ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Moonlighting as a member of the MMA media has treated Julie Kedzie well during her year-long absence from the cage.
While Kedzie hasn’t competed since a July 2011 decision loss to Alexis Davis -- a proposed September bout against Germaine de Randamie fell through when Kedzie suffered a knee injury -- she has stayed busy serving as an analyst for Invicta Fighting Championships. In fact, she might have found a second calling once her MMA career reaches its end.
“I absolutely love that side of things. I didn’t know that I would love it as much as I love it, but it’s fun,” Kedzie tells Sherdog.com. “The production is just amazing. It’s beautiful. It’s like going to one of the big shows. I really enjoy commentating; I really enjoy analyzing. I like knowing what’s going on and being able to say, ‘This is happening.’ If I can help bridge that gap for people who don’t necessarily know everything about what’s happening -- I’d like to make MMA accessible.”
Kedzie’s immediate future includes a date with former Strikeforce women’s bantamweight champion Miesha Tate on Saturday night at Valley View Casino Center in San Diego. The matchup will serve as the featured preliminary bout on Showtime Extreme and is one of three women’s bouts on the Strikeforce “Rousey vs. Kaufman” lineup.
The 31-year-old Indiana native, who squared off with Gina Carano in the first female MMA bout to be televised on Showtime, is encouraged by the growth of the women’s sport. According to Kedzie, things can only get better.
“I think women will be in the UFC within the next five years,” she said. “Even if it’s just super-fights or whatever, I think it will happen.”
In the meantime, Kedzie believes Invicta will continue to thrive as it provides a much-needed platform for many fighters who haven’t yet had the opportunity to showcase their skills on a larger stage. So far, the organization has held two all-female events in Kansas City, Kan.: an 11-bout card in April and a 14-bout offering last month. The next card is expected to take place Oct. 6.
“I think Invicta is here to stay. I don’t see [promotion president Shannon Knapp] selling to a bigger show or doing anything like that,” Kedzie said. “I think they should just keep going the direction they’re going. And if they get a TV deal that allows them to work within the boundaries of what they want, they should hop on it. Right now, it’s what’s always needed to happen in women’s MMA -- women supporting women.”
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