By Mike Calimbas | Photo by Shawn Lord
Next up in our interview series for the inaugural Belts of Honorius event happening his Saturday in Austin is River Warth (2-1).
Training out of Applied MMA Austin with Freddie Espiricueta and at Trainer’s Elite with Sean Cooper, River will be fighting in Austin, TX for the very first time at this event when she takes on DFW’s Karen Kovach in one of the featured female bouts of the evening.
We recently caught up with River to get her thoughts on the fight with Karen and also to learn more about her to better introduce her to our TXMMA audience.
Belts of Honorius Pre-Fight Interview – River Warth
River, thanks for talking to us before your fight this Saturday. How did you originally get involved with MMA and what’s the rest of life like for you?
I got into MMA when I separated from my ex and moved home to Missouri to where my family is. I needed some kind of release, more than what the community center in my small town could provide. I saw a gym in a nearby town that had kickboxing. I started taking Muay Thai classes and personals with the main coach Kevin Hahn. I loved it!!! They asked me to do a kickboxing match for them after a little while. I said, “No way I’m too old!” Sometime later I decided to move back to Texas, and they had an opening on a card for my weight class. They asked me to do it, and I said yes. I had worked so hard, and they had put so much time and effort into me… I felt it was the perfect ending to our training relationship. I won, and the pride on their faces was worth every drop of blood and sweat that I had put into it. I love our sport for so many reasons. I am proud of the hard work I have put in, my teammates are my family, and this is a once in a lifetime experience.
My life outside of MMA… is under construction. I am going through a divorce, but still have all the respect in the world for my ex and wish him nothing but happiness. I have a 19 year old son Dylan that we adopted five years ago. It was the best decision I have ever made, he is my pride and joy. Not only is he in my corner in life, but he is also one of my cornermen. For work I am a Director for two different software consulting companies, and wear a suit and heels to meetings …a little different than gym clothes and running shoes. My mother is my best friend and my inspiration. She recently was in a terrible car accident; I went home to Missouri and took care of her for two months until she was able to function. That whole experience gave me such a greater respect for life, love, time and relationships. Value every second, do not regret anything, live your life to the fullest…
As far as MMA, I put my heart into this sport. I have improved greatly since I started, but that is because I have faced better fighters each time and learned a lot about myself in the cage. I do not know where I would be if I did have our sport, or my teammates. I will stand and bang or I will go to the ground and roll. Either way, I give it my all.
Tell me about your last fight with Jaime Hill (4OZ) at PCG. It was your first loss. What did you take from it?
I lost by a split decision. Yes it was my first loss, but it was my favorite fight so far! She was there to fight, and so was I. It was a good fight, and I learned a lot about myself. To leave it all out there, you can always dig a little deeper. And also that it is a fight… I played nice at one point. I knocked her contact out of her eye, and stepped back to let her blink it out. I should have stepped in and continued hitting her. It is something that I will never let myself live down. Freddie (Coach) will not let me forget it either…
Speaking of which, tell our audience a bit about where you’re training now and what it’s like.
I train MMA and Muay Thai at Applied MMA Austin with Freddie Espiricueta, and I also train Jiu-Jitsu at Trainer’s Elite with Sean Cooper. AMMA is my home; I think I spend more time there than I actually do at home! Cooper’s is more specialized for BJJ. Both of my coaches know their stuff and are incredible teachers. I do not really train differently per fight, just always trying to improve upon what I did last fight.
Belts of Honorius – who are you fighting and what can you tell us about how you’re approaching this fight?
Next I am fighting Karen Kovach from F3. I know that she is my age, and a working mother like me. It will be a good fight; otherwise Nael would not have made the matchup. I am excited to see my improvement from my last fight!
I am not too worried about how I stack up next to her, everyone is so different and there are so many outside influences that no one ever really knows what is going to happen. If you go in with a game plan you are waiting for something that may not happen. You just need to go in a do what you know. And hopefully I can make my coaches, my son and my fight family proud.
Any predictions?
My only prediction is that it will be a good fight. Karen is a woman; she has already led a full life. She is not a young girl full of ego and chance. She is going into this with a lot more strength and wisdom than someone that is barely 20. Much like me…I’m ready to bang. We can hug it out after; there is a lot of respect in this sport.
What’s next for you after this?
Next for me, well get my life a little more ironed out. Get settled in when I buy a new house. There is a card in August for PCG that I would like to get on. I want to finish this year fighting! I turn 35 in January and will stop fighting then, most likely. I want to start a family… And nowadays you do not need a husband to do that!!
Any last words before Saturday?
One of my best friends, Shane Tompkins, passed away recently. He struggled in life the past few years, but can rest in peace now. Life is too short to not live it to the fullest, no matter how hard it is… It is worth it. In Shawn Lord’s infamous words, “It’s worth the scramble; you never know what opportunity might present itself to you. It’s worth the scramble.”
Thank you for your time Mr. Calimbas, I know that we all appreciate you guys for what you do for us. We go in there to fight, to win. But you guys are the ones who freeze that moment in time, and tell our story. You have the power to make us, or break us in the public’s eye. Your dedication and love for what you do, brings us to life for your audience.
