Unfinished Business for Monique Ricardo


Monique Ricardo, formerly Minton, took the fitness modeling world by storm when she starting competing in the NPC. She’s been on the covers of FLEX and Muscle & Fitness HERS and seen inside a number of other fitness magazines. Monique achieved IFBB Pro status in the Figure division but transitioned into the bikini division. Rewind to a year ago, she was preparing for the inaugural Bikini International but had to withdraw. It was mid-way through her prep that Monique found out she was pregnant with her first child. I caught up with Monique as she prepares to take care of some unfinished business.

 

 

Do you still go by Momo?
Sometimes

Momo Ricardo then?
Yes Sir.

How about Momma Momo?
Well, I am a momma now! lol

So take us back…you were accepted and invited to the 2011 Bikini International but you found out you were pregnant – right?
Yes! I was a few weeks into my 2011 Arnold training when I found out I was pregnant!

Congratulations! How old is the little guy?
Baby Maxwell is now five months.

Was there lots of kicking and punching during birth?
Yes! He was upside down my whole pregnancy and kicked my ribs the whole time!

As a new mom what’s been the biggest challenge?
I think the biggest challenge of being a new mom in the beginning is trying to find time to workout or really do anything! A newborn needs a lot of attention!

 

Momma and Maxwell

Did you workout during your pregnancy?
I did some cardio and rolled in my gi until 6 months, after that I had no stomach muscles to sit up and my hips didn’t move correctly. I lifted weights in the beginning but my doctor told me not to lift so heavy to protect the baby. I couldn’t lift light weight. I guess a mental thing. So I stopped after a few months.

How much weight did you gain?
I gained 20 pounds of total pregnancy. Five pounds of actually weight, after baby, fluids, etc.

What tips would you give moms out there about staying healthy and exercising?
Eat healthy!!! It helps so much with total pregnancy and post pregnancy! Being fit and then becoming pregnant makes your birth experience much easier and faster. I was only in labor for 23 minutes!

Wow that’s crazy. I’m sure a number of women wish they were in labor that long. LOL.

What’s one thing you wished someone would have told you or you knew before giving birth?
I got so much advice from many people about giving birth! A lot of women shared negative experiences, which just scared me! I had such a pleasant experience giving birth and was so surprised how easy and enjoyable it was! I wish someone told me to bring more snacks though. HA! hospital food sounds good on paper but doesn’t taste like they describe it! lol

Is it harder to get the bikini body back or no problems?
I worked super hard after having the baby! I had a Brazilian jiu jitsu (BJJ) tourney 3 months later, so I needed to catch up fast! I was in the gym lifting heavy and on the mat rolling hard! I probably should have slowed it down a bit but sometimes you gotta go big or go home! haha

Are you still practicing MMA – what level are you at in your BJJ?
Yes! its part of my life! I am now a brown belt under Eddie Ricardo

 

All she does is Win! Win! Win!

What did you think of Brock getting knocked out?
I don’t think he was ready to come back to the fight…the guy guy had 12 inches of intestines taken from his belly and then he goes and fights Overeem who punches him in the stomach!

Are you glad he retired?
You can’t be the champion forever.

Can Overeem beat Junior?
No. Junior is more hungry, younger… in my opinion better on the ground, standup and boxing!

What about Chael Sonen – what’s your take on him?
He is very smart intelligent person who trains and works out really hard, he is talking a lot of crap trying to get a fight with the champion, and that’s the only way with his record that he is going to be able to do it. Some girls would take their clothes off to get attention… Chael Sonnen talks for attention.

Will he be able to beat Munos?
Munos is a better fighter but Chael is stronger mentally… which can win fights!

You trained with the Nogueiras – how hard was it to watch Minotauro get broken by Frank Mir?
I realized that night what a warrior he was! He didn’t even make a face or sound. I admire when a man acts like man and not run to his momma and stays home playing video games!

Monotauro and Monique

Did you see The Warrior that you made an appearance in?
Yes!

What did you think of it?
It was very good! had a great storyline and one of the better MMA movies out there!

People may not know but how long were you there filming?
Almost 3 months!

Are you still with Team MuscleTech?
I am Team MuscleTech! 🙂

Will you be at their booth during the Arnold?
I will be at there booth!

What’s your favorite product?
They have a new fatburner out called Hydroxystim! It’s awesome. I’m using this product for my Arnold training.

Any issues with taking any supplements and breast feeding?
I didn’t take any supplements while breastfeeding, So it wasn’t an issue for me.

Who is a better model you or your sister?
Well it depends…I have three sisters and they are always competing to see who is gonna sit at the head of the table. haha

Anything else happen while away from the stage?
Not that I can think of. I had a lot of time to enjoy my pregnancy, my family and new baby!

What made you decide to compete again after having a baby?
I have never competed in the Arnold and I have always dreamed of competing there one day! I got the chance and I took it. I love setting goals and competing is fun process, so why not?! I’m also part of Team Bombshell and I appreciate all the help I am getting from them.

Good Luck in Columbus! If you want to keep up with what’s happening with Monique, “Like” her facebook page. Check back as Monique updates us here on Hardbody.com with her Arnold prep.



CNN Presents “Fighter Girls” – Women in MMA airing Oct. 23


Tun into CNN tonight to catch “Fighter Girls”,  a story on women in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). The rise of MMA’s popularity is due in large part to the UFC however the industry giant has yet to add a women’s division. It will be interesting to see how CNN’s Amber Lyon tackled this subject. Tune in tonight at 8pm EST to watch the show.

 

 

From CNN.com:
Mixed Martial Arts, or M.M.A., is a full contact combat sport that was once banned in much of the United States.  Today, it’s one of the fastest growing sports among men… and now women.  But why would any woman climb into a cage for all-out combat for what amounts to almost nothing?  CNN’s Amber Lyon steps into the Octagon to find out.

“Fighter Girls” is one of four riveting stories airing on CNN Presents hosted by CNN’s Soledad O’Brien and Dr. Sanjay Gupta this Sunday, October 23 at 8:00 pm ET, re-airing at 11:00 pm ET and 2:00 am ET.



NPC Bikini Competitor Nola June Wins Kickboxing Debut


NPC Bikini competitor, Nola June kicked her way out of the womb at birth and she hasn’t stopped yet. Although she doesn’t like to talk about it much, she’s been a ninja since birth and if you have any doubts look no further than the results of her kickboxing debut. When asked if she would be a ring girl for a night of fights in Charlotte, North Carolina, Nola asked to fight instead.

Nola’s a top national NPC competitor placing in the top five numerous times. Why would a bikini competitor step into a ring to fight? Nola tells me she’s been practicing some from a mixed martial arts for the last three years and taken a liking to muay thai. When the opportunity presented itself to fight for the first time and put her sparring to use, she jumped at the chance. Nola won her fight by unanimous decision but says next time it will be by knock out. Congrats Nola and who says bikini women aren’t tough?


Nola winning her kickboxing debut. Photo courtesy of Nola June.

 



MMA Hard Body Gina Carano Stars in Haywire


Gina Carano is one of the few women in MMA who has had any type of “mainstream” appeal. She not only has a hard body, is a bit of a bad ass but has the looks to match. She hasn’t fought in months but it hasn’t stopped her appeal with the fans. Gina has appeared in a variety of fitness magazines and she was part of the failed attempt to revitalize American Gladiators.

 

 

“Crush” as she was known on American Gladiators, will hope to do a bit of crushing at the box office early next year. Gina stars in the action packed movie HAYWIRE. This will be Gina’s first lead role in a movie and from the looks of the trailer she does a pretty damn good job in her big screen debut. Carano stars as Mallory Kane. The web site’s youtube channel shares:

Mallory Kane is a highly trained operative who works for a government security contractor in the dirtiest, most dangerous corners of the world. After successfully freeing a Chinese journalist held hostage, she is double crossed and left for dead by someone close to her in her own agency. Suddenly the target of skilled assassins who know her every move, Mallory must find the truth in order to stay alive.

Using her black-ops military training, she devises an ingenious—and dangerous—trap. But when things go haywire, Mallory realizes she’ll be killed in the blink of an eye unless she finds a way to turn the tables on her ruthless adversary.

The movie is directed by Oscar® winner Steven Soderbergh (Traffic) and has a heavy hitting cast including Channing Tatum (GI Joe: Rise of the Cobra), Ewan McGregor (The Ghost Writer), Michael Fassbender (X-Men: First Class), Antonio Banderas (The Legend of Zoro), Bill Paxton (“Big Love”), Michael Douglas (Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps), Michael Angarano (Almost Famous).

Visit the web site for more info on the movie and check out the trailer below. Good luck Gina!

Lead photos from haywiremovie.com.



MMA with Momo – UFC 129 Predictions from a Hardbody Hottie


IFBB Bikini Pro and top fitness model, Monique Ricardo (formerly Minton) has been away from the competitive stage and with good reason. She’s currently expecting her first child. Momo checks in with her predictions on UFC 129. The fights take place Saturday night in Toronto, Canada and it’s the biggest in UFC history with over 55,000 tickets sold. Check out how she breaks it down. Agree or not so much?

Momo’s UFC 129 Hardbody Breakdown:

Hello everyone! This is Monique Ricardo, I’ve been MIA lately, busy making a baby, lol. I am very excited for the fight this Saturday. This Saturday we are going to see Georges St. Pierre (GSP) vs Jake Shields, two ferocious fighters and a number of others at UFC 129. This is a sold out show and I am very excited to watch these fights because it features many talented mixed martial artists. An estimated 55,000 will be watching live in Toronto. There’s also a UFC Fan Expo being held this weekend which will give fans a chance to meet some of their favorite fighters.

GSP a Canadian hero, beloved by everybody in Toronto, Canada, hometown to MuscleTech®, the best supplements in the world for fighters and bodybuilders (my sponsors). Jake Shields is a young buck , All-American, up-and-coming fighter and has a chance to make it, but there is only one coming out the champion. He is going into foreign territory, like Rocky 4 , against an angry crowd. He will try to dethrown the prince of Canada. Besides that we have Jose Aldo, the killing sensation going against Mark Hominick, the machine… not to much fame, but alota talent. Of course last but not least Captain America , the hall of famer, Randy Couture. Randy the almost 80 yr old man ( just kidding) vs Lyoto Machida, the dragon.

GSP vs Shields – I think Jake Shields is gonna win because I’m tired of seeing gsp, boring ass, taking people down and stalling for the rest of the fight. I wanna see blood and enjoy my protein shake! lol.

Aldo vs Hominick – Aldo is gonna get beat up a lil, but will end up knocking Hominick out because he is much more experienced. There is too much hype with Homninick and Aldo has been fighting people without teeth in Brazil for years. I dont know about you, but I wouldn’t fight anybody without teeth.

Machida vs Couture – The old man Couture is gonna try to hug machida and take him down. But just like the turtle cannot catch up to the rabbit, Machida is going to run around to make the old man tired. He is in good shape and all, now that I think about it… I’d rather him go back to fighting than acting because The Scorpion King was terrible. Apparently Randy states he will be retiring after this fight, who is he kidding? not Dana White or me 🙂 Machida by Randy Couture throwing the white flag…hahahha ok for realz tko

Henderson vs Bocek- Of course Henderson, the guy looks like a bodybuilder, and we bodybuilders (:p) gotta stay together! hahaha


Monique Ricardo

 

The fights will be shown on Facebook and Pay-Per-View. Check out UFC.com for more info.

 



Strikeforce Ring Girl Challenge – Become a Ring Girl in Columbus


Calling all Hardbody ladies! This is your chance to become a Strikeforce Ring girl. Create a 30- second video and if it convinces Strikeforce’s Facebook fans you could be a featured Ring Girl at the event held during the Arnold weekend. The voting has begun but there doesn’t appear to be many entries yet. Get on it! Let’s get a hardbody hottie in the ring.

Details via Strikeforce Facebook:
Think you have what to it takes to be a ring girl? Then we challenge you to create a 30-second video convincing our 150,000+ Facebook fans why they should vote for you to be a Strikeforce Ring Girl at the March 5, 2011 event in Columbus, Ohio: Strikeforce – Feijao vs. Hendo

Round 1 voting begins Monday, Feb. 7, 2011 and ends Saturday, Feb. 19, 2011. The top 8 girls with the most votes – along with 2 Strikeforce picks—will move on to the final round, once again competing to earn the most votes.

During the final round, which begins Monday, Feb. 21, 2011 and ends Saturday, Feb. 26, 2011, voting is reset to zero for all finalists. The candidate that receives the most votes in the final round will be crowned an official “Strikeforce Ring Girl” for the March 5, 2011 Strikeforce event in Columbus, Ohio and will represent Strikeforce at the Arnold Sports Festival. Two airline tickets, hotel accommodations, and transportation will also be provided to give you the maximum Strikeforce experience.

Strikeforce fans, we need you to vote for your favorite Ring Girl!

Important: Your address, phone number and email will only be viewed by the Strikeforce staff and will not be shared with the public. We will display only your Facebook name, video and description. Privacy Policy

For complete Terms and Conditions, please see our Contest Rules page.

All Strikeforce Ring Girl entries must meet the following requirements:
* All Entrants in the Contest must be eighteen (18) years or older
* All Entrants must be United States residents
* Entry must be in English
* Video submission must be original and created by the entrant
* Entry must not violate third-party rights including, but not limited to: copyrights, including music copyrights, trademark, and right of publicity; do not use any third-party trademarks, company names or logos
* Video submission may not contain any confidential material
* Entry must not include unsuitable content; obscenity; disparagement; defamation; libel threats; pornography; harassment; racial, ethnic, or sexual slurs; other offensive conduct or material, or otherwise include inappropriate or unlawful content, as determined at the Sponsor’s sole discretion
* Entrants must pass along all rights for usage and promotion to Strikeforce
* Video submission must be uploaded using the Strikeforce application functionality or by uploading to a personal YouTube channel and providing Strikeforce with the necessary video information
* Entry must not include or contain advertising or solicitations of business

If you enter let us know and we’ll help you gather votes!

Thanks to J-Smack Holland for the assist.



MMA with MOMO – UFC 124 Predictions


Resident MMA guru, Momo is back with her predictions for UFC 124. Check out who she thinks will be victorious. It’ll be a great night of fights.

Hello fellow hardbodies! It’s that time again. Just in case you have been under a rock and have not heard, the UFC (the biggest cage fighting tournament in the world) and WEC have recently joined forces. It will be interesting to see how UFC plans to showcase all of these fights…We just had season 12 of the Ultimate FIghter on Spike… Team GSP vs. Team Koschek. This season was pretty entertaining with all the pranks, fights and trash talking. The  finale was last week on live tv and Jonathan Brooks took the spot of The Ultimate Fighter winner. Now the coaches square off tonight in Montreal Canada, home of GSP.

UFC 124 Predictions
STRUVE vs. MCCORKLE: I’m going with stefan “skyscraper” struve. He s like 6 ft 7 ? crazy tall and hasn’t really impressed me with his mma skills but somehow manages to win! He reminds me of a childhood book I used to read called The BFG—meaning The Big Friendly Giant

MILLLER vs OLIVEIR: I’m going with Oliveira in this fight. He is very young, under 20 i think. He has great motivation and just the other day he was unable to buy his girlfriend a cheeseburger with lettuce and tomato! Now he can afford a few. Very technical.

STEVENSON vs DANZIG: I’m goin with Danzig, a former Ultimate fighter champ. He is very weird guy who likes birds and is sponsored by vega – a vegan supplement company. Stevenson very strong guy, but past his prime, nobody likes him and has some good guillotines.

ALVES vs HOWARD: I’ll pick Alves on this fight. He has alota heart. We have 2 great stand up fighters, Howard is very strong with alota knockout power. Alves recently was out of comission for a bit and in the hospital when a cat scan revealed an irregularity involving an artery in his brain. He thought he would never fight again! He has a new outlook on life and maybe another win under his belt.

GSP VS KOSCHEK: Well most of the world, like me will be goin with GSP this fight. Koschek is a cocky, arrogant but has alota skills. You either love him or hate him. On the other hand you have a soft spoken, humble guy and some say the best welterweight athelete of the UFC. GSP already beat koschek before, the only difference it was a few yrs ago and some people say GSP is past his primetime. Koschek is very hungry. It will be a very interesting fight but I believe Gsp  is motivated to beat him after so many pranks and trash talking on TUF ( the ultimate fighter show)

Happy Holidays
MOMO
2010 world champ no gi



MMA with Momo – UFC 121 Predictions and Breakdown


IFBB Bikini Pro / Fitness Model / Mixed Martial Artist Monique Minton breaks down UFC 121. The card is stacked from top to bottom with some amazing fights. Will she be correct in her picks? Who do you like in the weekend’s event?

Hello everyone! Now that the Bikini Olympia has passed, I’m very focused with my MMA training, I have a very good coach with a great game plan. I plan to compete in a tournament this December, so check back to see how I do.

I’m back with predictions for UFC 121 being held in Anaheim, CA this weekend. This is a great card, with alot hype for the main event. SPIKE TV has even dedicated this month as “Brocktober”! You can be sure I will be watching these fights with my team mates this Saturday! oss!

UFC Fight Card 121

Brock Lesnar vs. Cain Velasquez – What can I say… Brock is a beast! He’s better than ever and looks to be fully recovered from a serious illness months ago. He looks like the main character on beauty and the beast , but bigger! Cain is a guy who has a lot of talent though. Very good wrestling and standup, but he’s missing size and power. How can you push a steel wall? I’m going with Brock on this one.

Jake Shields vs Martin Kampmann -Former stikeforce fighter, Shields has good wrestling, submissions and strength. His stand-up, in my opinion, is so so. Martin has really good jiu-jitsu and good standup. Martin seems to always get paired with tuff guys though. I will go with Jake Shields on this one with ground and pound.

Diego Sanchez vs Paulo Thiago – Diego is an Ultimate Fighter alum and former student under Saulo Riebeiro. He has recently switched camps/coaches. During his last fight we didn’t see the same Diego as in the past. Paulo Thiago is a very tough guy physically and mentally. He is part of BOPe, a special Brazilian police force that go into the Favelas (ghetto) to kill the drug lords. They fight to kill or die. There is great movie called Elite squad , Part 2 is out in theaters now but in Brazil only. It shows the dangerous missions they go through on a day to day basis. For this fight I’m going with Paulo, he lost his last fight against Martin Kampmann but I think he has gone back to the drawing board and revised his mission.

Tito Ortiz vs Matt Hamil – I will pick Matt Hamil for this fight. I hope that nasty staff infection has healed that he revealed in the octogon on his last fight! Tito has had alot of attention in the past months, being married to former pornstar Jenna jameson. He was accused of battery and we shall see if he was able to focus and train for his first fight after the incedent. I’m not a huge fan of Ortiz.

Brendan Schaub vs Gabriel Gonzaga – Gabriel “napao” meaning big nose in Portuguese… He’s a world champion in bjj and has some high kicks the problem is he likes to party a lot but who doesn’t? lol. Brendan Schaub was former professional football player for Utah Blaze. He was also a finalist on Ultimate fighter. I’m going with Gonzaga with this fight because he has more fighting expierence. I call TKO on this fight!

Let’s see if Momo is correct come fight night. In the mean time you can check her out in the current issue of UFC magazine.

Dean’s a little late to the game this card but he’s challenging Momo once again. Who will prevail?


DEAN’S BREAKDOWN

Brock Lesnar vs Cain Velasquez
– Lesnar, second round stoppage. I think Cain might have the skillz but doesn’t have the size and Cain has a solid jaw so the ref is going to have to stop this one.

Jake Shields vs. Martin Kampmann
– Kampmann, Shields will prob rock him a few times but I’m saying Kampman will put a stop to Shields 14 win streak.

Diego Sanchez vs. Paulo Thiago
– Sanchez, I am going out on a limb here but I will go with Sanchez Decision.

Tito Ortiz vs. Matt Hamill
– Hamill, Last fight I saw Tito in it didn’t look like he recovered fully from his injury. Another decision.

Brendan Schaub vs. Gabriel Gonzaga
– Gonzaga, Knock out end of Second round.



Clash of the Coliseum Ring Girls


Last weekend in Charleston, South Carolina a former NPC bodybuilder David Griffin tested himself as an MMA Fighter. David, husband to IFBB Figure Pro Melissa Griff, went three rounds with former UFC bad ass Houston Alexander at the Clash of the Coliseum. Working the fight as ring girls were (from left to right) Cheryl Foster – NPC Bikini, Nikki Larson, Brittany Bowser -NPC Bikini, Kierstin Flores – NPC Bikini, Tessa Wood – IFBB Figure and Ashley King – NPC Figure.

ringgirls
Clash of the Coliseum Rings Girls.
Thanks to Shannon Meteraud for the photo assist.

Ashley will be in Chicago this weekend for the NPC Jr Nationals. The other Bikini girls will be making their national debuts at the NPC JR USA later this summer. National Debuts at Jr USAs. Look’n good ladies!



Momo Finds Her Mojo


IFBB Bikini Pro Monique Minton continues to collect belts but doesn’t bother taking names in her “other world”. Monique is an accomplished grappler who recently won yet another tournament. This time Momo headed to Ft. Worth, Texas where she competed in the expert division of Gi and No Gi (two forms of grappling). Don’t let the pretty face and bikini body fool ya, she’ll choke your ass out!

momomojo
Monique shoring off her newest hardware.



IFBB Pros at UFC Fan Expo


The second UFC Fan Expo is taking place this weekend in Las Vegas, Nevada. While I was making my through the thousands of fans, snapping photos and doing video interviews, I spotted four IFBB Bikini Pros who will be back in Vegas this September. Amanda Latona, Tianna Ta, Shelsea Montes and Sheryln Roy are all qualified for the first Bikini Olympia and were represent’n at the Fan Expo.

throwdown

FLEXonline bikini finalist, Katie Chung-Hua & IFBB Bikini Pro
Amanda Latona put up their dukes.


tianna
IFBB Bikini Pro Tianna Ta & Katie pose with fans at the BSN booth.


bikinigirls
IFBB Bikini Pros Shelsea Montes & Sherlyn Roy.



MMA with Momo – Arnold Recap & March Madness


Monique Minton is back after her trip to the Arnold Sports Festival.

momomma

Hello Guys,

Earlier this month was awesome! I was the Arnold expo and got to see many great things.  I feel like we women are growing a lot and gaining more space in our industry. One of the highlights of the show was when Arnold himself called Slyvester Stallone to give him a award. I thought it was so cool because tqo of the biggest butt kickers of all times (at least in the movies) were on the same stage. It brought reminded me of why I love the UFC so much!

On Saturday Night we had the WEC fights. The WEC is a kind of a smaller league of the UFC and they have the lighter weight fights.  There were a bunch of surprises, new champions and old champions got destroyed for the second time (Miguel Torres) it was a really interesting night!  Now this next two weeks will be awesome… first because I will be completing in California for the first time as an IFBB Pro and second ’cause there will be two UFC events. The first one is this Sunday, March 21, and it’s a FREE UFC show on the Versus channel. Lots of great fights on this one.  Brandon Vera will be fighting this guy who is so scary. He’s so scary good that I wouldn’t even want to fight him. lol.  If things go the way people say it will… Vera will get a huge cut in his face and his new nick name will be Brandon “Frankenstein”Vera!

On March 27th in New Jersey there will be a card full of famous fighters, I can’t wait to comment on them as well.  Especially how Dan Hardy is gonna get embarrassed for not training appropriately.  Here is a tip for you readers… it’s not a good idea to train with family member when you are fighting against GSP, unless you are a nephew of Mr. Miagi. Concluding this week on Spike tv lots of interesting UFC show that show how fighters are getting ready for their fights, it is good to remember that some of these guys are training for the fight of their lives.  If they lose they not only lose money but also their contracts and a chance to fight in the biggest MMA league in the world.

As a fan of fitness and a fan of MMA all I can say is that it is important to fight.  Life is like a big octagon where you find yourself.  You know you could have done more to get better prepared, but there is no time to cry or complain the idea is to go there and fight with all you have, never give up and in the end know that you are successful for never doubting yourself. Get the mission accomplished… winning or losing doesn’t really matter because the objective was to go beyond your limits.

<3momo



MMA with Momo – UFC 110 Recap


momomma

Hey guys,

Last weekend was awesome! Great fights and the UFC is getting better every day. The event in Australia was a great success they sold out all their tickets in the first day and the UFC is the most watch pay per view event.  If you’ve never watched it before, the next UFC event is in Broomfield Colorado and will be awesome plus it’s FREE.  This event will be shown on the VERSUS channel March 21, 2010 at 9p.m. ET.  The card will is very exciting and one of my favorite fighters, Pilipino Brandon Vera will be fighting Jon Jones, in my opinion Brandon Vera beat Couture on their last fight but they gave it to Couture. But this Jones guy is so tough his last fight he ran over a wrestling guy (in the octagon) and beat him up so bad that if I was the guy I would just go back to school.  Besides that fight they will have my close friend Junior “cigano” dos santos fighting Napao, great fight. Two Brazilian warriors fighting to show their country who is the king hahahha.  Sheik Congo will be fighting paul buttelo, also James Irving, Clay Guida and many others so  it will be good.

Now going back to what happened last week on the UFC 110 Nogueira vc Velasquez.
Cain knocked out my friend Nogueira, I was very said, but I admired Cain complements to Nogueira after the fight and the fact that he was a extra humble guy.

Silva won by unanimus decision over Bisping – I was very happy cause I don’t like Bisping because he is too full of himself so I was very happy. hahah

George Sotiropulos beat Joe Daddy Steverson – I thought he was gonna lose based on his last name.  I guess the lesson is never judge a book by its cover.

Cro Cop beat Perosh – By brutal man handling force! I felt sorry for perosh but give him 10 for the efford!

Krysztof TKO Bonnar – I guess people from my mom’s country are tough no wonder my mom beat us up hard. hahahha

Chis leg lock Foster – To show that Brazilian jiu-jitsu is still very effective

CB Dollaway beat Rejic – Good fight but cb need to work out more upper buddy, he looks like a 15 year old boy!



Reebok’s Viral Marketing with Chuck Liddell & Girlfriend Heidi Northcott


This is a perfect example of how to generate buzz in a big way. The video shows UFC superstar Chuck Liddell working out nude with his girlfriend, Heidi Northcott. The two were spotted in nothing but Reebok shoes.

The MMA community was having a field day with this video when it surfaced and eventually ended up on TMZ. The piece cost Reebok next to nothing to make and it’s generating more buzz than most tv commercials would ever do. It gained so much attention that Jimmy Kimmel Live featured it last night.

Props to Reebok for the creative stunt.



Dean vs. Momo Round 2 – UFC 110


Hello Guys,
I can not explain to you in words how important this weekend is, as a UFC fanatic this will be a great weekend especially bc my teacher/friend will be doing the main event, Rodrigo “minotauro” Nogueira vc Cain Velasquez.  Nogueira is such a great guy, he is not a fake champion like tito ortiz, mike swick or many other posers that tell people they are good and some people actually believe them. This guy is the champion for 11 years,The champion in Japan and former UFC champion.  In our culture when people reach the top they became arrogant and timeless for anyone, Nogueira goes out of his way to talk to people take pictures and make everyone feel like a friend, the guy is not only a great fighter, he is a example of the ideal human being.  Now lets go to my picks!

Nogueira vs Velasquez
– how can any mom named her son cain, she might as well  have called him spawn(devil child) cain in the bible was a guy who killed his own brother cause of jelousy.  I hope he has no brothers cause after my boy nogueira kicks his butt he will have to alleviate his hate on somebody, Nogueira by guillotine!

Silva vs Bisping
– Bisping the big mouth(knows it all and have an excuse for everything) has done nothing yet, he is a creation of the UFC to win fans from england, as you know it is all about the show business, nothing like having a English fight hero  Bisping calls himself the best, the man , but who has he really beat? no one, who has wanderley beat? huh, bisping’s teacher 2times (Rampage Jackson) and Dan Henderson the guy who was made fun of the entire Ultimate Fighter show(spike’s tv reality show) and on the day of the fight kicked bispings ass. Silva the “mad dog” is gonna knock him out in second round and he will come with the most lame excuse such as, “fans i am sorry , but I broke my nail last month and i couldnt train for weeks!”

Steverson vs Sotiropulos
– Joe daddy is gonna win, how can anyone with a last name like that win anything, this guy should go to court ask for a name change and them go back to fight at the UFC. It reminds me of that sesame street character…snuffaluffagus! and snuffaluffagus wouldnt hurt a fly!

Jardine vs Bader – that is easy just look at their body, Jardine looks like uncle fester from the Adams family and Bader looks like a Hydroxycut model!  He is the reality show champion (Ultimate fighter)when Nogueira was the coach and nogueira told me, he is really tuf. If nogueira said the guy is tuff , who am I to say otherwise. Im going with bader on this fight.

Cro Cop vs Routhwell
– Cro Cop will win, cro cop is one of the greatest kickboxing fighters of all times, and routhwell is just a strong guy with heart, my advice for him is get a gym membership, shave some fat off, gain more muscles work on his cardio and learn to fight. Then come back to fight in the UFC!  Cro Cop will knock him out with a kick to the head

Stephan Bonnar vs Krzysztof Soszynski
– huh should I go with my beloved america, or with my mom’s land Poland, I will need to pick out Soszynski cause I think Bonnar is too washed up, he got punched in the head too many times, that cant be good for you.  I love bonnar’s style, but I think the polish man will ground and pound him

Chris Lytle vs Brian Foster
– dont know neither one of them but i will go for chris cause I seen him getting beat up by someone before! so maybe his time to shine! chris lytle , my pick.

CB Dollaway vs Goran Reljic
– CB will win, very good wrestler, this guy is fearless and even though he looks smaller and has a baby face, and he is tuff as nails

To conclude all this guys are tough and it will be a great show, I love the story behind the fights and I love to see people that just like us in the industry train so hard for a competition and sometimes even be better they lose, but the most important think is to always remain positive and as rocky balboa quoted “it is not about how hard you can hit, but how hard you can get hit and not give up”
<3momo

ps.  Please root for my boy Nogueira, he is the people’s champ!

—-

Dean’s Picks
James Te-Huna vs Igor Pokrajac

James Te-Huna – He grew up watching Bruce Lee so he has to win!
Knockout – Right uppercut third round

C.B. Dollaway vs Goran Reljic
Goran Reljic – Everyone sees potential in CB but potential doesn’t win fights, plus its always fun to watch wrestler lose!

Chris Lytle vs Brian Foster
Chris Lytle – he is a warrior, then again Foster is known for knocking some ffols out. This should be a great toe-to-toe fight.

Stephan Bonnar vs Krysztof Soszynski
Krysztof Soszynski – this will be another great fight as both these men can take a beating and give a beating. I see Bonner getting more of a beating then he gives Soszynski, so look for the usual Bonner to get hammered and hang-in there for longer then you think he should.
Soszynski – Decision

Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic vs. Anthony Perosh
Mirko – I know he hasn’t performed in the Octagon like we are used to seeing in the ring but I think after the last fight being controversial he will come out finish this one with authority!
Cro Cop – TKO via kick to the head late first round

Keith Jardine vs Ryan Bader
Jardine – I know of a lot of Jardine haters but the guy definitely looks MEAN! Regardless of likes or dislikes Jardines experience will get him the win over Bader.
Jardine – Split Decision

Joe Stevenson vs George Sotiropoulos
Joe Stevenson – Joe needs this win big time. This is a great fight for George, he has been working his way up with some impressive wins but Joe will be his toughest opponent yet. Joe has two wins but he needs a solid streak to get back on track as one of the divisions top fighters.
Stevenson – Unanimous

Michael Bisping vs Wanderlei Silva
Wanderlie – That’s all I have to say about this fight! Knockout 2nd round

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs Cain Velasquez
This is a hard one to call, Nog was almost written off by many fans then pulled off a win against Couture. Cain has been unstoppable and many who doubted him are starting to believe. I want Nog to win this one but I am going to have to give it Cain. Nog needs to get a submission or he wont win this fight. Velasquez – Decision



Bellator Fighting Championships Wants You


Thanks to my man Jesse Holland over at MMAmania.com for passing along this information. After seeing the press release,  I spoke with Joe Doran from Bellator’s PR agency to get a little more info. Joe tells me that video is highly recommended for all entries. They are moving quick on this search and will narrow the field to the select finalists in March, so the sooner you enter the better. If you decide to enter, communicate why you’d be a good fit for Bellator and it (the video) only needs to be a couple minutes long. Maybe you’ll get bonus points for giving HARDBODY a shout-out, err then again maybe not. If you’re not familiar with Bellator Fighting Championships, check out their web site. It could be a great opportunity for you ladies.

Also worth noting… “After receiving application submissions, Bellator will choose finalists who will be flown to Chicago for in-person interviews beginning in March 2010. At the culmination of the interview process, three winners will be chosen along with two alternates. Winners will begin traveling with the Bellator team in April 2010. Compensation will be disclosed to finalists.”

Good luck!

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Bellator Fighting Championships announces Bellator Girls spokesmodel search

Three winners will be featured on FOX Sports Net, NBC, and Telemundo

CHICAGO, Ill. (February 16, 2010) – Bellator Fighting Championships, a first-of-its-kind mixed martial arts promotion that will debut its second season this April on FOX Sports Net, NBC and Telemundo, has announced a contest to recruit talented women to serve as the company’s official spokesmodels and round card girls – the Bellator Girls – in 2010.

Selected Bellator Girls will have the opportunity to travel around the country with Bellator Fighting Championships and will appear on the promotion’s nationally televised events, at various appearances for the brand and at various Bellator event related activities. Interested candidates must have excellent communications skills, a vivacious and outgoing personality as well as outstanding camera presence. Appearing at all 22 live events, the Bellator Girls will be given national television and live event exposure on a weekly basis from April to November 2010.

Job responsibilities will include:
– Serving as “round card” girls at Bellator events;
– Appearing at promotional events such as fighter weigh-ins and press events;
– Interaction with sponsors and making appearances at sponsor related events, and
– Professional photo shoots for Bellator promotional materials/videos, products, etc.

How to Apply Online:
1. Visit www.Bellator.com/BellatorGirls
2. Fill out all required information including name, address, and age
3. Attach all required materials or links including photos and resume
4. Attach or add link to video submission
5. Read the terms and conditions and check, “I Agree to these terms”
6. Press the Submit button

How to Apply Via Mail:

1. Send all required materials including name, address, age, photos, resume and video to the following address:

Bellator Fighting Championships: Bellator Girl Search
445 N Wells St.
Suite 401
Chicago, IL 60654

Additional requirements:

– All applicants must be at least 18 years old;
– All applicants must be able to travel three days a week between the months of April and November 2010;
– All applicants must be legal residents of the United States;
– In their application video, applicants should provide a specific answer to the question of why they would be the best choice to become a Bellator Girl;
– Pictures and videos must showcase physical and verbal talents; and
– All applicants must be willing to submit to background checks and drug testing.

After receiving application submissions, Bellator will choose finalists who will be flown to Chicago for in-person interviews beginning in March 2010. At the culmination of the interview process, three winners will be chosen along with two alternates.

Winners will begin traveling with the Bellator team in April 2010. Compensation will be disclosed to finalists.

For more information, visit www.Bellator.com.

About Bellator Fighting Championships
Bellator Fighting Championships is a Mixed Martial Arts promotional company with offices in Los Angeles and Chicago. Bellator’s team is comprised of experienced fighting sports and entertainment professionals with a deep commitment to the purity and integrity of the sport of MMA and its athletes. Bellator Fighting Championships’ executive team is comprised of top industry professionals in the areas of live event production, television production, fighter relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations.



MMA with Momo – UFC 109 Recap


Momo recaps UFC 109 in amusing fashion.

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UFC 109
Las Vegas, USA – Saturday, January 6, 2010

Main card:
– Randy Couture defeated Mark Coleman by submission at R2;
– Chael Sonnen defeated Nate Marquardt by unanimous decision;
– Paulo Thiago defeated Mike Swick by submission at R2;
– Demian Maia defeated Dan Miller by unanimous decision;
– Matt Serra defeated Frank Trigg by KO at R1;

Preliminary fights:
– Mac Danzig defeated Justin Buchholz by unanimous decision;
– Melvin Guillard defeated Ronys Torres by unanimous decision;
– Robert Emerson defeated Phillipe Nover by unanimous decision;
– Phil Davis defeated Brian Stann by unanimous decision;
– Chris Tuchscherer defeated Tim Hague by split decision;
– Joey Beltran defeated Rolles Gracie by KO at R2.

We saw Frank Trigg getting his butt whopped by Matt Serra and after getting TKO (technical knocked out) he looked very surprised! Haha, if I was there I would say, “you lost brother!” Nate surprised everyone getting taken down at will by a Republican Politician (Chael Sonnen). Chael showed, that just like Bush he used preventative striking and attacked Nate the whole fight. I was kind of sad ’cause Nate is much better looking and that he had no bottom game. Nate what happened? My boy Paulo Thiago made me really proud, first cause I made some money betting on him, second cause he showed that punching is cool but making a guy pass out is even cooler, I guess Mike “Quick” Swick is not so slick! And with the last fight of the night, I was far-fetched with my pick Mark “the Hammer” Coleman, the problem was he forgot to fight and came as if he was going for a picnic.

As of my picks challenger all I have to tell him is that takes some chances sometimes! Deano, its on for ufc 110

But all eyes now are on UFC 110 with my friend and teacher Antonio ”Minotauro” Nogueira, I get nervous thinking about that fight. Cain Velasquez, his opponent, is a young tough fighter. The event is going to take place in the land down under (Australia) land of “wolwerine” Hugh Jackman and Crocodile Dundee. All the tickets were sold out on the first day, so it will be a huge event! Lots of great fights but I will tell more about them when the time comes. Check back with Hardbody.com for more info on MMA news, gossip, interviews and predictions with MOMO 🙂

If you want a good laugh for today, check this you-tube video out
Its very funny and prolly the typical fighter wanna-be’s you may see around your city!



Hardbody Hook-Up: UFC/WEC Prize Pack


I posted the Hardbody Hook-Up for FREE WEC tickets earlier this month. If you missed the original post check it out here. The original hook up was for 2 free tickets to the WEC event in Columbus. Thanks to our friends at Pro MMA Radio, the WEC and now the UFC the deal just got a little sweeter. In addition to the WEC tickets, there will be a UFC prize pack (a shirt, hat, etc.) added to it. This is your chance to get hooked up with gear from the biggest promotion in MMA.

wec_47_poster

How do you get hooked up? Simple. Email me at isaac@hardbody.com and share why you’d love to attend the event. The most creative entry showing their love for MMA and the WEC will win. Photos, video, creative writing… Whatever it is that you think will get you the tickets. You have until Feb. 14th at 6pm PST to enter. We’ll announce the winner shortly after the deadline passes on Feb. 14th. Someone will get a little extra love on Valentine’s Day this year compliments of HARDBODY, WEC and the UFC.

The ticket give-away is open to everyone. If you have any questions email me or post in the comments below.



Momo Falls to The Not so Mean Dean


Dean bested Momo in their prediction battle for UFC 109. Despite only getting 28 percent of the votes in today’s Hardbody prediction poll Dean proved the voters wrong. He went 7-2 while Momo went 5-4. Momo went out on a limb with a few fights and it ended up costing her the win. Despite Dean’s smack talk and presently inflated ego, my money is on Momo to choke him out should the two ever get in the ring. Check back in a couple weeks to see if Dean can keep his streak alive as they make their predictions once again for UFC 110.

Momo gets quote of the night when she said, “Paulo Thiago hands down! The guy fights criminals in the favelas in Brazil, while Mike Swick eats cheeseburgers at Dave and Busters”. Thiago choked out Swick for the win.

Visit MMAmania.com for the full results.

deanmomo



MMA Predictions with Momo and Dean – UFC 109


Our resident MMA gir,l Momo has submitted her UFC 109 predictions. She’s going out on a limb the main fight and has some hilarious comments on the others. Dean Donlon, the man in charge up the contest section at Bodybuilding.com, thinks he has the winning picks.  It’s a UFC prediction throw down… MOMO vs DEAN. Dean’s already talking smack, “Bring it on MOMO!” Who will fair better? You can catch UFC 109 tonight on Pay Per View. Check back tomorrow to see how Momo and Dean did.

deanmomo
POLL CLOSED – Hardbody Voters call it…
Momo – 72%
Dean – 28%

Randy Couture vs. Mark Coleman
Momo: I’m gonna call Mark Coleman because he is the underdog and like on Rocky 3 the underdog always wins.
Dean: Couture! Straight up! He is a little over a year older but physically he has a few years of youth on Coleman. Coleman is an old man and has lost his power over the years and that is all he ever had. Couture will finish him in the late second round by submission (choke)

Nate Marquardt vs. Chael Sonnen
Momo: Nate Marquardt, I trained with him…he is tough. Cheal is a crying baby… Paulo Filho put him in an arm-bar, he tapped and said he didn’t.
Dean: Marquardt, Nate is physically stronger and more well rounded, watching Nate fight is always a pleasure and he trains to win. If you have ever seen footage of Nate training you would not even consider Sonnen. Nothing against Sonnen but he is just not at the skill level of Nate the Great. Marquardt – 1st round KO (hopefully a flying Knee)

Mike Swick vs. Paulo Thiago

Momo: Paulo Thiago hands down! The guy fights criminals in the favelas in Brazil, while Mike Swick eats cheeseburgers at Dave and Busters… and only fought posers.
Dean: Hard to say but I’m not a fan of Swick, I think Thiago will finally put an end to Swicks un-entertaining fights. I give Swick props, he has some big name wins under his belt but that will end with Thiago. Just as most of Swicks fight I see this going the distance. Thiago – split decision.

Demian Maia vs. Dan Miller
Momo: Demain Maia on this fight, as long as he uses Brazilian Jiu-jit-su. I bet he is gonna get a rear naked choke or guillotine.
Dean: Should be a great grappling match, if either one comes out swing they will lose, there is not much stand up game in this fight.With that said it will be a great fight for real MMA fans who appreciate a well matched fight. Maia in my opinion just has the upper hand in BJJ and will win this fight. Maia – 1st round submission.

Matt Serra vs. Frank Trigg
Momo: They both look older than Randy Couture and Mark Coleman, but ill pick Matt Serra on this fight, because Frank Trigg was already done 2002.
Dean: LOL – will be a good fight but I’m not a fan of either. Both will come into this fight well conditioned and I say it will start with a slugfest. After both take too many punches in the head Trigg will shoot and from there Serra will utilize the fact that he has far better BJJ skills and finish the fight. Serra – late first or mid second round submission

Mac Danzig vs. Justin Bucholz
Momo: One more time, they gave Mac the weirdo another dead chicken. If he doesn’t win this one, he should sign up for one of MTV’s reality shows! Mac for this fight.
Dean: Both are on losing streaks and honestly this fight is worthless. I’m going Danzig split decision

Ronys Torres vs. Melvin Guillard
Momo: I’m hope’n for Melvin, because I don’t wanna see him on celebrity rehab. Melvin.
Dean: Torres – better BJJ, Guillard’s only chance is a KO in the first minute. Torres – Submission Early second

Phillipe Nover vs. Robert Emerson
Momo: Phillipe, better jiu-jitsu
Dean: This could be a sort of comeback fight for Emerson, I think he will come in better prepared. Emerson – split decision

Brian Stann vs. Phil Davis
Momo: Brian because my dad was also in the U.S. military.
Dean: Phil Davis – Unanimous, dont think Stann will stop the streak of Davis Prediction: Davis by decision



MMA with Momo


Welcome our newest Hardbody contributor… IFBB Bikini Pro, top fitness model and MMA practitioner Monique “Momo” Minton.  Momo will be sharing some insight, tips and predictions on the world of MMA.

momomma
Hello Everyone!

I am Monique Minton, a MMA fanatic, lover and practitioner.  I train every day and that is where most of my cardio comes from. You burn crazy amounts of calories during grappling or sparring. I decided to venture into Brazilian Jiu-jit-su (BJJ) and muay thai because I wanted a different method of cardio, a more fun approach. I didn’t realize I would get addicted, find such passion for a sport and actually suceed in such a displined art. I love MMA because it is a nice way to exercise and also learn something very useful. As my coach says “fighting solves everything.” hahahaha just kidding.  But seriously, it is very good for women to learn self-defense.

Many women don’t know what MMA is or what it stands for. They tend to think it’s cage fighting and a blood sport where they put two people inside a cage to beat each other as much as they can. Those who judge the sport this way miss why MMA is the most fun, exciting and fastest growing sport in America.

The sport is so intriguing and so technical. What other sport can a 45 year old man like Randy “The Natural” Couture, fight with guys half his age (Brandon Vera) and still win? Luck?  No. Technique!  If I were you… this Saturday, get a group of friends together and visit a place where they are showing the UFC Fights. You’ll see some of the best athletes in the world compete and have fun in the process, at least I know I will.  Check back with my predictions and thoughts on the UFC 109 fights!

Ossssaa! <3 momo



IFBB Pro Tanya Merryman & UFC GYM


Check out the latest promotional video for the new UFC GYM. One familiar name/face to those who follow the fitness/figure industry is IFBB Pro Tanya Merryman. We interviewed her a couple years ago here on HARDBODY if you’re new to the site. She’s often remembered for her killer calves however she’s making a name for herself off the stage as the Group Fitness Manager for UFC GYM.

ufcgym

UFC GYMs are the newest extension of the UFC brand. As the video explains, it’s not a place to go and be a UFC fighter, it has a huge list of offerings from classes to weights and cardio. Congrats on the position Tanya and best of luck with the gym!



Dianna Dahlgren Gets Sinful


Today Affliction clothing is offering 25% off all their SINFUL Hooded Sweatshirts with a special promo code. IFBB Bikini Pro Dianna Dahlgren is the featured model for the promo that’s sure to be seen by thousands of fans. Props to Dianna for her continued success in the modeling world.

dianna



Hardbody Chandella Powell Makes UFC Debut


It didn’t take long for the UFC to cut Natasha Wicks from their roster. Natasha won the Maxim/UFC Octagon Girl contest in May and was cut last month. She’s one of the women featured in the 2010 Girls of BSN calendar.

Tonight former Playboy Playmate Chandella Powell will make her UFC debut as an octagon girl alongside Arianny Celeste. This photo, taken by Combat Lifestyle, shows the new Octagon girl rock’n a hardbody and  more muscle than Natasha and Logan (the other girl cut).

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New Octagon girl rock’n the Hardbody.

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Chandella & Airanny getting ready for tonight’s fights.



Bikini Bad Ass


Who says Bikini competitors don’t work out and can’t hang with the “real athletes”? Obviously, those people haven’t met and tangled with IFBB Bikini Pro Monique Minton. Monique continues to work on her MMA training and does very well at it. Over the weekend she competed in Florida State Championships and won her class, open class and gi. She took home first place (by submission in each one) every match. Congrats!

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Monique putting a beating down on an opponent.

Those of you wondering if Monique has hung up to bikini for good, not so fast. She tells me she’ll be competing next year in the new IFBB Bikini pro division.



Carano falls to Cyborg


Carano versus Cyborg was the first headline event for women’s Mixed Martial Arts. This was a big step for the women in MMA. Gina Carano has been the face of women’s MMA but on Saturday night she fell to Cyborg in the first round. How will this change the landscape of women’s MMA in the months ahead? Only time will tell but this was one helluva fight. You can hear the fans going nuts in this video. Check it out…

Props to both women.



New UFC Octagon Girl Natasha Wicks Loves to Workout


We told you about Natasha Wicks last month after she won the Maxim/UFC Octagon Girl contest. If you missed it, check out the post here. This weekend Natasha will make her debut in the Octagon at UFC 101. The Las Vegas native shares in her UFC video that she loves to workout and it isn’t a chore for her. It’s good to hear her share with millions of UFC fans that working out and eating healthy is important.

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Natasha Wicks – New UFC Octagon Girl.


Satan’s Workout with Gina Carano


Norm Turner aka Satan is Gina Carano’s strength and conditioning coach. Gina is the most popular female in MMA and you might remember her as one of the American Gladiators. She will face her toughest opponent next weekend when she fights Cyborg. One of the things that people dog Gina for his her apparent lack of discipline when it comes to making weight for her fights. She’s had some time off from fighting and by the looks of this video, I doubt she’ll miss weight this time around.

Think you train hard? Watch this video and see if you still feel the same way.

Ya, I’d say that is one helluva workout.



MMA Fitness Training


Check out this video with won of the top strength and conditioning coaches, Jonathan Chaimberg. Jonathan trains a number of top UFC fighters and in this video he shows a MMA Fitness workout with Rashad Evans and fitness model Amanda Carrier. Remember Amanda showing off her guns here?

ESPN’s MMA fitness video:

Let us know if you try any of this workout and how it goes.



A New Marshall in Vegas


The inaugural NPC Bikini contest caused some controversy in Columbus earlier this year when Kristal Marshall took home second place. Many felt Kristal (myself included) should have won the short class and battled for the overall title. That’s all water under the bridge now. I caught up with the former WWE diva and Price is Right girl to see what she’s been up to and what we can expect to see in Las Vegas. Kristal will be competing at the NPC USA contest this weekend and from my vantage point has all the makings to be a top contender.

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Kristal Marshall earlier this year.


What will we see different from the Arnold stage?

Well, when I competed at the Arnold, inn March, it was the first NPC Bikini contest, so nobody really knew what to expect, or what the judges were looking for. I felt like I went into it a bit blind.  I sat back and let a few contests go by so that I could see which bodies were awarded and to train accordingly. I am so excited for the USAs! I feel no stress and have no expectations. This time is different in so many ways for me: I have my entire family coming to support, I got an awesome off the rack suit, My body is toned, strong and feminine… I feel so sexy.

Where did you get your suit?
I actually bought my suit at Victoria’s secret for $13! Then I took it to Christine Marsh and had her pucker the booty.

How’s baby Myles Doing?

My son is awesome! He keeps us on our toes. He just turned one and he is non-stop!! He’s my little good luck charm. He was there when I won Bikini America and hopefully he can give mommy some luck at USAs.

You’ve been keeping busy – what are some of the things you’ve been doing besides preparing for this competition?
Wow…busy is an understatement. I have been running our online supplement site Lashleynutrition.com, Training (of course), Starting Cosmetology school, renovating a rental home, being mommy and working on our new baby American Top Team Altitude.  ATT is a high level MMA Professional fight gym which has trained some of the best MMA fighters around: Thiago Alves, Thiago Silva, Jeff Monson, Mike Brown, JZ, and of course the undefeated Bobby Lashley who happens to be my favorite ;-).  Bobby came up with the idea to open up an ATT in Denver to take advantage of the high altitude…hence ATT Altitude. We are very proud to say that the gym will be up and running early fall of 2009. So come check it out if you are in the Denver Area.

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Kristal Marshall & Bobby Lashley in studio.


Favorite supplements?

The cool thing about owning our own supplement store is that I can try all the new fun stuff. I really love optimum nutrition’s casein protein, mixed with oats pre-bedtime. I am a big fan of Forever Fit’s whey isolate in cran-razz (yum). Most recently I have feel in love with Recovery X’s Liquid MD. It’s a blue green algae solution, which helps with everything from arthritis to sore muscles.

What advice do you have for mommas out there who are struggling to stay fit much less compete?
With kids it is really tough and you are definitely going to have to make some lifestyle changes. Prioritize: Kids first, your health next. Working out is only 10% of the solution; diet and hydration are the other 90%. As mother we want to put the best foods possible into our kiddos’ tummies right? So put it into yours too! Make little changes to start like: Eat when you first wake up (this spikes your metabolism) and will give you energy. You want to break-the-fast so the speak, Switch to whole grains (pastas, breads, cereals), Switch from traditional salt to ancient volcanic salt (a natural brown organic unbleached salt), Cut out most white colored foods (think about it there are not a lot of natural things that organically are white), sleep when baby sleeps  (I had to get that in there).  Don’t be so hard on yourself; your baby has to crawl before he walks, so approach your fitness goals the same way. Most importantly stay hydrated.


Thanks Kristal and Good luck in Vegas!



Disclaimer: Reader discretion advised, please consult your physician before beginning any exercise or diet program.