Mia goes MMA: Hong Kong model Kang signs with leading mixed martial arts agent as she aims to join fighting ranks after debut win
After a win in her martial arts debut, the model-turned-fighter looks to continue her success by signing on with First Round management
Hong Kong model Mia Kang has had a taste of life as a professional muay thai fighter. Now Kang has her sights set on the most popular combat sport there is – mixed martial arts.
“I’ve fallen in love with martial arts,” Kang said.
“I’ll probably start training next week,” said Kang. “There are a couple of [muay thai] fights that I want to do in the next couple of months. While I’m doing that I am going to lay the groundwork with wrestling and jiu jitsu and see what’s up with that. Then, after these ‘thai’ fights play out, we can see where MMA takes us.”
The 28-year-old Kang has become one of the most sought-after models on the planet after featuring in this year’s Sports Illustrated annual swimsuit edition, and starring for the likes of the Guess clothing group in their global campaigns.
First Round – who have the likes of MMA legend B.J. Penn on their books – had apparently been keeping tabs on the Kang story via social media as it evolved.
“They’d been sitting back and watching me,” she said. “They did their due diligence to see if I was just some model who was doing this as a phase. [They] were impressed by my commitment and see something inside me that they see in other fighters. They wanted to see how I was when I got hit in the face and I came out of this fight and they said we’re good to go if you want to. It’s something I want to explore but it’s baby steps.”
Kang was earlier featured on this week’s edition of The MMA Hour podcast hosted by seven-time MMA journalist of the year Ariel Helwani, tucked in between cuts of an interview with the sport’s undisputed king Conor McGregor.
“This is fun for me,” she told Helwani. “I wish I’d done it earlier and I want to see what else is out there. I don’t just train for fun and knowing me I’ll get there [to an MMA fight] down the road.”
Kang’s billing on the popular show is an indication again of what a huge role women fighters play in MMA, and comes in the week that arguably the most popular fighter in Asia – One Championship’s Angela Lee – is preparing to put her world atomweight title on the line.
“I think it’s great that the women are so popular. In terms of Rousey she was at one point the most popular fighter in the UFC,” Kang told the Post. “I think it’s great that women are getting this recognition.”
Kang’s move into the world of professional fighting has attracted enormous global attention and she said she was now fully prepared to write the next chapter.
“I’m not saying that Thai boxing is more brutal but I’m not easily scared,” said Kang.
