At sixty-eight years of age, most people consider a reasonable exercise regimen to include taking walks and engaging in light physical activity. How many of us, at the age of sixty-eight, would ever consider taking part in a rigorous training camp and stepping into the cage against someone who is well over forty years younger than we are? Not many, but not Ann Perez, who is currently less than two years away from being a septuagenarian, is not like many people.

On her personal Facebook page, Ann Perez stated that she has an extensive background in martial arts training, having studied muay Thai and mixed martial arts for five years. She achieved her blue belt in jiu-jitsu from Tim Wolchek at Karate America and also a 3rd degree black belt in Kenpo Karate under Mark Baier at America’s Best Martial Arts. She is currently training at out of Grudge Training Center, as well as 303 Training Center, and 10th Planet Boulder

This past Saturday night at Sparta Combat League 48 in Colorado, Ann Perez stepped into the mixed martial arts cage to face off against Laura Dettman, who is currently just twenty-three years of age.

Perez attempts a takedown that Dettman is able to reverse. Dettman then lands in side control and begins landing ground and pound. They fighters transition to north-south, before Dettman moves back to side control and eventually full mount. Trapped in full mount, Perez begins eating heavy strikes and the referee calls a stop to the contest, declaring Laura Dettman winner by TKO at 1:24 of the first round.

Despite having lost, Perez certainly gained the respect of the mixed martial arts community with her willingness to put it all on the line, despite being of an age that usually causes one to believe they are no longer capable of doing so.