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I went backstage to change and get ready, even though I was still probably 45 minutes out.

I chatted with Aspen and SDSU’s coach while we waited, and I got my own hands taped as I had seen done to Aspen. Both of them would be in my corner, as Aspen was free now after her win.

I tried, unsuccessfully, to find a quiet place in the women’s locker room in which to change. Instead, I felt obligated to choose a locker near Bianca, who was checking out her purpling bruises.

“They say chicks dig scars right?” she said, “maybe these too?” as she ran her fingers tenderly over her skin just above her waistline and below her blouse.

I wasn’t envious, “that’s what they say,” I said.

The rest of the pre-fight routine went by in a blur. Thank god Aspen was there to point out that I had not yet put on my gloves just as the man called Gray was putting finishing touches on his beating of the other guy, somebody-or-other Lewis, in the fight before my own.

I stood, my legs shaking, with Aspen and my adopted coach behind a black curtain and a tunnel leading 50 yards to the cage.

“Please welcome, at women’s flyweight, a 2016 alumna of San Diego State University, miss Haley Edwaaards!”
My legs propelled me forward to the sound of Meant To Be by Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line, just because I liked that song, following a security guard and an athletic commission official and just in front of Aspen.

Description

I went backstage to change and get ready, even though I was still probably 45 minutes out.

I chatted with Aspen and SDSU’s coach while we waited, and I got my own hands taped as I had seen done to Aspen. Both of them would be in my corner, as Aspen was free now after her win.

I tried, unsuccessfully, to find a quiet place in the women’s locker room in which to change. Instead, I felt obligated to choose a locker near Bianca, who was checking out her purpling bruises.

“They say chicks dig scars right?” she said, “maybe these too?” as she ran her fingers tenderly over her skin just above her waistline and below her blouse.

I wasn’t envious, “that’s what they say,” I said.

The rest of the pre-fight routine went by in a blur. Thank god Aspen was there to point out that I had not yet put on my gloves just as the man called Gray was putting finishing touches on his beating of the other guy, somebody-or-other Lewis, in the fight before my own.

I stood, my legs shaking, with Aspen and my adopted coach behind a black curtain and a tunnel leading 50 yards to the cage.

“Please welcome, at women’s flyweight, a 2016 alumna of San Diego State University, miss Haley Edwaaards!”
My legs propelled me forward to the sound of Meant To Be by Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line, just because I liked that song, following a security guard and an athletic commission official and just in front of Aspen.