LFA 9's highlight-reel head kick author Sabina Mazo knows she'll reach top – but is in no rush

If you were anywhere near online MMA content since Friday night, chances are you stumbled into this highlight-reel knockout by Sabina Mazo at LFA 9.

While the head-kick finish of Jamie Thorton (4-3) ended what was only the third fight of 20-year-old Mazo’s (3-0) undefeated pro MMA run, it certainly attracted some serious eyeballs. Add to that the stamp of approval of a well-established camp like Kings MMA and a competitive combat sports background, and the hype train could be on its way out the station.

But Mazo says not so fast. As confident as she is that her skills and training will get her far, she is simply in no rush to get there.

“I want to take it with calm,” Mazo told MMAjunkie Radio. “I just want to fight, give my best in every fight, be ready for every challenge I have. Whoever my next challenge is, it’s going to be good, because I know I’m going to be prepared. I’m not looking to just go for a belt, for example. Just step by step.

“I fight because I really love it. It’s not like I have to do it. So I’m going to enjoy every step of this career. I don’t care if I take a long time to be at the top of the world, but I know I will. I don’t have any rush at all.”

Mazo is happy with the opportunity to showcase her efforts and, in the process, the work of her team led by Rafael Cordeiro. After all, not only did their guidance help her hone her skills, but it was their hard training sessions that helped Mazo keep the type of cool that comes in handy when spotting openings.

“I felt very calm,” Mazo said. “It’s something I love to do. Of course, you feel excited, and then you go the cage and a lot of people thought that, because I didn’t fight last year, I was going to be nervous. But no, I train at Kings MMA. Here, the work is hard. It’s never easy. If you train hard, the fight’s going to be – well, not easy, but it’s going to be as hard (as the training). I got used to it here. A lot of guys that I train with, they just give the best they have.

“So I feel very confident in my game. I don’t feel confident it’s going to be a really easy fight, but I trust in my game. So I’m not nervous when I go into a fight. It’s the good part. I train because of this. It’s the part where you can celebrate, you give it all, you give the hard work of the month. I went to the fight pretty calm, and I was watching what I could do and the perfect time. And that happened, a great kick.”

Mazo moved from her native Colombia to California about a year-and-a-half ago to dedicate herself to training and study nutrition. Her family, she says, not only approved of her career choice – but also the ones who made it possible with their financial support.

They were, in fact, watching her latest triumph from home. And the knockout apparently was also a big deal over there, where Mazo says MMA is getting bigger.

“A lot of my family and my friends were watching the fight,” Mazo said. “And it also went viral over there. A lot of people knew I was fighting, but they never knew like that level. It’s been growing. I see more and more people are interested in the sport. A lot of gyms, it’s really growing. There’s a lot of talent over there, too.”

To hear more from Mazo, check out the video above.

And for more on LFA 9, including a full event recap, check out the MMA Events section of the site.

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