"Blood Red" Kelly Kobold Ring Of Fire Women's World Champion!!   5'7 140 lbs Team Bison FCF DB Record Manager Mike Reilly: Contact: mikereilly@yahoo.com Phone: 612-386-4458 Sponsored by:

Starting her training in June of 2002 Kelly entered the world of Mixed Martial Arts with no fighting or sport experience.  She is the only women on a hard core team where the average player is over 200 pounds.  On Kelly's first day of training she was taken a side and told "if you want to train with us you will have to train like us.  That means no one will go easy on you because you are a girl.  We will show you respect by beating the hell out of you." Her response was "good."  At first she took to the game like a cat to water.  She showed only two traits that spoke well for her.  She never complained about hard work.  And she never showed any quit.  Night after night team mates would remark on the girls heart.  January 12th, 2003 in the ICC that heart was on display for all to see.

Kelly first fight was in a small show in Duluth against Geneva Cabyellow.   Cabyellow though game was just not ready and Kelly scored an easy 1st round victory.  Her non Stop attack against Cabyellow lit up the crowd and saved what was other wise a very dry show.  Kobold's next fight proved more challenging as she took on Lori Ogdahl from Jim Miller's Innovative Martial Arts.  Ogdahl has an extensive martial arts back ground including an certifications from Eric Paulson.  Ogdahl and Kobold had a wild fight that ended with Kobold connecting on a series of knees forcing the refs intervention.

April 18th Kelly faced an even tougher Opponent; Emily Fischer from Team Militech.  The fight went three rounds and Kelly walked out without a mark on her.  Emily was a great test and had awesome skills; but could never hurt Kelly.  Emily had great heart; but Kelly did great damage on her way to her 5th win.  Kelly's improvement from January to April was the result of many hours of work inspired by the fans.  This kid is giving fight fans something to cheer about.  She loves them as much as they love her.    Her passion for the sport has done more then give her a new occupation.  It has given Kelly a new lease on life, a new philosophy.  Coach Recalls meeting Kelly “When I first saw her I thought  she didn’t respect herself very much; what a difference a year makes.  I’ve heard a lot of Martial Arts teachers talking about what Martial Arts gives their students; self confidence, discipline, focus, physical conditioning, spiritual health.  And over the last 20 years I have seen a lot of people benefit; but nothing like what this girl has done.  In 12 months she has gone from a person I never thought I’d never seen again to becoming my second daughter.  I really love that kid.”

Kelly reflects on what the last year has taught her. Kelly “When I’m in the ring I get to actually show people what I see in myself.  I get to express myself in a way few women ever get the chance to.  I get to display my courage, my heart, and the sacrifice I have made to be there.  The sport has taught me that if you work hard enough, want it bad enough and have the courage to grab the opportunity when it comes along then you can do anything.  It has also taught me that I can be the person I want to be.  I don’t have to be ruled by things that happened in the past or the expectations of others.  I want to be the best I can be not just in the ring but outside of it as well.  The sport have fueled my desire to be a better person and given me the will to make it happen.”

 

August 9th; less then one year from her first fight Kelly Captured the Ring of Fire belt.  It was a night she spent a year getting ready for.  The challenges in the ring have really forced Kelly to dig deep and have seared a passion for the sport into her heart.  Kelly “Each night in practice you get pushed to a point where you want to quit.  There always seems to be one more rep, one more round.  Coach doesn’t let us listen to that little voice that says stop.  Some nights it just does not seem worth it; but in the cage it all comes together.  My fight against Huffman; my first big fight really pushed me.  The first three minutes of that fight were Lisa punching me while I lumbered after her like a clumsy Ox.  She must have landed 50 shots and really pushed me to the wall.  I had the choice of quit or fight.  I chose fight and won; but God only knows how.  Same thing happened with Emily.  She had that damn triangle so tight I was starting to drool, my vision was collapsing.  I raised my hand to tap and instead punched her.  That got me the gap I needed.  I guess quit isn’t an option any more.”

Kelly has respect for any women fighter.  “Most of us train on a team full of guys.  We are outweighed, out strength and they have been wrestling or boxing or what ever for years.  And if you are on a team where your seen as one of the fighters and not just a convenient piece of ass that just walked in they will beat the hell out of you.  They will prepare you the same way they prepare themselves.  Most girls just are not ready for that.  I remember after about a month of training I was in the steam bath at the Y.  A women next to me saw the bruises on my arms, back and face and said in a very sympathetic voice “ Leave him honey; he ain’t worth it.  Funny thing is that I never realized until that moment was because I was going through this type of training I never would allow a man to lay his hands on me like that.  If I couldn’t kill him my Bison brothers would.  But to go through the training that you have to endure to step into that cage.  It was a huge accomplishment for me and I respect any women who does it.  And to do it year after year.  I don’t care what anyone says; and we don’t feel the need to adjust them all the time; but we women got some serious balls.”

Promoters are quickly coming to realize the value of having female fighters on their shows.  A fighter like Kelly is always going to turn in a tough, hard hitting and exciting fight.  She has knock out power in her punches, excellent submissions and the ability wrestle and slam her opponents.

Kelly defeats a male opponent in under a 1 minute is a special challenge submission match

Big Poppa asks the wrong women if she wants to see his tattoo (sorry brother couldn't resist)

Kelly in her first match in Shooto

After ICC I

Pretty & Pretty tough