Battle Arena Northampton goes down this Saturday and boasts six, that’s right, six title fights. One of which is the 115lb title fight between Lindsey Payne and Sorrel Watson. Both of their styles guarantee this to be an absolute banger.
Lindsey Payne comes into this fight coming off an impressive performance and finish in her last bout. We spoke to her about the importance of her family, preparation and balancing everyday life with fighting.
Read the full exclusive below.
Interview With Lindsey Payne
Thank you for taking the time to speak to me today. How has your preparation been leading up to this latest fight and what, if any, areas have you focused on the most?
As always, my preparation has been well-rounded and intense. I’ve been working hard on all aspects of my game so I’m ready to read the situation in the moment and perform at my best no matter where the fight goes. I’m fit, strong, and ready to do what I do best – fight.
It’s a quick turnaround from your last fight. Is it all about staying active for you?
I’m constantly balancing self-care and rest with the constant desire to be back in the cage. I’m very careful not to overdo it and to make sure that I (and my family) get quality rest between fight camps as needed, but at the same time, I have big dreams for my future in MMA and there is no time to waste.
Lindsey Talks Family Motivation
Looking at your social media, you’re cleaning very family orientated. How much does your family spur you on to become the best mixed martial artist you can be?
My family is everything to me in this journey. My husband doesn’t just tolerate or support my fighting. In a lot of ways, he knows me better than I know myself and is the one who pushed me to pursue MMA to begin with, knowing how much I would love it. I think his dreams for my fight career are bigger than mine sometimes. We are a team, making decisions and sacrifices as a family so that I can pursue this. Zach will literally be in my corner Saturday night. And my daughter, with her limited understanding at this age, is so proud of me – she loves to watch me fight and train and loves to ‘play fight’ with me at home. I’m so proud to think that she will grow up to be stronger and more confident because of my fighting.
Is there anything specific that you’ve had to plan to combat the style of Sorrel?
Although we’ve considered her background in Muay Thai, she is fighting out of a top gym with quality coaches, so I expect her to be well-rounded as well and am prepared for whatever she brings Saturday night.
How much confidence did you take from getting the finish in your last bout?
It was a great fight and a great finish. It was definitely a confidence booster, but at the end of the day, each fight is its own. A new day, a new opponent, and a new chance to go again.
The Fight and Future Plans
Should you win on Saturday, when would you be looking at getting back in the cage?
I’m always looking to get straight back in the cage, but as I said before, I also need to balance rest for myself and my family, so that will be a conversation to have with my team after the fight.
Finally, do you have a prediction for fight night?
I have ideas of how I expect it to go, but I will keep those details to myself for now. However, I do predict that it’s going to be a good night for Kelly’s MMA, and I will be bringing the belt home with me!
Battle Arena Northampton goes down Saturday 20th May at Northampton County Cricket Ground.
Featured image credits to Badmofo MMA
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