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 Knock-out wonder, Kaitlin Young is scheduled to make her Bodog Fight debut at the Las Vegas Sport Center on February 1.
Photo courtesy of Bodog Fight
Kaitlin Young
“I believe Kaitlin Young is the future,” says Tara LaRosa. “I was at a HOOKnSHOOT tournament in Indiana a couple of months ago when she knocked out three women in one night, all in the first round. It was frightening. Her striking is crisp and precise. Her timing is spot on, and her power is absolutely insane. Those women (Patti Lee, Meisha Tate and Suzi Smith) barely stood a chance.” That’s high praise from a woman widely regarded as the best in the sport, but Bodog Fight matchmaker Eric Nicholl agrees that Young (4-0) is the real deal. “Anybody can get a lucky knockout,” says Nicholl. “But to finish three opponents in devastating fashion in a single night is impressive. I mean, she slugged her way through that tournament in less than 1:53 of actual fight time.” Nicholl was so impressed with Young’s Hoosier State annihilation that he offered her a contract on the spot. “I think she has the potential to be a real force within our women’s division,” he says. The Minnesota native will look to continue her meteoric rise against Missouri’s Sarah Schneider (1-0) as Bodog Fight & Tuff ‘N Uff present: Nick Thompson vs. John Troyer. Coincidentally, Young has been training alongside Thompson, Bodog Fight’s welterweight champion, at the Minnesota Mixed Martial Arts Academy, which boasts a talented stable of fighters including Brock Lesnar, Sean Sherk and Derrick Noble. “Kaitlin trains as hard as anyone in our gym,” reveals Thompson. “With the talent we’ve got there, that’s saying a lot. I think given her work ethic, we can expect big things for her in the future.” Does that mean we soon could see Young challenging LaRosa for the 135-pound title belt? “Well, I think Kaitlin would be the first to admit she needs to work on certain aspects of her game before she’s ready to take on some of the more established fighters,” says LaRosa. “In speaking with her, though, I found her to be a very focused and determined person who has both feet firmly planted on the ground. There’s no doubt in my mind that if she continues on the path that she’s now on, she will become a well-rounded champion in the not-too-distant future.” Find out if Young can continue her path of destruction Feb. 1, when Bodog Fight & Tuff ‘N Uff present Nick Thompson vs. John Troyer at the Las Vegas Sport Center. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with fights starting at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster, with prices starting at $30.00.
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