Tara LaRosa
Encyclopedia
Tara LaRosa is an American mixed martial artist
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...

 who previously fought in BodogFight
BodogFight
bodogFight was a mixed martial arts promotion founded by online gambling magnate Calvin Ayre. It was a part of Ayre's bodog.com Entertainment Group....

.

She was the first and final BodogFight
BodogFight
bodogFight was a mixed martial arts promotion founded by online gambling magnate Calvin Ayre. It was a part of Ayre's bodog.com Entertainment Group....

 Women's Bantamweight Champion. She later defeated HOOKnSHOOT 125-Pound Champion Cody Welchin in a non-title bout at a HOOKnSHOOT/BodogFight
BodogFight
bodogFight was a mixed martial arts promotion founded by online gambling magnate Calvin Ayre. It was a part of Ayre's bodog.com Entertainment Group....

 co-sponsored event.

LaRosa also holds wins over other top mixed martial arts
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...

 fighters such as Amanda Buckner
Amanda Buckner
Amanda Buckner is an American female mixed martial artist. Her last fight was a decision loss against Takayo Hashi at FFF 4 - Call of the Wild on April 3, 2008....

 and Kelly Kobold. She signed with the American Fight League, but the promotion folded before its first event.

LaRosa is currently the #2-ranked pound-for-pound female MMA fighter in the world by MMARising.com, the #1-ranked female fighter at 125 pounds according to the Unified Women's MMA Rankings, and is also ranked as the #2 Women's MMA Fighter of all-time according to Fightmatrix.com.

Early life

LaRosa grew up in Woodstown, New Jersey
Woodstown, New Jersey
Woodstown is a Borough in Salem County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 3,136.Woodstown was established on July 26, 1882, from portions of Pilesgrove Township based on the results of a referendum held that same day...

. She attended the now defunct St. James Catholic High School. A love of Jean Claude van Damme and Chuck Norris
Chuck Norris
Carlos Ray "Chuck" Norris is an American martial artist and actor. After serving in the United States Air Force, he began his rise to fame as a martial artist and has since founded his own school, Chun Kuk Do...

 action films inspired her to enroll in Judo. She soon moved into mixed martial arts
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...

 training and trained with Royce Gracie
Royce Gracie
Royce Gracie is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist, a UFC Hall of Famer and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner. A legend and pioneer in the sport of mixed martial arts, he is widely considered to be the most influential figure in the history of modern MMA.Gracie gained fame for his...

.

Mixed martial arts career

LaRosa faced Alisa Cantwell at XFO 4 on December 3, 2004. She won the fight by armbar submission.

She faced Hitomi Akano
Hitomi Akano
, is a Japanese female mixed martial artist. She uses a song she penned herself called "Between the Sky" as her entrance music.Akano is a former Smackgirl Middleweight Champion at 128 pounds...

 at MFC: USA vs. Russia 3 on June 3, 2006. She won the fight by unanimous decision.

LaRosa faced Julia Berezikova
Julia Berezikova
Julia Berezikova is a Russian female mixed martial artist and boxer.-Background:Berezikova was born on in Krasnokamensk, Zabaykalsky Krai , Russia....

 at BodogFight - USA vs. Russia on December 2, 2006. She won the fight by armbar submission in the second round.

She faced Kelly Kobold at BodogFight
BodogFight
bodogFight was a mixed martial arts promotion founded by online gambling magnate Calvin Ayre. It was a part of Ayre's bodog.com Entertainment Group....

 - Alvarez vs. Lee on July 14, 2007 for the BodogFight women's 135-pound championship. She won the fight via armbar submission in the fourth round.

LaRosa faced Alexis Davis
Alexis Davis (MMA)
Alexis Davis is a Canadian professional female mixed martial artist. She is a black belt in Japanese Jujutsu and a 2-stripe brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Royler Gracie and David Adiv...

 at Extreme Challenge: The War at the Shore on January 23, 2009. She won by TKO when the doctor stopped the fight in the third round.

LaRosa rematched Roxanne Modafferi
Roxanne Modafferi
Roxanne Modafferi is an American female mixed martial artist.-Biography:Modafferi's training began in taekwondo as a teenager in Pennsylvania, moving on to Mark Lawler's Kenpō Karate two years later. Full of confidence, she then began attending the Dalton Judo Club in Pittsfield, Massachusetts...

 at Moosin: God of Martial Arts
Moosin: God of Martial Arts
Moosin: God of Martial Arts was a MMA event held on May 21, 2010 in Worcester, Massachusetts at the DCU Center. The event was promoted by Corey Fischer and Eric "Butterbean" Esch in association with the Korean promotion Moosin...

 on May 21, 2010. She was defeated by Split Decision.

LaRosa faced Takayo Hashi
Takayo Hashi
|-| Loss|align=center| 13-4-0| Cat Zingano| KO | Fight To Win: "Outlaws"| |align=center| 3|align=center| 4:42|Denver, Colorado, USA| For Fight To Win Women's Championship|-| Loss|align=center| 13-3-0| Tara LaRosa| Decision...

 at DaMMAge Fight League 1 on November 24, 2010 in Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...

. She defeated Hashi by Unanimous Decision after five rounds to become the first DaMMAge Fight League Women's 125 lbs Champion.

LaRosa most recently faced Carina Damm
Carina Damm
Carina Paganini Damm Golçalvez is a Brazilian female mixed martial artist.Regarded for her looks as much as for her fighting abilities, Damm was dubbed MMA's "Barbie Girl" by the Brazilian media....

 at Shark Fights 14
Shark Fights 14
Shark Fights 14: Horwich vs. Villefort was a mixed martial arts held by Shark Fights on Friday, March 11, 2011 at Fair Park Coliseum in Lubbock, Texas.-Background:...

 on March 11, 2011 in Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...

. She won the fight via submission in the second round.

Personal life

Tara's boyfriend, SFC Adrian M Elizalde was killed on August 23, 2007 when an IED hit his truck in Iraq.

Mixed martial arts record

|-
| Win
| align=center| 20-2
|   Carina Damm
Carina Damm
Carina Paganini Damm Golçalvez is a Brazilian female mixed martial artist.Regarded for her looks as much as for her fighting abilities, Damm was dubbed MMA's "Barbie Girl" by the Brazilian media....


| Submission (inverted heel hook)
| Shark Fights 14: Horwich vs. Villefort
|
| align=center| 2
| align=center| 0:28
| Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...


|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 19-2
|   Takayo Hashi
Takayo Hashi
|-| Loss|align=center| 13-4-0| Cat Zingano| KO | Fight To Win: "Outlaws"| |align=center| 3|align=center| 4:42|Denver, Colorado, USA| For Fight To Win Women's Championship|-| Loss|align=center| 13-3-0| Tara LaRosa| Decision...


| Decision (unanimous)
| DaMMAge Fight League - The Big Bang
|
| align=center| 5
| align=center| 5:00
| Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...


| Became first DaMMAge Fight League Women's 125 lbs Champion
|-
| Loss
| align=center| 18-2
|   Roxanne Modafferi
Roxanne Modafferi
Roxanne Modafferi is an American female mixed martial artist.-Biography:Modafferi's training began in taekwondo as a teenager in Pennsylvania, moving on to Mark Lawler's Kenpō Karate two years later. Full of confidence, she then began attending the Dalton Judo Club in Pittsfield, Massachusetts...


| Decision (split)
| Moosin: God of Martial Arts
Moosin: God of Martial Arts
Moosin: God of Martial Arts was a MMA event held on May 21, 2010 in Worcester, Massachusetts at the DCU Center. The event was promoted by Corey Fischer and Eric "Butterbean" Esch in association with the Korean promotion Moosin...


|
| align=center| 3
| align=center| 5:00
| Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...


| Fight was at 130 lbs. Catchweight
|-
| Win
| align=center| 18-1
|   Valerie Coolbaugh
| Submission (rear-naked choke)
| Extreme Force: "Locked In The Cage 1"
|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 3:58
| Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...


|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 17-1
|   Sally Krumdiack
| Submission (kimura)
| Extreme Challenge: "Mayhem At The Marina"
|
| align=center| 3
| align=center| 1:45
| Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...


|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 16-1
|   Alexis Davis
Alexis Davis (MMA)
Alexis Davis is a Canadian professional female mixed martial artist. She is a black belt in Japanese Jujutsu and a 2-stripe brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Royler Gracie and David Adiv...


| TKO (doctor stoppage)
| Extreme Challenge: "The War at the Shore"
|
| align=center| 3
| align=center| 4:23
| Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...


|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 15-1
|   Cody Welchin
| Submission (triangle armbar)
| HOOKnSHOOT - BodogFight
BodogFight
bodogFight was a mixed martial arts promotion founded by online gambling magnate Calvin Ayre. It was a part of Ayre's bodog.com Entertainment Group....

 2007 Women's Grand Prix
|
| align=center| 2
| align=center| 2:57
| Evansville, Indiana
Evansville, Indiana
Evansville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Indiana and the largest city in Southern Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 117,429. It is the county seat of Vanderburgh County and the regional hub for both Southwestern Indiana and the...

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...


| Non-Title Superfight
|-
| Win
| align=center| 14-1
|   Kelly Kobold
| Submission (armbar)
| BodogFight
BodogFight
bodogFight was a mixed martial arts promotion founded by online gambling magnate Calvin Ayre. It was a part of Ayre's bodog.com Entertainment Group....

 - Alvarez vs Lee
|
| align=center| 4
| align=center| 2:50
| Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...


| Won BodogFight Women's Bantamweight Championship
|-
| Win
| align=center| 13-1
|   Shayna Baszler
Shayna Baszler
Shayna Baszler is an American mixed martial artist. She currently trains under former UFC Heavyweight Champion Josh Barnett. She has a record of 14 wins and 6 losses, with 13 wins coming by way of submission....


| TKO (punches)
| BodogFight
BodogFight
bodogFight was a mixed martial arts promotion founded by online gambling magnate Calvin Ayre. It was a part of Ayre's bodog.com Entertainment Group....

 - Costa Rica
|
| align=center| 2
| align=center| 3:15
| Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....


|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 12-1
|   Julia Berezikova
Julia Berezikova
Julia Berezikova is a Russian female mixed martial artist and boxer.-Background:Berezikova was born on in Krasnokamensk, Zabaykalsky Krai , Russia....


| Submission (armbar)
| BodogFight
BodogFight
bodogFight was a mixed martial arts promotion founded by online gambling magnate Calvin Ayre. It was a part of Ayre's bodog.com Entertainment Group....

 - USA vs. Russia
|
| align=center| 2
| align=center| 1:28
| Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...


|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 11-1
|   Amanda Buckner
Amanda Buckner
Amanda Buckner is an American female mixed martial artist. Her last fight was a decision loss against Takayo Hashi at FFF 4 - Call of the Wild on April 3, 2008....


| Submission (rear-naked choke)
| BodogFight
BodogFight
bodogFight was a mixed martial arts promotion founded by online gambling magnate Calvin Ayre. It was a part of Ayre's bodog.com Entertainment Group....

 - To The Brink Of War
|
| align=center| 3
| align=center| 4:31
| Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....


|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 10-1
|   Julie Kedzie
Julie Kedzie
Julie Kedzie is an American female mixed martial artist. She is a third degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and specializes in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu....


| Decision (unanimous)
| Ultimate Cage Wars
|
| align=center| 3
| align=center| 5:00
| Chelan, Washington
Chelan, Washington
Chelan is a city in Chelan County, Washington, United States. The population was 3,890 at the 2010 census. It sits on the southeast tip of Lake Chelan, where the lake flows into the Chelan River....

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...


| Won UCW Women's Bantamweight Championship
|-
| Win
| align=center| 9-1
|   Hitomi Akano
Hitomi Akano
, is a Japanese female mixed martial artist. She uses a song she penned herself called "Between the Sky" as her entrance music.Akano is a former Smackgirl Middleweight Champion at 128 pounds...


| Decision (unanimous)
| Mix Fight Championship: USA vs. Russia 3
|
| align=center| 3
| align=center| 5:00
| Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...


|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 8-1
|   Roxanne Modafferi
Roxanne Modafferi
Roxanne Modafferi is an American female mixed martial artist.-Biography:Modafferi's training began in taekwondo as a teenager in Pennsylvania, moving on to Mark Lawler's Kenpō Karate two years later. Full of confidence, she then began attending the Dalton Judo Club in Pittsfield, Massachusetts...


| Decision (unanimous)
| Mix Fight Championship: Boardwalk Blitz
|
| align=center| 3
| align=center| 5:00
| Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...


|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 7-1
|   Kumiko Maekawa
| Decision (unanimous)
| Smackgirl
Smackgirl
Smackgirl was a Japanese mixed martial arts promotion focused solely on female fighters. The promotion also held grappling and amateur events along with its main line of professional MMA cards. After financial difficulties throughout 2008 the promotion was sold to Marverous Japan Co.,Ltd...

: Lightweight Anniversary
|
| align=center| 2
| align=center| 5:00
| Tokyo, Japan
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 6-1
|   Megumi Yabushita
Megumi Yabushita
is a Japanese female mixed martial artist, kickboxer, professional wrestler and judoka. She has participated in several Japanese professional wrestling and mixed martial arts promotions. She is a Japanese national judo champion and a former Smackgirl open weight champion and tournament...


| Decision (majority)
| G-Shooto 02
|
| align=center| 2
| align=center| 5:00
| Tokyo, Japan
|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 5-1
|   Alisa Cantwell
| Submission (armbar)
| Xtreme Fighting Organization 4
|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 2:45
| McHenry, Illinois
McHenry, Illinois
McHenry is a city in McHenry County, Illinois, United States. In 2005, its population was estimated to be 24,631. McHenry was at one time the county seat of McHenry County...

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...


|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 4-1
|   Linda Langerak
| Submission (armbar)
| HOOKnSHOOT: "Evolution"
|
| align=center| 2
| align=center| 2:29
| Evansville, Indiana
Evansville, Indiana
Evansville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Indiana and the largest city in Southern Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 117,429. It is the county seat of Vanderburgh County and the regional hub for both Southwestern Indiana and the...

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...


|
|-
| Loss
| align=center| 3-1
|   Jennifer Howe
Jennifer Howe
Jennifer Howe is an American mixed martial artist.-Biography:Howe is mainly known as a striker due to her boxing background, but also has grappling skills from her time training in brazilian jiu jitsu under Walt Bayless. She began training at Bayless Jiu Jitsu in 1995, and says of BJJ "In any...


| TKO (punches)
| HOOKnSHOOT - Absolute Fighting Championships 3
|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 2:18
| Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale is a city in the U.S. state of Florida, on the Atlantic coast. It is the county seat of Broward County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 165,521. It is a principal city of the South Florida metropolitan area, which was home to 5,564,635 people at the 2010...

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...


|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 3-0
|   Ginele Marquez
| Submission (armbar)
| Tennessee Shooto - Judgment
|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 4:10
| Clarksville, Tennessee
Clarksville, Tennessee
Clarksville is a city in and the county seat of Montgomery County, Tennessee, United States, and the fifth largest city in the state. The population was 132,929 in 2010 United States Census...

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...


|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 2-0
|   Angela Wilson
| TKO (punches)
| HOOKnSHOOT: "New Wind"
|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 4:51
| Evansville, Indiana
Evansville, Indiana
Evansville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Indiana and the largest city in Southern Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 117,429. It is the county seat of Vanderburgh County and the regional hub for both Southwestern Indiana and the...

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...


|
|-
| Win
| align=center| 1-0
|   Shelby Walker
Shelby Walker
Shelby Rogers was a professional boxer and mixed martial arts fighter....


| Submission (punches)
| HOOKnSHOOT: "Revolution"
|
| align=center| 1
| align=center| 2:43
| Evansville, Indiana
Evansville, Indiana
Evansville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Indiana and the largest city in Southern Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 117,429. It is the county seat of Vanderburgh County and the regional hub for both Southwestern Indiana and the...

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...


|

Championships

  • DaMMAge Fight League Women's Super Flyweight Champion 2010
  • BodogFight
    BodogFight
    bodogFight was a mixed martial arts promotion founded by online gambling magnate Calvin Ayre. It was a part of Ayre's bodog.com Entertainment Group....

     Women's Bantamweight Champion 2007
  • UCW Women's Bantamweight Champion 2006

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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