Call her 'Valociraptor'. She hails from East Aurora and has trained all over the world.
He mission: "I want to become the best female MMA fighter in the world. I intend on becoming the flyweight champion of the world," says Valerie Masai-Aspaas. The Western New York native becomes pro on August 19th when she gets in the ring for her first pro-circuit fight in Philadelphia.
Masai-Aspaas trains four hours a day, six days a week. "It means the world. I feel like this is my destiny, I've been training for years. I'm so excited to represent my city and my sport," says the fighter. She started training in karate around eight years old. After moving to Hawaii for college, she started training at a world-class Jiu-jitsu gym.
Masai-Aspaas then traveled overseas to train in Japan. Currently, she trains at Buffalo United Martial Arts inside Buffalo Riverworks for the majority of her time. She also teaches at other gyms across the area.
While passionate about pushing her MMA career forward, she's also dedicated to spreading her love for mixed martial arts. Masai-Aspaas teaches a women's only jiu-jitsu class at Buffalo United Martial Arts two times a week.
She stands at five foot five and packs a mean punch. Her takedowns will have you on the ground in seconds and trying to gain control once you're on down will have you gasping for breath. She's tough, she's ready and she's a Western New Yorker.
Her fight is on August 19th, you can find more information here.
If you're interested in mixed martial arts and taking a class 'Valociraptor' teaches, you can find it here.
