“The Jewel” is Buried Treasure No More

Women’s MMA has seen a great spike in popularity and credibility over the last couple of years. Ladies such as Gina Carano, Cris Cyborg, Marloes Coenen, Sarah Kaufman and Miesha Tate have helped their gender earn legitimacy amongst the sometimes-cynical fight faithful.
As a result, more and more females are entering the ranks of MMA. Julia “The Jewel” Budd (1-0) is one of them. A longtime Muay Thai practitioner, she hopes to someday be mentioned in the same breath as the aforementioned stars, and one day surpass them. But first, she’s got to face Amanda Nunes (5-1) on the main card of the next STRIKEFORCE Challengers event, which takes place in Nashville, Tennessee on January 7^th. The event will air live on SHOWTIME®.
I spoke with Julia recently to get her thoughts on her upcoming scrap.
Johnny Preston: For the fans that aren’t familiar with you, Julia, please give them your fighting and training background.
Julia Budd: I started out in Muay Thai, which I’ve been training for about twelve years. Within the past three years, I transitioned into mixed martial arts, and started training my ground game more seriously, instead of just focusing on my standup.
JP: According to your website, you hold a degree in human kinetics. What exactly is that?
JB: Kinesiology. It’s basically health and fitness. It’s usually an undergrad study that people use to become a physiotherapist. I finished my degree about three years ago, and I’ve been focusing on training since then. And it definitely helps with my training. I’ve studied how the body works, which gives me an edge in my approach to training.
JP: The Canadian fight scene is really heating up. What’s the fight scene like in British Columbia, where you train?
JB: There’s stuff going on here locally, but it’s kind of at a hokey level, in my opinion. It’s not legal in B.C., so pro fighting is illegal here. So the level of fighting is not nearly what it is in the U.S.
JP: You’ve been scheduled to fight on the main card of the next Challengers show. What does that mean to you personally?
JB: I’m excited. I was on the main card in October, which was a huge step. I’m just excited about it. It means a lot to me personally because I’ve been working really, really hard. It’s exciting to me to be able to showcase what I’ve been working on a big stage.
JP: You’ll be facing Amanda Nunes, a much more experienced fighter. In your first MMA fight, you also faced someone more experienced. Do you expect the same result in this fight?
JB: Yeah…I’m prepared to go this distance in this, but it’d be great to get a knockout or a TKO. But I’m prepared to go all three rounds. I’ve been training really hard, so I’m excited.
JP: All five of Nunes’ wins have come via KO/TKO, and her only loss came via submission. Specifically, is there anything you’ve been working on for this fight with her?
JB: I’ve worked hard equally on all parts. I’m prepared to wrestle, and I’m prepared to stand up. I’m prepared to go either place. We’ve studied her. My coach and I came into the gym to get ready, and we are.
JP: Who do you credit for your fighting career?
JB: I’d like to thank my coach, Lance Gibson, as well as my training partners here at Gibson MMA in Port Moody, Shreveport, British Columbia.
JP: What should fans expect out of “The Jewel” on January 7^th?
JB: They should expect an exciting fight, and they should expect me at my best.