Nicky
08-04-2005, 14:10
http://www.tatame.com.br/ingles/entrevistas.asp?id=3497
Marloes Coenen
By By André Araújo
The best girl in Europe!
Marloes Coenen was born in a small village named Olst in the east of the Netherlands. Living in Amsterdam nowadays, she is one of the top main female fighters in the world. At age 23, Coenen has fought 12 times and she just has a single defeat: to Erin Toughill at last Smack Girl, in last December. Check out now a full interview with Coenen bellow and know more about female MMA and her career.
How did you become a fighter?
I had to cycle to school through a nasty 'Forrest' with (as people said dirty man) and I wanted to defend myself. So I started Jiu-jitsu. My trainer started practicing and teaching Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and I followed that class too. Then he started doing mixfight matches and teaching Shooto and I started doing that too!
You fought Smack Girls recently..., can you remind you fights in there?
Well.......the second fight, she hit me to the ground. I cannot remember that, my trainer told me about it in the plain back home! The first fight was against an old opponent of my named Takahashi. The first time I won by an armbar. But I started doing Thaiboxing and because of the 30 second rule I wanted to do a standing fight. And that went well in the firts fight. The second fight I didn't had any energy but I almost knocked her down with a swing, she bend through her knees. I didn't saw that because I didn't looked at her but was staring at the ground! By the time I looked at her she was already recovered, hihihi.
Tell me about your hardest fight in your career.
That was the final of Remix 2000. I was ill and fought already 2 fights when I faced a little Japanese (Megumi). I thought it would become an easy fight......NOT! I completely underestimated her and I was in hell for 15 minutes. Fortunately I won....what my trainer didn't expect.
Is female Vale-Tudo popular in your place? Why or why not?
No, soccer is popular unfortunately. I Holland we do not have a fighting tradition like in your country or in Japan or Korea. And the media is only interested in the downside of fighting: criminals, drugs stuff like that. But I have to admit that there is a small change in the image of mixed martial arts.
Did you ever had to face prejudice due to your profession? What ordinary people think about your job?
Well...it isn't a job for me....there weren't enough fights so I went back to school. If I tell them they are in deep shock. The only thing they think it's similar to street- or bar fights. So they think I'm really stupid or they think I'm a superwoman or they think I'm white trash. Fortunately I don't look like that!
Do you know other female fighters as you? Tell me a little bit about it.
In Holland there's a big Thaiboxing scene in which a lot of girls compete. Now we also have some girls training at the gym. Dina van der Hooven even went to Brazil to train there. She really is in love with your country and told me great stories about it. Nadia van der Wal is an 17 year old girl that will become really good, she also fought in Japan in G-Shooto. I'm teaching at F.F.C. (Lucien Carbin's place) also and there is a girl named Pamela....she's a beast! Really, If she starts doing mixfight.......she'll become a champion. I know that for sure!
Have you train Vale-Tudo with a man? Tell about this experience.
Hahahaha, I had to train only with guys for a few years, because there were no girls. So for me it is normal, nothing special. For the guys it is normal too.
Marloes Coenen
By By André Araújo
The best girl in Europe!
Marloes Coenen was born in a small village named Olst in the east of the Netherlands. Living in Amsterdam nowadays, she is one of the top main female fighters in the world. At age 23, Coenen has fought 12 times and she just has a single defeat: to Erin Toughill at last Smack Girl, in last December. Check out now a full interview with Coenen bellow and know more about female MMA and her career.
How did you become a fighter?
I had to cycle to school through a nasty 'Forrest' with (as people said dirty man) and I wanted to defend myself. So I started Jiu-jitsu. My trainer started practicing and teaching Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and I followed that class too. Then he started doing mixfight matches and teaching Shooto and I started doing that too!
You fought Smack Girls recently..., can you remind you fights in there?
Well.......the second fight, she hit me to the ground. I cannot remember that, my trainer told me about it in the plain back home! The first fight was against an old opponent of my named Takahashi. The first time I won by an armbar. But I started doing Thaiboxing and because of the 30 second rule I wanted to do a standing fight. And that went well in the firts fight. The second fight I didn't had any energy but I almost knocked her down with a swing, she bend through her knees. I didn't saw that because I didn't looked at her but was staring at the ground! By the time I looked at her she was already recovered, hihihi.
Tell me about your hardest fight in your career.
That was the final of Remix 2000. I was ill and fought already 2 fights when I faced a little Japanese (Megumi). I thought it would become an easy fight......NOT! I completely underestimated her and I was in hell for 15 minutes. Fortunately I won....what my trainer didn't expect.
Is female Vale-Tudo popular in your place? Why or why not?
No, soccer is popular unfortunately. I Holland we do not have a fighting tradition like in your country or in Japan or Korea. And the media is only interested in the downside of fighting: criminals, drugs stuff like that. But I have to admit that there is a small change in the image of mixed martial arts.
Did you ever had to face prejudice due to your profession? What ordinary people think about your job?
Well...it isn't a job for me....there weren't enough fights so I went back to school. If I tell them they are in deep shock. The only thing they think it's similar to street- or bar fights. So they think I'm really stupid or they think I'm a superwoman or they think I'm white trash. Fortunately I don't look like that!
Do you know other female fighters as you? Tell me a little bit about it.
In Holland there's a big Thaiboxing scene in which a lot of girls compete. Now we also have some girls training at the gym. Dina van der Hooven even went to Brazil to train there. She really is in love with your country and told me great stories about it. Nadia van der Wal is an 17 year old girl that will become really good, she also fought in Japan in G-Shooto. I'm teaching at F.F.C. (Lucien Carbin's place) also and there is a girl named Pamela....she's a beast! Really, If she starts doing mixfight.......she'll become a champion. I know that for sure!
Have you train Vale-Tudo with a man? Tell about this experience.
Hahahaha, I had to train only with guys for a few years, because there were no girls. So for me it is normal, nothing special. For the guys it is normal too.