LFA 195’s Melissa Croden shares how she knew an MMA career was right for her

These days, more and more fighters are growing up with the dream of fighting for a living. While it was once something that seemed out of reach or simply unfamiliar to younger audiences, it is now more present as a profession. However, this wasn’t originally the case for LFA’s Melissa Croden.

The Canadian contestant began training and got closer to her amateur career, but still wasn’t sure if she would be able to do it for a living. A once-in-a-lifetime trip to Thailand changed that perspective and set her on the path she is on today.

“I would say it was before my first amateur fight,” Croden said. “When I started training I went to Thailand. I trained with Tiger Muay Thai for about three months and turned it into a kind of test for myself – with the question in the back of my mind: ‘Do I really want to do this?'”

On this journey, she tested herself mentally and physically to see if she would be ready for what it would take to reach the highest level. After three hard months, the decision was clear to her.

“I just put pressure on myself to see what it was actually like to train like that,” she said. “I came back to Canada and said this is what I’m going to do. So I quit my full-time job, went back to part-time and trained as much as I could.”

Now she is happy with 5:2 as a professional and wants to take the next step. With a win this Friday at LFA 195, this could be just another shot at the LFA title – which would put her on the shortlist for a UFC call-up.

“I think at 6-2 odds and having a 100% completion rate, I think there’s a good chance of getting that call,” she explained. “That’s what I’m hoping for. That’s what I want and that’s what I’m going to ask for.”

You can watch Melissa Croden’s fight with Ashley Deen as part of the LFA 195 main card. The fight card begins this Friday at 10pm EST on UFC Fight Pass.