Fighting Like a Girl

Not so, with Amy Rajkumar. Sitting in the outdoor patio at Starbucks in San Fernando, you would hardly believe the 22-year-old law student has taken down opponents, both male and female, several times her size, in at least one international fighting tournament.

Despite being a relatively recent addition to TT’s martial arts circuit, Amy has already amassed an impressive reputation as a skilled fighter and is credited with being one of TT’s first female mixed martial artists. Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), a full contact combat sport, has taken the world by storm over the past two decades.

Newsday WMN recently caught up with the petite powerhouse to learn more about her journey as a woman in what has been dubbed a blood-sport, her experiences, challenges and her expectations for the future.

“My martial arts training began when I was about 11 in Shotokan Karate at a mall but over time I wanted more than just the basics of selfdefense.

I wanted to be able to learn more that was when I began training in MMA, at one of the first dojos in Trinidad.” Amy explains that when she first decided to pursue MMA seriously, she was met with fierce objection from her relatives who felt that the sport was too violent for her. However she says that her commitment and perseverance has earned her the approval of her family, “Like a lot of parents, they weren’t happy with the idea of me in a full-contact sport especially one as rough as MMA but what really won them over was my dedication to the craft. They saw that this wasn’t just another hobby and it was something that I was prepared to give my all for.

They still haven’t completely accepted it but they understand what it means to me.” In addition to the support she has received from her relatives, Amy says that her coaches and training partners at the Southern Warriors of Mixed Martial Arts (SWMMA), where she trains, have also been a tremendous help to honing her skills as a fighter. She says that while she is aware of the danger of getting in the ring, she tries to maintain confidence in her own ability.

“It’s really interesting because when I enter the dojo where I train, it’s almost as if there are no gender roles. I’m just another person here to train, me being a woman has nothing to do with my training regimen and when I spar with the other guys they come at me just as hard as they would another man.

“A lot of people would be preoccupied with getting an injury or being hurt, I choose to look at the bigger picture. Instead I think about what if I win. What if I beat my opponent? I just visualise the title around my waist and the rest just happens.” In fact, Amy is now recovering from a back injury she sustained during one of her training sessions and is awaiting the go ahead from her physiotherapist to resume her training regimen.

Despite this setback, she is not daunted by the challenges ahead of her.

But sitting opposite me, she looks less like a fighter and more like a fashion model. It begs the question why martial arts specifically? Why would she choose such a physically demanding and dangerous sport when she could have earned an equally impressive reputation on the catwalk than in the ring? Her response is simple but unexpected.

“I enjoy the rush of the fight”, she laughs.

“In the ring, I get to release a lot of anger and energy that I wouldn’t be able to do with anything else. It’s something that has really helped me cope with my studies and my workload. I’m not afraid of dishing out a beating and I’m not afraid of taking one either.” Added to her commitments are her law studies, which have taken up much of her time, she admits that while it can be difficult to navigate between academics and her passion for the martial arts, but credits her success to a tireless work ethic and a highly organised timetable.

Despite MMA’s global popularity among women, Amy says that as a sport it remains largely unknown locally but is con_ dent that in time, through popular faces such as Ronda Rousey, it will gradually gain momentum.

Citing a recent experience with students of a secondary school, she said that more and more women are becoming interested in the sport.

“We (The SWMMA) recently had a selfdefense workshop at St Joseph’s Convent in Penal and it amazed me how many girls didn’t know about it. They were so surprised to learn that women can get involved in the martial arts. Probably because it’s something they’ve not seen before. It was a really empowering experience for them.” Indeed, empowerment is a recurring motif, as Amy says that while hesitant at first, many of her female relatives have often come to her for self-defense tips.

She says that this further underlines the importance of MMA to women.

So what’s next for the martial arts pioneer? Amy is in her _ nal year of her degree and looks forward to becoming a fully accredited lawyer, with special focus on women and gender-based violence. She says that she intends to take up the fight against domestic violence both literally and figuratively.

“It’s something that I’m very passionate about. A lot of persons might get a degree just for the sake of having it but I want to actually do some good for others.” In addition to her upcoming graduation, Amy is also carded to appear in this year’s tenth annual Caribbean Ultimate Fist Fighting Tournament (CUFF) to be held in Trinidad later this year. Amy’s story promises to be the _ rst of many other women who choose to take a stand for themselves and their relatives.

Her story and the countless others like it remains a testament to the strength and spirit of women