Champ Elise Reed changing career expectations following immediate success
A lifelong practitioner of traditional martial arts, CFFC strawweight champion Elise Reed knew she'd one day become a professional fighter.
"I was looking at my journal while I was in college a few years ago, and in 2014, I wrote, 'I'm going to be a pro MMA fighter,'" Reed said. "That was after my first amateur fight."
Reed made good on that promise. What she didn't foresee, though, was how quickly she would achieve success at the professional level, claiming the Cage Fury Fighting Championships title in just her second contest.
"It was surreal, to be honest," Reed said. "Obviously because of COVID, there were limited fights available, and CFFC reached out to us about fighting Jasmine Jasudavicius, who's a really well-known fighter, top-ranked, 5-foot-7, going down two weight classes. My coach and I have a little saying of going big or going home, so we couldn't say no to an opportunity. From there, it kind of snowballed into, 'Now it's for a title,' then it became a main event. We were going in it really seeing it as a win-win, so to get an upset like that, it really felt nice, so I can't complain."
Reed scored a hard-fought decision over Jasudavicius at August's CFFC 83, handing the top prospect her first defeat and claiming the CFFC belt in the process. For Reed, it forced a real evaluation of what her fighting career could become. While her pro run was in part chasing a passion, it was also launched primarily to set an example for students at her martial arts academy, Kickside Martial Arts in Hillsboro, N.J.
"Obviously everybody wants to get to the UFC and wants that glory and that greatness," Reed said. "Nobody does MMA just to do it as a hobby because it is dangerous. But we just started really to build the school. At least personally for me, it's something where I'm telling them to push themselves and do the best that they can. Instead of me just showing up to the school everyday, to actually put that in action, as well."
Reed still represents that shining example when she steps in the cage, but now she realizes there may be a real career path in her competition journey, as well.
"We're taking it far as it goes," Reed said. "We're going to ride this, for sure."
Reed (2-0) looks for the first defense of her title at Friday's CFFC 91 event, which streams live on UFC FIGHT PASS from Lancaster, Penn. Reed faces five-time Invicta FC veteran Jillian DeCoursey (4-2) in the night's co-main event.
Reed said she welcomes the challenge and realizes that due to her early success, she's not going to get the type of slow build that others might welcome.
"I like it," Reed said. "I think it's a very clear striker vs. grappler, so it will push me in that regard. Obviously as a champion at 2-0, I'm well-aware that there's not going to be easy fights anymore – at least hopefully – so I'm excited. We've definitely been training hard and putting work in, and I'm excited for what lies ahead.
"It's nice to fight someone that's around my same size, so that's a plus. But every fight here is going to be hard, and as soon as the gratification of getting that belt was done, I also knew that they're not going to be throwing me other 2-0 fighters, so no, we welcome the opportunity, and I'm excited to show it off again."
Where a victory would leave Reed moving forward, she doesn't really care to guess. The 28-year-old knows she's going to face stern tests as she navigates the waters of her burgeoning career. She welcomes those challenges as a martial artist and believes that focus and effort will help make her path apparent.
"I'm only as good as my last fight," Reed said. "So definitely, while there were conversations with management companies and whatever else after this last show and performance, I'm just focused on the next fight. If I'm matched with high-class fighters, and I can put on a performance and a show, then obviously I should be in the conversation, but I'm not necessarily focused on that right now. I know that me putting in work and putting in the performances are going to make me in the conversation.
"Even talking about any fights after this is not necessarily where I'm at right now. I'm a very firm believer in just focusing on the next fight and doing that and doing that well, and of course, people will take notice. That's been the plan so far, and it's worked out pretty well, so I'm going to keep going."
