or having downtime.
MMARising.com: You've mentioned recently that you had a shoulder injury earlier in the year, but that it has been healing well. Reports indicate that the Strikeforce tournament likely won't begin until November, so will you be close to 100% by then?
Kaitlin: Yes, in July I experienced a Type II AC joint separation. It was pretty unpleasant, but is healing surprisingly well. The doctor has cleared me to fight any time after October 1st. Training is going great and I am able to do everything I was able to do before the injury – other than a few strength training exercises that can be modified. A fight in November would be great!
MMARising.com: As all four of your victories to date have come by knockout, should fans expect to see another highlight-reel KO from you when you return to competition or would you like to shock everyone by making a statement and submitting your next opponent?
Kaitlin: I don't really care, honestly. I think the likelihood of me winning via submission is a lot more probable than some people realize. I've grown a lot since my first MMA fight two years ago.
MMARising.com: If you had the opportunity to set up a dream fight between you and an opponent of your choosing, who would it be and why?
Kaitlin: I'd like to fight Sarah Kaufman. In my mind, she is the top 135er right now, and I like her a lot as a person. I think we would bring out the best fighter in one another.
MMARising.com: Looking ahead, what are your main goals for the coming year?
Kaitlin: I would like to get at least 3-4 fights this year. That's it really. I just want to train, fight and have a good time. If Strikeforce has a tournament, I would like the opportunity to compete in that obviously.
MMARising.com: What would you most like fans to know about Kaitlin Young and what would you most like to be remembered for from your time in MMA?
Kaitlin: I would like to be remembered for my fighting style. I would like people to know that, win or lose, I will never have a boring fight.
MMARising.com: Do you have any final comments or shout-outs to fans, family or sponsors?
Kaitlin: I would like to thank everyone for their support – fans, friends and family alike. I'd like to thank my coaches, teammates and training partners for all the help and training. Minnesota Martial Arts Academy, Athletic Performance Incorporated and Volkmann Chiropractic.
MMARising.com: Thank you again for taking time out for this interview and we definitely look forward to seeing you back inside the cage soon.
Kaitlin: Thank You!
MMARising.com sincerely thanks Kaitlin for her time for this interview and looks forward to many more of her exciting fights (and knockouts) in the coming months.
