Bailey Winters is not afraid of chaos, lots of chaos

Not if it comes within the context of the fight world, that is. Two years ago the boxer and kickboxer out of Colorado took on a unique challenge suggested by the Sparta promotion – fight and do production work on the same night.

Winters was not just offered the opportunity to interview fighters on camera, which was fun and challenging in and of itself, but to also suit-up and fight on the card in between those duties. Her coaches didn’t love the idea, but Bailey grabbed it by the horns.

It was actually two years ago, today, she tells us on Monday morning. That was the first time I did interviews and fought on the same time. I did my makeup, got dressed and interviews for the first part of the card, then went backstage, got my hands wrapped and put on my fight gear and fought (laughs). Then, I went backstage, put on lipstick and went out and did more interviews. It was crazy but fun.

My coaches hated it – they wanted me to be more focused on my own fight, obviously. In a way, doing the interviews kept my mind off of my own fight and kept me from being nervous about fighting, so it focused me in a different way. But it was a cool challenge. For me, that’s what it was about – taking on a fun challenge that not many people will ever be able to say they did.

Bailey has pulled that double-duty several more times since then, while continuing her burgeoning fight career. She’s thus far fought seven times in boxing and three in Muay Thai and hopes to go pro in both by 2020.

Her original goal was to fight just once, but after doing so she knew she’d found home.

When I started training I knew I wanted to fight, but the goal was to have one fight, to try it and see how it goes, she remembers. “I lost the first time and was heartbroken, really devastated. But I knew I loved it and had to continue to do it. I was back in the gym the next day.

Bailey now trains and coaches in addition to her on-camera work, and in past lives was a jewelry designer and model. Nothing has felt like being in the ring, fighting, however.

I just felt really comfortable and happy in the ring, she explains. I wasn’t nervous at all. It was kind of weird. I was super confident that I was this great fighter (laughs). I wasn’t, I was terrible, but still, going out there, making the walk, then fighting, I felt like I was the most badass person in the room. I felt so free in there, with no inhibitions. It was almost a very primal feeling.

That feeling, along with the attendant benefit of being a part of familial team and gym cohorts is something that Winters prioritizes, these days. She’s recently eschewed more lucrative and traditional office-work paths in favor of living the not glamorous fighter lifestyle.

It’s a grind, but it’s her type of grind.

For me it was just kind of about reflecting on where are the places in my life where I feel valued, supported, and happy, she reasons. My gym has always been that for me. In fighting I’ve felt all that so much. If I can get more of that in my life, it seems like the obvious choice, even if it is not the financially beneficial choice.

I just overall want to do things that help me grow as a person and spend time with those who care about me, doing what I love. I’ve found such a community in fight gyms. Some of the nicest people I’ve ever met are the meanest fighters. There’s a cool dynamic and I’d much rather be around that than sitting in an office making money for someone else somewhere.

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Elias Cepeda writes a regular column for The UG Feed. You can find him on Twitter @EliasCepeda.