The Cage Free Chicks Podcast

For Episode 34, Michelle and Nadya are joined by Danyelle Wolf. Danyelle is a lifelong athlete, artist, advocate, believer of god, business woman and more. Having played every single sport under the sun, Danyelle was a three sport student athlete at Millersville University from which she graduated with a degree in teaching and fine art. After quitting her lucrative career as a life coach, Danyelle set out on a path to become a professional athlete never thinking that the road would lead her to the world of combat. She put on her first pair of boxing gloves at the age of 25 and two short years later joined the national team and became the face of US Women’s Boxing as well as a three time USA National Boxing Welterweight Champion. She currently splits her time between her Olympic Dream and her goal of becoming a mixed martial arts champion. It has not been an easy path, one filled with first time injuries and opponents that would drop out at the last minute. Still, Danyelle perseveres on, due to her innate discipline, commitment and work ethic as well as proven track record that when Danyelle says she will accomplish something, she always does. She takes us on a journey of her life and highlights events that have shaped her identity and instilled her with egoless confidence. 

Danyelle on social media:

WEBSITE

INSTA: @danyellewolf

TWITTER: @danyellewolf

FACEBOOK: Danyelle Wolf

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WE BROKE THE CAGE (Cage Free Chicks Theme Song) by Alex Schnablegger (DJ LiTHauS)

For Episode 33, Michelle and Nadya are joined by Sarah Bonney. Sarah is the WKA national kickboxing champion and TEAM USA Kickboxing member working steadfast towards her dream of becoming an MMA fighter. Having found boxing post college, Sarah found the courage to quit her stable and well paying government job to become a professional fighter. It was under the tutelage of Kaizen MMA’s Sensei Nima Mazhari that Sarah found physical agency, literacy and strength that she previously did not realize she had. From always being the last kid to cross the finish line, to losing over one hundred pounds to being told that she has a talent and potential for a sport very few are brave enough to try...Sarah is an infectiously positive presence and rising force in the world of fighting who will indubitably achieve great peaks as well as do everything in her power to make the sport a better place for her fellow fighters and generations to follow. 

Sarah on social media: 

INSTA: @valkyrie.mma | @kaizen_mma

FACEBOOK: Kaizen MMA

HELP SARAH ACHIEVE HER GOAL OF WINNING GOLD AT THE 2020 WKA Asian-Pacific Championship when she represents Team USA Kickboxing in March!

SARAH'S GO FUND ME

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WE BROKE THE CAGE (Cage Free Chicks Theme Song) by Alex Schnablegger (DJ LiTHauS)

For episode 32, Michelle and Nadya have the absolute pleasure of chatting with the one, the only: Carly “The Cookie Monster” Esparza. Carla is the innagural INVICTA FC strawweight champion as well as the innagural UFC straweight champion, a title she won in the finale of The Ultimate Fighter Season 20: Strawweights; the first ever all women season of TUF. Carla is an exceptional and learned wrestler, a graduate of the esteemed Menlo College wrestling program under the legendary Lee Allen. Carla is also a seminal part of our friendship and MMA fandom like her fellow TUF 20 cast member Jessica Penne. It was an absolute honor to chat with Carla about her life and her experiences as one of the key pioneers in the world of combat sports, regardless of gender. Enjoy.

Carla on social media:

INSTA: @carlaesparza1

TWITTER: @carlaesparza1

FACEBOOK: Carla Esparza

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WE BROKE THE CAGE (Cage Free Chicks Theme Song) by Alex Schnablegger (DJ LiTHauS)

For episode 31, Michelle and Nadya are joined by none other than Sa'idah Durkee aka The Ginja Ninja herself. Sa'idah is a highly accomplished purple belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu who has won Pans in both Gi and No Gi, a Masters Worlds, as well as a bronze in a Worlds Gi and a silver at a Worlds No Gi. Life has taken Ginja Ninja on a wild ride, from New Mexico to growing up in Egypt where she did high level gymnastics and later transitioned to Taekwondo. Upon the family’s return to the US, Sa’idah unfortunately had to give up martial arts because she could not find a school that took the sport seriously enough. After graduating college, Sa’idah was dealt another heavy hand: a diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis which incapacitated her for quiet sometime, making even the most mundane tasks painful let alone competitive athletics....until she found Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. It was the first sport In a long time that did not cause her immense physical pain and truly fulfilled her competitive soul.

Now Sa’idah strives to pay back the community that has already given her so much through the Lion Heart Initiative from Hyperfly which seeks to bring MMA to communities in Africa.

DISCOUNT CODES FOR SPONSORS MENTIONED IN PODCAST:

Hyperfly 10% off: GinjaFly

JitzSoap 10% off: Ginja10

JitsPins 10% off: GinjaPins

CannaBody 15% off: GinjaNinjaBJJ

GuardWhatsYours discount: message directly and mention that you heard Ginja Ninja talk about it on the podcast!

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Sa'idah on social media:

INSTA: @ginjaninjabjj | @mma4africa | @bjj4africa | @hyperfly

TWITTER: @ginjaninjabjj | @hyperfly

FACEBOOK: Ginja Ninja | MMA For Africa | Hyperfly

YouTUBE: Lion Heart Initiative | Hyperfly 

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WE BROKE THE CAGE (Cage Free Chicks Theme Song) by Alex Schnablegger (DJ LiTHauS)

In our last episode of 2019, we had the opportunity to sit down with ourselves and answer some fan questions! Thank you all, from the very bottom to the tippy top of our hearts for the most wonderful journey of the last nine months! We are super excited to bring all of you new stories and perspectives in 2020.

Happy Holidays & Happy New Year,

Nadya & Michelle

And as always, our song is:

WE BROKE THE CAGE (Cage Free Chicks Theme Song) by Alex Schnablegger (DJ LiTHauS)

For episode 29, Michelle and Nadya are joined by Kayla Hracho, a fighter out of the legendary American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida. Kayla found fighting at the age of 22 through boxing, which quickly transformed from simply a means to keep herself in shape into the stepping stones for building a career in MMA. Throwing caution to the wind, Kayla moved from Pennsylvania to Florida and never looked back, only forward. Kayla is very cognizant and deeply grateful for the opportunity to train in the same environment as some of the world’s most elite fighters yet she never allows herself to get lost in the sauce. Kayla is a wonderfully pragmatic, self aware and self reflective person, with a work ethic that will not only take her very far in the world of combat but also all of her post fight endeavors. 

Kayla on social media:

INSTA: @kayrockmma

TWITTER: @kayrockmma

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WE BROKE THE CAGE (Cage Free Chicks Theme Song) by Alex Schnablegger (DJ LiTHauS)

For episode 28, Michelle and Nadya are joined by Lara Lay and Arthur Hinojosa: the brilliant wife & husband duo behind WREAPER WRESTLING. By blending Arthur’s passion for wrestling, health & fitness with Lara Lay’s expertise in culture, fashion & business, WREAPER WRESTLING has become a premier source for a superior wrestling lifestyle. The main goal of WREAPER WRESTLING is to bring visibility and awareness to women’s wrestling by curating unique & empowering content that is up to date on current wrestling news, trends & advice that not only connects rising generations of wrestlers to world & Olympic caliber senior wrestlers, but also gives them the space to introduce their own unique personalities and styles to the rest of the world. & we would be remiss to not mention WREAPER WRESTLING’s Fire memes. 

WREAPER WRESTLING on social media:

INSTA: @wreaperwrestling

TWITTER: @fearthewreaper

FACEBOOK: Wreaper Wrestling

WEBSITE: www.wreaperwrestling.com

YOUTUBE | PINTEREST 

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WE BROKE THE CAGE (Cage Free Chicks Theme Song) by Alex Schnablegger (DJ LiTHauS)

For episode 27, Michelle and Nadya are joined by Natalie “Lady Killface” Morgan, a very accomplished Muay Thai fighter, turned Mixed Martial Artist fighting out of THE YARD Muay Thai. Having originally moved out to Los Angeles to pursue music, Natalie found a whole new dimension of rhythm inside the cage when she picked up Muay Thai to keep in shape. Her grit and infatiguable determination led Natalie to 5 amateur, and 1 pro Muay Thai titles as well as KO/TKO of the Year accolades. Natalie is someone who not only visualizes her next steps but actively crafts opportunities for herself to grow as a fighter and a person as she is an ardent believer that you create your own reality. When not beating her opponents with a single look, the origin of her nickname, Natalie is busy training, working towards her post-fight career in geology as well as racking up acting credits. You can catch her in Season 1 episode 11 of Room 104 on HBO, Rag Doll and most recently in James Arthur and Travis Barker’s music video YOU. Enjoy.

Natalie on social media:

INSTA: @ladykillface 

TWITTER: @ladykillface

FACEBOOK: Natalie "Lady Killface" Morgan

WEBSTIE: www.ladykillface.com 

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WE BROKE THE CAGE (Cage Free Chicks Theme Song) by Alex Schnablegger (DJ LiTHauS)

For episode 26, Michelle and Nadya have the privilege of sitting down with the one and only: Roxanne “Roxy” Saffaie. Lifestyle Entrepreneur, Thought Leader in Personal Empowerment & Empowerment Coach, make up artist to the stars as well as Founder & Host of BlackBeltBeautyRadio podcast. Roxy lives and works by her mantra “360 Degrees of Beauty,” and is the ultimate personification of how you feel on the inside directly impacts how you look and decide to live your life. Roxy is also the perfect embodiment of strong is the new sexy, and we’d be hard pressed to find anyone else who so clinically balances the demands of being a life long athlete and the demands of being a woman. Much like her excellence chasing brother, Mike Saffaie, Roxy is a perfect example of how everything begins with your mindset. She manifests the life she dreams of and every single day puts in the work and the reps necessary to make her dream a bona fide reality. As she so perfectly puts herself: you are the life you are living.

Roxy on social media:

INSTA: @roxylook | @blackbeltbeauty

FACEBOOK: Roxanne Saffaie 

BlackBeltBeauty Radio | #blackbeltbeautyradio

WEBSTIE: www.blackbeltbeauty.com | www.roxylook.com

WE BROKE THE CAGE (Cage Free Chicks Theme Song) by Alex Schnablegger (DJ LiTHauS)

For episode 25 Michelle and Nadya have the most incredible honor of sitting down with Jessica Penne. In the scope of the development of women’s MMA and laying down the foundation that has helped the sport achieve its current heights, Jessica Penne is one of the sport’s unsung heroes. Having been a professional fighter for over a decade, in our humble and honest opinion, Jessica does not get the recognition her career so rightfully deserves. From her dominant performances in local Southern California shows in the nascence of her path, to being the first woman to win in a major organization, in Bellator-a whole three years before women were allowed into the UFC. As well as being Invicta FC’s first atomweight champion, to being one of 16 women cast in season 20 of The Ultimate Fighter all competing for the inaugural UFC Strawweight Belt. On top of celebrating Jessica as a wonderful emissary of the sport, we also want to celebrate how beautifully outspoken she has been in regards to mental health. Jessica’s honesty is incredibly inspiring and so necessary in this day an age. We are humbled to have shared a conversation with her for this podcast and hope you all enjoy.

Jessica on social media:

INSTA: @JessicaPenne | @ASTRAEA_THE_MINOIS

TWITTER: @JessiaPenne

2 STRAWS Podcast w/Angela Hill 

FACEBOOK: Jessica Penne

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WE BROKE THE CAGE (Cage Free Chicks Theme Song) by Alex Schnablegger (LiTHauS)