Mother of 3, Quinn Weiss fights for her children at Maverick MMA 2
Quinn Weiss will be celebrating Mother’s Day the way that only a small percentage of women will ever experience. This mother of three will be watching her diet and putting in the hard work that comes with preparing for a mixed martial arts fight.
She is a mother to her 14-year old daughter, 9-year old daughter and 8-year old son.
As the sport of MMA continues to grow, more and more women are getting involved, but you rarely hear of the moms who are battle tested both in and out of the cage. The UFC is home to several competitors who play parent to a child or two, but how did they get to where they are at? The answer is commitment, dedication, and the willingness to put forth the time and energy in the gym, even if it means family time may take a back seat at times.
She works at an IT recruiter, but says her most important job is being the “mommy of three amazing kids.” Quinn is engaged to Craig Hannigan who recently was the first student to be promoted to black belt at Pure MMA.
We caught up with Quinn to find out more about how path to MMA came to be.
MyMMANews – You will be competing in your third amateur mixed martial arts bout when you take on Criszaida Adam at Maverick MMA 2, July 1. What started you on the path to taking a mixed martial arts fight? How did you get involved in MMA? How long have you been training?
Quinn – “I have been training for three and a half years. I have always loved watching UFC fights and was very interested in learning to fight, but at that time I had very small children and I just didn’t have that kind of time. And to be honest, I wouldn’t have even known where to go, who to ask or how to start. When I started dating Craig and found out he had been training Jiu Jitsu and MMA for years and had fought himself a few times, I immediately wanted to try. He brought me to Pure MMA to try a class and from that day forward I was hooked.”
MyMMANews – You made your debut in 2015, then didn’t fight again until a year later in November 2016. Can you detail the extended layoff? What happened?
Quinn – “In November 2015 I took on a tough, more experienced opponent. She exposed some of the gaps in my game and I wanted to take some time to work on my weaknesses before I got back in the cage.”
MyMMANews – You are 35 years old. Does any part of you feel that you may have gotten a late start in the sport or are you just at peace with it and competing, just to compete?
Quinn – “Oh yes! It’s definitely a bummer that I got such a late start in the sport. Although I do feel great and think I have a number of years left in me! But to be honest, part of me does this for my kids. My 2 younger ones have been training just as long as I have and say they want to be fighters when they grow up. They love watching me get in that cage. I do this for fun and to inspire them. They are the ones you need to watch out for in the future!”
MyMMANews – Do you have any intentions of turning pro, and if so, is there a timeline?
Quinn – “I just take it one fight at a time. No plans either way.”
MyMMANews – You currently train at Pure MMA. Are there any other gyms you train at?
Quinn – “Pure MMA is my home. I do travel around sometimes to work with sparring partners at other local gyms.”
MyMMANews – Your fiancé, Craig, trains and instructs at Pure. How has he been as both a coach and a boyfriend in regards to you competing in the cage? There has to be mixed emotions for him as he wants to see you exceed and do well as a coach, but also, not want to see you get hurt or injured at the same time.
Quinn – “Sometimes it’s hard for us to train together because of the boyfriend/girlfriend, fighter/trainer aspect. However, it is great knowing that he always has my best interest at heart and truly wants to make sure I am as prepared as possible. It’s not every day an amateur fighter has an experienced coach/corner/black belt whose main interest is insuring I am ready for my fights.”
MyMMANews – Can you describe the training and preparation for a fight? The nerves? What’s it been like training at Pure?
Quinn – “I train just as much on a regular basis as people do training for a fight. It is not uncommon for me to be at the gym 6 days a week taking 2 or 3 classes a day. I also run and do strength and conditioning when I’m not at Pure. When I’m training for a fight I just pick up the intensity and hard sparring sessions.”
Thanks
“I have the best coaches in the world and are thankful for them everyday. They have taught me all I know and continue to help me learn and grow into a better fighter. Craig Hannigan, Andy Main, Mike Main, Melvis Figueroa and Tommy Espinosa. I am also thankful for Paul Deliso/Top Breed Fitness who helps me with my strength and conditioning, My go-to sparring partner Marissa Vanglahn and all my training/sparring partners at Pure.”
