By TXMMA Staff // Hannah Robinow // Photo via wmmanews.com
Hardin-Simmons University senior seeking her second MMA win at LAS 16
HOUSTON, TX, July 10, 2014 – If you looked over the bout sheet for Legacy Amateur Series 16 in search of a guaranteed crowd pleaser you may find yourself with many options but perhaps none as safe as the upcoming brawl between Ashley Milligan and Bi Nguyen. Nguyen, also known in Houston as “Bebe Laced” is a known quantity. She’s fairly vocal in social media and has backed that up with shows of force in the ring/cage. Milligan may not be as well-known yet but rest assured she’s got plenty of fire of her own.
The Abilene native is a second-degree black belt in Shito-Ryu karate and a BJJ blue belt. The 21 year old counts striking as her favorite attribute but she is not afraid to take things to the ground. Like Nguyen she will enter the fight at Legacy Amteur Series 15 with an undefeated amateur record that includes a submission victory over Faith Charfauros via guillotine choke at Caged Warrior Championship III, a bout she won in 32 seconds.
TXMMA briefly caught up with Ashley Milligan to get her thoughts on the up-and-coming bout:
Legacy Amateur Series 16 – Ashley Milligan (CJJ Fight Team)
Milligan: I grew up doing martial arts from the age of 7 till I graduated high school. After a 3-year hiatus, I decided to get back in something, and at the gym I found, they had MMA. After trying a class, I fell in love and after 10 months of training I decided I wanted to fight.
TXMMA: What’s one element of your game you’ve been working on in preparation for your fight against Bi Nguyen?
Milligan: After studying her fight videos with my coach and a couple of my teammates, I have mainly been focusing on how to fight and how to move around someone who’s Southpaw.
TXMMA: What’s your mindset when you’re about to go into a fight?
Milligan: Imagining the fight from beginning to end, and always allowing for the fight to vary. But it always starts and ends the same, with my hand raised, getting hugged by my corner, and my family. My mindset is to never underestimate my opponent, and to train to my strengths and weaknesses, always seeking personal improvement while training for victory.
TXMMA: Any words of advice for would-be female MMA fighters?
Milligan: Dream big. If this is what you love, and a goal you’d like to accomplish, whether to fight just once or shoot for UFC, Follow Your Highest Excitement.