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Felice Herrig, the former UFC strawweight contender, has made a triumphant return to the combat sports arena by winning her pro boxing debut against Veronika Dmitriyeva last weekend.
Herrig, who retired from MMA in June 2022, faced the Russian fighter at Riverside Ballroom in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on Saturday night. The 38-year-old American dominated the fight and forced Dmitriyeva to quit after the fourth round, earning a technical knockout victory.
Herrig celebrated her win on social media and reflected on her long and diverse career in fighting.
She said: “Fourth round TKO. This officially marks my 20th year fighting and my 55th fight. I have competed in pro kickboxing, Muay Thai, MMA and now boxing. My one true love has always been boxing. I’m so happy to do what I love. The number 55 represents an exciting change that is more aligned with your true path and that your angels are nearby sending you positive energy to help you on your way. And I felt that. I was truly happy out there.”
Herrig, who goes by the nickname ‘Lil’ Bulldog’, started her MMA career in 2009 and joined the UFC in 2014 after appearing on The Ultimate Fighter 20. She was once ranked among the top 10 strawweights in the world and had notable wins over Alexa Grasso, Justine Kish and Cortney Casey.
However, Herrig suffered a series of setbacks in her MMA career, including a torn ACL that sidelined her for nearly two years. She also lost four consecutive fights in the UFC, most recently to Karolina Kowalkiewicz at UFC Vegas 56 in November 2021. Herrig announced her retirement from MMA shortly after that fight, saying that she had lost her passion for the sport.
Herrig has since focused on other ventures, such as creating an OnlyFans account where she sells her used sweat socks and other items to her fans. She also revealed that she had always wanted to pursue boxing, which was her first love in combat sports.
Herrig has now fulfilled her dream of becoming a pro boxer and has shown that she still has a lot of fight left in her. She has not announced when she will return to the ring, but she has certainly made a statement with her impressive debut.