The fight will be on for Sarah Archer when she represents New Zealand at a mixed martial arts championship in Las Vegas next month.
The 24-year-old Mosgiel woman will be competing in the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) World Amateur Championship, held as part of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) International Fight Week.
The call went out to New Zealand coaches to enter names for the championship and Archer's coach approached her with the idea.
''I didn't have to do too much in terms of competing with people for a place,'' she said.
With her name forward for two weight divisions, it will come down to whether Archer and her coach want her to lose or gain weight.
''We're still in the process of working out which one.''
At present ''floating'' around 54kg, she will compete in either the 52.2kg fight or the 56.7kg, but probably in the 52.2kg.
''I'm a bit shorter than your average 56.7 kilo female.''
With each country allowed to enter one competitor from each gender in each weight division, Archer will compete against the top female athletes in her weight division from around the world.
''I'm the only New Zealand female going, that I'm aware of.''
The knock-out competition, which includes a daily weigh-in, attracted about 26 countries to the 2014 event.
''I could be fighting each day, at this stage ... otherwise it's just a knock-out competition - once you're out, you're out.''
She had been training for about two and a-half to three years, previously doing karate at the start of high school, she said.
Mixed martial arts drew on different techniques from different disciplines.
''To the layman, it's kick-boxing combined with wrestling, combined with jiu jitsu. It's a real good mash-up of all the best bits of everything, really.''
She said it was tough to find opponents in New Zealand.
''Essentially, it makes it easier for me, in that my road [to the championship] is a wee bit shorter, but it makes it tougher when it comes to experience and fighting others from different countries who all have a bigger talent pool.''
Archer will be in Las Vegas for a week and a-half. Her focus will be on the championship and getting involved with the UFC International Fight Week.
''It should be an exciting time to be over there.''
• A housie fundraising evening will be held for Archer on Friday at 7pm at the Taieri Bowling Club.
- Greta Yeoman
