BY RYAN BEVINS, ON TWITTER @BEVOIS
In the world of Women’s MMA, the two most influential names are Gina Carano and Ronda Rousey. In 2007, Carano participated in the first televised female fight on Showtime and became the “Face of Women’s MMA”. Her successful MMA career and massive popularity inspired Olympic judo bronze medalist Ronda Rousey to transition to MMA in 2010. Rousey’s star power and talent eventually convinced UFC President Dana White to bring women into the UFC and the rest is history. Naturally, after their successful fighting careers, Carano and Rousey were quickly offered jobs in Hollywood, where they now enjoy glamorous acting careers.
LFA women’s bantamweight prospect Melissa Croden, however, is a woman that made this journey in reverse. That is because the rising Canadian contender began her acting career first and now sees MMA as her main focus. In 2012, she was cast in the movie titled Hard Knocks Fighting. Four years later, she began a successful amateur MMA career that saw her earn a perfect 5-0 record. That same year, she filmed her next movie titled After the Fight. After a three-year amateur career, Croden turned pro in 2019. It was also that year, that she starred in her final film titled Chokehold.
“The movies I was in was something I got hired for through fighting,” Croden told LFA.com. “There was a casting call for female fighters, I was supposed to have a smaller role, but they ended up giving me the lead role. My acting skills are non-existent, but I did all of my own stunts and learned a lot of about that world. I am not really interested in acting, but would love to do stunts again one day. However, at the moment, my focus is on real fighting.”
While the Canadian fighter has a budding IMDB page that has movie credits dating back over a decade, her pro MMA career has taken center focus and is just starting to take off. After winning her first two bouts as a professional, the world would shut down in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While the lockdowns halted most fighters’ opportunities to compete, Croden looked at it as chance to learn and develop. That journey took her to Las Vegas to train, which is where she met her self-proclaimed “American twin” and the winningest woman in LFA history, Hailey Cowan.
“My blonde twin and I met in Nevada while training at Syndicate MMA,” Croden explained. “From the moment Hailey and I met, we knew that our friendship was something special. Whatever the female equivalent of a bromance is… We trained really well together, our body size matched, as well as our flow. We have a lot of personal similarities as well.”
Get your tickets for LFA 157: Croden vs. Cavalcanti
Hailey Cowan and her “Canadian twin” Melissa Croden.
Croden is now back in Canada, but still makes trips to train with Cowan in Texas, who is set to make her UFC debut next week. In fact, Cowan was one of the first people to celebrate the news of Croden signing with the LFA, where she will get an immediate title shot at LFA 157. Cowan was even set to travel to Minnesota to corner Croden until her UFC debut was re-scheduled for the week immediately following Croden’s LFA debut. While Croden will not have her “American twin” in her corner, she did confirm an Internet rumor that involves her possibly re-kindling her movie career alongside Cowan as John Wick’s younger twin sisters Jane and Jean Wick.
“Ahh yes, the John Wick remake starring Hailey and I,” Croden joked. “One day, we will have time to make this amazing film come to fruition.”
While that epic movie project is currently on hold, while they focus on their MMA careers, Croden will have her mainstay coach in her corner when she fights for the LFA women’s bantamweight title at LFA 157.
“My head coach is Dan Miller. He has been my coach for 10 years now,” Croden explained. “Our gym’s name is Ravenhouse MMA in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta. I am also affiliated with Champions Creed in Calgary, Alberta.”
Watch LFA 157: Croden vs. Cavalcanti
Croden is now on the cusp of MMA stardom and she knows it. Starring in movies, training with LFA royalty, and winning regional titles in Canada has led her to this moment and she is fully aware of what is at stake. The first two Canadian fighters to capture LFA world titles are Loopy Godinez at strawweight and Jamey-Lyn Horth at flyweight. The UFC immediately signed both women after they won their LFA titles. Croden credits “the cold” of Canada for the reason behind producing fierce fighting champions and now looks to make it three of a kind by capturing the LFA women’s bantamweight crown.
“I believe that the LFA is a great stage to show a larger audience what I am capable of,” Croden explained. “I would absolutely love to represent Alberta as a high-level athlete. I love where I live and couldn’t live anywhere else.”
In order to join her countrywomen Godinez and Horth as LFA champions and UFC stars, she will first have to travel to the United States to face the top female MMA prospect from Portugal. Croden shares an identical 4-1 record as her opponent Jacqueline Cavalcanti and both women are coming off regional title wins abroad. This has set up the most highly-anticipated encounter in the division outside the UFC this year. Croden is fully aware of the stakes in an intercontinental championship showdown that will have the world watching.
“Jacqueline Cavalcanti is an experienced high-level fighter. She is dangerous,” stated Croden. “I am going to treat this fight as if I am about to fight Amanda Nunes. I have a lot of respect for her skill.”
You can watch Melissa “Scare” Croden face Jacqueline Cavalcanti for the LFA women’s bantamweight title in the main event of LFA 157. The event takes place this Friday, April 21st and it will be available worldwide on UFC Fight Pass at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
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In 2017, RFA and Legacy FC merged to form LFA, the premier developmental organization in Mixed Martial Arts. The combined forces of LFA launched the careers of over 270 athletes that have reached the pinnacle of MMA by competing in the UFC. In 2018, the promotion joined the Imperial Family Companies group (formerly London Trust Media). In 2019, the promotion announced a broadcast partnership with UFC FIGHT PASS®. In 2021, the LFA expanded internationally by hosting multiple events in Brazil.
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LFA is a professional Mixed Martial Arts promotion that gives rising stars and top contenders the opportunity to prove their talent to fans and leaders in the industry. LFA was formed by the powerhouse merger between RFA and Legacy FC. LFA presents live Mixed Martial Arts events on a monthly basis around the United States including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver, Dallas, and Houston. Based in Las Vegas, NV, LFA is one of the most active and respected MMA organizations in the fastest growing sport in the world. (The Octagon, Ultimate Fighting Championship®, UFC®, and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC. All rights reserved).
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