A figure walks toward the black curtains in the middle of a rodeo arena. Over the speakers, “Whoop That Trick” plays and an announcer bellows: “In the blue corner … fighting for the Titans of the Cage flyweight championship … from Richmond, Virginia … Tia ‘Jab Jab’ Jablonsky!”
Jablonsky, 29, walks down the aisle of fans cheering around her as she makes her way into the octagon. This isn’t Jablonsky’s first bout in the cage. She has more than 10 years of training and several fights in both Muay Thai and mixed martial arts under her belt, and is ranked 14thin Virginia. She hopes someday she can leave amateur fighting and make it as a professional.
“My main goal is to go pro when I’m 30, so by the end of this year or next year … it’s not really all about the money, but I put a lot of time and I’ve sacrificed a lot,” Jablonsky said.
Tia Jablonsky, 29, pushes through conditioning at Bang Bang Kickboxing March 18, 2019 in Mechanicsville, Virginia. She has been preparing for her Mixed Martial Arts fight scheduled for April. This will be her fourth MMA fight. Jablonsky is a trainer and student at Bang Bang.
Training since the age of 10, she has practiced in Muay Thai, hapkido, kickboxing, jiujitsu and taekwondo. She is a personal trainer and works at Bang Bang Kickboxing in Richmond, teaching children and adults. She earned a degree in exercise science from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2015.
“It gives me more confidence to do more things in life. I feel like if you’re preparing for a fight it makes everything else in life easy because it’s kind of a scary thing,” Jablonsky said. “It makes you grounded, makes you strong.”
A photo of Tia Jablonsky sits on her fridge in her apartment. She has been training in martial arts on and off since she was a child. She was 10 years old when she competed in her first Taekwondo match.
In order to go pro, Jablonsky needs three more fights under her belt. The problem is finding opponents.
“When I was new, it was easier to find just anyone to fight,” Jablonsky said. “But when you start to get a record, some people don’t always want to fight you.”
A fight finally came to fruition in April when Jablonsky faced off against Kathy Hatfield, the Titans of the Cage flyweight champion, at the Titans of the Cage 27: Super Show in Wytheville, Virginia.
Tia Jablonsky eats a banana and coffee in her apartment, March 18, 2019 in Richmond, Virginia. She rushes to finish breakfast before heading to training at Bang Bang Kickboxing. She re-heated some day-old coffee from her French press to not waste more time.Tia Jablonsky walks into RVA MMA, April 8, 2019 in Richmond, Virginia. She holds a box of “Jab Jab” T-shirts that she is selling to help fund her trip to her fight.Tia Jablonsky and Anna Molenkamp practice different submission techniques during their Jujitsu class, Monday March 12, 2019 at RVA MMA. Jablonsky was practicing her rear naked choke. Molenkamp tapped out.Tia Jablonsky sits as she gets her hair braided for her fight at Hello Gorgeous Hair Salon Thursday April 11, 2019 in Richmond, Virginia. Jablonsky goes for a different style then most female MMA fighters. “Cornrows are a hard look to carry, so I like to go for something more me.” Jablonsky said.Tia Jablonsky, left, practices in her hotel room with trainer Adrian Williams, April 13, 2019 in Wytheville, Virginia. With her fight a few hours away, Jablonsky channels her energy into tonight. “I’m feeling good,” Jablonsky said. She reminds herself not to be overly confident though. “The nerves keep you ready.”Tia Jablonsky naps with her pup, Daphne, before her fight, April 13, 2019 in Wytheville, Virginia. “I brought her [Daphne] along because she’s a good stress reliever. Just petting and playing with her makes me calmer,” Jablonsky said.Fans pile into the Apex Expo Center to watch the Titians of the Cage 27: Super Show April 13, 2019 in Wytheville, Virginia. An announcer mentions over the crowd’s buzz that the arena will be hosting a tractor pull in a few weeks.Tia Jablonsky (top) practices floor techniques with Angelic Martinez (bottom) at the UFC Gym, March 22, 2019 in Richmond, Virginia. Practice cage matches were a large part of her preparation for her match.Tia Jablonsky, 29, stands with her friends after winning the Titians of the Cage Flyweight Title bout at TOC 27, Saturday April 13, 2019 in Wytheville, Virginia. Jablonsky won by submission in the fifth round with only fifty seconds left on the clock. “This is the first time I won by submission, and the first time Kathy [Hatfield] ever lost,” said Jablonsky.Tia Jablonsky (Center) hugs her best friends Ariel McGuire (Left) and Monica Hunsaker (Right) at TOC 27, Saturday April 13, 2019 in Wytheville, Virginia. Jablonsky had just won her bout by armbar submission. “I was yelling ‘break her arm, break her arm’ and didn’t even know her,” Hunsaker said. “[Kathy Hatfield’s] family was right behind me.”Tia Jablonsky talks to her mom after her winning fight, April 13, 2019 in Wythville, Virginia. “Yes, mom. I still have all my teeth,” Jablonsky said. “She’s always worried I’m going to get them knocked out.”
By Ashley Sanchez, Capital News Service. All photos by Ashley Sanchez.
VCU CNS
Capital News Service is a program of Virginia Commonwealth University's Robertson School of Media and Culture. Students in the program provide state government coverage for a variety of media outlets in Virginia.
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