SportsMarch 8, 2024
COH 91 Preview: Thomason out to prove title ‘wasn’t a fluke’
A lot was going through Danielle Thomason’s mind during her bout at Cage of Honor 90 on Nov.. 4, 2023. She was not only fighting in the local promotion’s first-ever female title fight for herself but for her adopted hometown and for all women in mixed martial arts. With each “first” representing a butterfly in her stomach, she pounded the pressure and her opponent to become Cage of Honor’s first female champion...
A lot was going through Danielle Thomason’s mind during her bout at Cage of Honor 90 on Nov. 4, 2023.
She was not only fighting in the local promotion’s first-ever female title fight for herself but for her adopted hometown and for all women in mixed martial arts. With each “first” representing a butterfly in her stomach, she pounded the pressure and her opponent to become Cage of Honor’s first female champion.
“I felt like I had a whole lot of pressure on me for that fight just because it was the first time I was fighting in this town, first time fighting for Cage of Honor, first time fighting under my new team, under my new coaches,” Thomason said. “I felt like I was representing women’s MMA to everyone in this town because I was the first female title holder. So all that was definitely weighed on me before the fight and it was an incredible relief to come out on top, get the victory, and be able to show everybody what I'm about.”
Thomason (3-0-1) now faces the pressure of defending her belt on Saturday, March 9, when she faces Taylor Dagner for the flyweight championship at the AC Base Arena.
While there is less pressure going into this fight, there is extra motivation to put confirmation on what she proved in the first fight.
“This time I feel like I’m just trying to prove that it wasn’t a fluke,” Thomason said, “that I didn’t just get lucky. That belt is hard, that championship spot is mine and that cage is mine.
Thomason moved to Cape Girardeau from Arkansas with the purpose of fighting at Cage of Honor and building her MMA career. When she's not training, she works as a barista at Starbucks. She has worked under coaches DeRay Ivie and Coty Kellison through the Bang Muay Thai system, where she recently earned an orange belt.
Every day she serves coffee, and she trains every night to follow her passions.
“I’m absolutely trying to go all the way with fighting,” Thomason said. “It has been my main priority for the past decade. It’s all I ever seen myself doing since I was 13 years old, and nothing has changed.”
Thomason said having a work-life-fight balance can be challenging, but she has methods for managing the stress and pressures that come with the fight game.
“It can definitely be challenging,” Thomason said. “Having a balanced life stress and training stress is probably like the toughest part about fighting. It takes a lot of mental work. I actually work with a sports therapist, and I feel like that really gives me the edge over competition because I'm able to deal with that stress in the right way I deal with all the emotions in the right way. I journal a lot. I like to write down everything. I like to work through it all. I think a lot of things about time management, prioritizing things, always training first, always my mindset behind fighting first, and then in my spare time I try to deal with life stresses.”
Thomason won her previous title fight through grappling but recently fought in a kickboxing bout at Shamrock FC 351 in St. Charles, Mo., on Jan. 13. The fight resulted in a draw with Hannah Lavely, but she felt she accomplished her goal of improving as a striker.
“I am definitely I definitely wanted to get better and more comfortable on my feet,” Thomason said. “I think that really helped get my confidence up in my kickboxing and my aggression, and I’m hoping I can show that in this fight.”
__Caleb Woodside aims for scary status__
Caleb Woodside will take on Cutter Prater for the 155-pound title. It will be Woodside’s first Cage of Honor fight since defeating Luke Winston in COH 88 in March of last year.
He recently defeated Gil Martinez in DCS 89: Seasons Beatings 2023 back in December. At 5-1, Woodside believes that a win on COH 91 to win the belt would get him closer to the pro circuit.
“I think it solidifies that I'm the scariest guy to come out of Cape. I think I've got one of the most ferocious resumes in the amateurs as far as first round finishes.”
Prater defeated Malachi Mitchell in COH 90 with a rear-naked chokehold that forced his opponent to tap out with mere seconds remaining in the second round. Prater (3-1) began his MMA career with a loss but has since won three straight bouts and a belt will surely bode well for his trajectory.
Woodside has faced his fair share of fighters with grappling backgrounds and is prepared for it.
“Boring wrestlers, is what they are,” Woodside said.” They just want to hold on to you. Once I put that heat on him, I really think he's just going to shoot for the legs. I've been preparing really hard for that. So I'm just waiting for the night to see how he reacts.”
__Jackson alum aims for title__
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Jackson high school Giovanni Hidalgo will take on Eric Sanchez for the 125-pound title to cap the undercard of COH 91.
Hidalgo won a highly competitive fight against Andrew Labbe that went the full three rounds. He got the upper hand in the third round when he dropped Labbe and ground-and-pound his way to a win by unanimous decision.
Hidalgo has exclusively at Cage of Honor events since 2021 but has earned his first title bout after winning three fights in a row. A title win should allow him to expand his reach and fight in other promotions, collecting belts and moving closer to the pro purse.
“It opens gates to like sponsorships and just other promotions will look at me and want me to fight for them for their title,” Hidalgo said.
Sanchez has recently fought in Karate and kickboxing events. Instead of studying his opponent to gain an advantage, Hidalgo aims for his style to prevail.
“I don't watch my opponent,” Hidalgo said. “I don't like to think about my opponent. All fights are instinct.”
__Lopez looks to build on debut__
Agustin Lopez won his amateur debut in COH 90 when put the “kick” in kickboxing and dominated his fight against Jimmy Bowen.
He returns for a rematch against Bowen. A second win over him could establish Lopez as a mainstay in future COH events.
“It really just put a statement on what I'm here to do,” Lopez said. “I'm here to win. I'm here to actually chase the dream instead of just being a stepping stone or anything of that nature. I'm really here to take over.”
__COH 91 Card__
Pro 185-lb Title: Tavae Lewis vs. Gavilan Bland
Pro 170-lb Title: Montrel James vs. Zach Davis
155-lb Title: Cutter Prater vs. Caleb Woodside
125-lb Women’s Title: Taylor Dagner vs. Danielle Thomason
170-lb K1: Eric Moore vs. Trevor Hatton
125-lb Title: Eric Sanchez vs. Giovanni Hidalgo
125-lb K1: Jimmy Bowen vs. Agustin Lopez
155-lb: Ryan Hawk vs. Jacob Albert
180-lb K1: Jackson Bynum vs. Tony Phonixe
170-lb: Bryan Barkau vs. Zach Carlyle
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