“It’s either all or nothing.” – Amanda Mazza is ready go all-in at FURY Pro Grappling 7

Last December, Amanda Mazza fell to Sandy Chheng by decision at FURY 6. Now, this time around, the purple belt from Webb MMA, is looking to get her hand raised at the 2300 Arena at FURY 7. This Saturday, Mazza is set to face Lauren Strausser, a purple belt from Mid World Martial Arts in Bloomsburg, PA.

“FURY 6, I had a lot of stuff going on in my personal life, honestly,” Mazza said. “Since, I really cleaned up alot of stuff in my personal life,and you know picked myself up and dusted myself back off – mentally, physically, emotionally, I feel so much better. I really really really have been training so hard.” 

Since starting grappling five years ago, Mazza has been able to work on her craft and hone in on her grappling skills. This weekend Mazza will make her third FURY appearance at FURY 7, and this time she feels better than ever. 

“I eat, sleep, breathe this,” Mazza said. “This is number one to me. This time around I’m coming stronger, faster, mentally better, emotionally better, physically even better. So, cleaning up some things in my personal life so they don’t carry over into my mat life, definitely makes a big difference.” 

With her passion for self-defense, Mazza was always drawn to martial arts. Though she first explored her interests with boxing, Mazza soon found her love for grappling and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and has been training ever since. 

“I went through some pretty traumatic things in my life that made me want to be able to learn how to defend myself,” Mazza said. “Being that I’m a smaller person, I’m 5-foot, 115 pounds, I’m sometimes at a disadvantage. But, now that I know what I know and do what I do, I’m like size does not matter. So, if you want to stop me you’re gonna have to kill me literally.” 

Mazza will not only open up the main card on UFC Fight Pass, but also kickstart the night off for her teammates. Training out of local gym, Webb MMA, located in Washington Township NJ, Mazza is excited to set the tone for the evening, and be the first of many wins for her team.

“It makes me feel good because I feel like I can definitely set the tone for the main card,” Mazza said. “Majority of them are my teammates, so that feels good too because I’m kinda opening up for them. To be up there with them, it feels good. We all train hard. We train consistently. We train on the same mats together. So for me to come out and be the one to really set the tone for the night, it kinda gives me a little more motivation and I’m just really excited for it. ” 

Not only will she be surrounded by her teammates on the FURY 7 card, but also in the crowd. Like many local grapplers, Mazza is expecting the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia to be full of supporters for not only her, but her team as well. From friends and family all the way to students, Mazza is looking to be victorious in front of a supportive audience. 

“Knowing that 80% of the crowd is my friends, family, and teammates, it just makes it that much more comfortable,” Mazza said. “It will be good to get my hand raised in front of all of them because I teach kids at another school in New Jersey, and a lot of the little girls that look up to me and everything they’re also coming to watch, so that’s gonna feel good knowing that they’re there cheering for me cause you know one day they’ll be up there someday, hopefully.” 

While she’s looking for the win on Saturday night, Mazza also wants people to know she was coined “Maniac Mazza'' for a reason. Whether it’s with her explosiveness on the ground or dominance on the mat, Mazza is more than ready to go in all or nothing for a win. 

“Just that I really am balls to the wall or nothing at all,” Mazza said about what she plans on proving at FURY 7. “There’s no in-between with me. It’s either all or nothing, and I think people know that about me now. People know when I get out there it’s either gonna be nothing or it’s gonna be everything and like explosive crazy chaos cause that’s me. I’m very explosive. I jump on people. I’m dangerous from a lot of different positions. I just go go go. It’s either all or nothing with me. ” 

ARTICLE BY DENNIS OLSON