What's really good ladies and gentlemen, I have
obviously one of the baddest women in the game
right now Honestly Spitfire Nessa because I'm
the worst with pronouncing people's names and
I do not want to top up your name That's fine.
Thank you so much. I'm happy to be here. Thank
you for the interview So I think the first question
everybody wants to start with is what got you
in I've done my homework so I know the answer
but what got you into martial arts and boxing
and Because I know there's like a transition
in there So I feel like it was kind of accidental
like I was that in college and and I saw a group
of Guys like boxing at the on the basketball
courts and now just walking past back and forth
and then they asked me to join because they saw
me staring, you know, and then the next then
they said come the next day and then the next
day I came and the first time like I threw my
punch I just felt like like this was what was
missing in my life and I that's when I Just knew
I wanted to be champion like that day next day
that I started boxing I already knew I wanted
to train and fight and and I ended up like googling
Like boxing and all that and then this one girl
Armenian girl came up and she was a champion
too So I was like what no way like so that was
kind of like another Inspiration for me else
and then I just started and I just fell in love
with it Yeah It's gotta be tough because, and
I know that your parents try to stick you into
like other kind of sports and stuff growing up
and I would agree with them. Now I got two boys
so it's a little different, but I don't think
I'd ever be okay with watching my niece get like
punched or kicked. So I know on their aspect
that's gotta be tough for them to watch. yeah
I mean in the beginning it was and they thought
it was gonna be like a phase for me and they
tried everything to get me to do other stuff
like my dad wanted me to play tennis and then
they just yeah they just wanted me to not they
didn't want me to box obviously they said my
dad said and I quote every girl that boxes looks
like a man and and but um yeah but now I feel
like he's a fan Yeah, now he's a fan like it's
cool cuz it's like now he's on board and even
when I sign my To dip wait, sorry even when I
signed with to fight bare -knuckle would be BYB
my dad was um Like he he was the one calming
my mom down. My mom went hysterical at that point
My dad told her like don't worry you know she's
a she's a Spitfire like she's gonna she's gonna
fight even if she doesn't have any hands she's
still gonna win and I was like damn that's a
lot of belief in me which is cool because my
dad's a little yeah he was he was a crazy fighter
too like he was a taxi driver at night so like
he's told me all the Back then when, yeah, when
there was no Ubers. So there was a lot of times
where he had to fight and, you know, to protect
himself and all that. So he, I don't know, I
guess it's in the blood. I don't know. Yeah.
So is, is that where you got your nickname from?
Is your dad? No, I got my nickname from my, uh,
or, uh, I had a coach named Jesse Lechuga and
he gave me that nickname. Um, he asked my other
coach like, Hey, where's Spitfire at? Then that
day I was pondering if I was gonna like have
a nickname and that day when I came they're like,
yes Well, you got a nickname and I was like what
and they told me what it was not like what does
that mean? and then they said it was a after
the World War two plane and also it's somebody
like kind of like like feisty kind of like gets
back at you type thing like Yeah, and then I
did have confirmation on that one time like I
was we were going doing drills back and forth
with this one girl She's like damn. You're such
a spitfire and I was away. How do you know my
nickname and then? Yeah, and then and then she
was like that's just somebody you call like you
like how you're like just hitting back so much
more and then That's that's how I got my nickname.
Yeah No, that's awesome. Also, I know when you
bring a BYB the first Armenian champion of all
time. That's got to be crazy for you. Yeah, it's
pretty awesome. Yeah, I was like googling. I'm
like, am I really the first? No way, you know,
like, but I'm sure there's been more, you know,
bare knuckle fighters, but not champions. But
yeah, and it's pretty awesome. Yeah, I'm glad
to represent. Yeah. See, that's, that's the one
thing that I love when people do things, especially
for the coach alike. when you see people walk
out with their flags and all that I think that
a lot of times people forget like the struggle
and stuff like that so when I seen that you walked
out with the flag I'm not Armenian but I love
all coaches I'm just one of those people I cook
so I love everybody um but I was like yo this
is so dope because it it shows a sense of power
and respect and it's letting everybody know like
you know this is home you know what I'm saying
so I thought that was super dope Thank you. Yeah,
I mean I gotta represent, you know, I was born
in Armenia I came here when I was nine. So I
I have like my roots are there, you know, I mean
I now I mean I'm an American now, but you know,
I'm still learning and I gotta represent because
like we are Armenia is like a small little country,
but we're a country of survivors Like we're fighters,
you know, and there's been so many wars and everything
and we're still here. So Yeah, I had a I'm not
gonna say what but she was cool I'll say cuz
my wife probably ain't gonna care. I've been
with too long. So I dated this girl in 94 She
moved from Armenia. Um, her parents are like
super strict, but I like them They were good
people but like you could see the toughness from
the mom cuz where you know I'm from New York
City. So the mom, you know moms can be tough,
but there's still a soft side to them and it
felt like there was a you know, because unless
you meet somebody from somewhere else, you really
don't understand. And she felt just as tough
as the dad. And I was like, man, like this lady
is really like, she was a, I don't know, she
walk and she had a powerful presence to her.
And I was like, is this all your people out there?
You know, cause I'm new to it. I don't, I don't
really know from, you know, if you're, if you're
born here, you're kind of from here. But if you're
from there and you see that I was like, yo, you
got some strong parents. She wind up being like
a a doctor or something like that. Super cool.
But it was amazing to to learn somebody's culture.
Now, was it hard coming from Armenia to here?
Well, it was. Yeah, it was hard to come here
like in one sense. So basically, yeah, it was
hard to get here and it was hard to adjust as
well as a kid. Yeah. Yeah, like I didn't really
speak the language. I only knew like the colors.
I was just used to Just having my own like friend
group and I had to adjust it was kind of like
a big culture shock For like many, you know immigrants
who come here. It's kind of like they all know.
Yeah But yeah, I mean after you exactly yeah
after you adjust it's like hard to adjust back.
So yeah Yeah, cuz I mean even like I talk to
people like especially me I moved from New York
to a small town in Florida And like I'm used
to having everything available all, you know,
24 hours a day and then now not. And it's like
a culture shock because there's like cows around
and stuff and it's, it's wild, but you know,
I like it for what it is. So the hardest part,
I was like, I got to ask, what's the hardest,
what's your hardest transition in BYB so far?
Like, is it the staying on weight clad, like
staying with the weight at a certain weight or?
Like the training, the diet, like what's the
hardest part of it? Well, the hardest part is
not being able to fight right now. Yeah, it's
the hardest part has been like not being able
to do what I love because of injuries. I guess
the injuries are the hardest part, like breaking
my hand. That was hard because then. I wasn't
able to, you know, get back to training right
away. So I kind of like threw me off. Like I
just kind of had to lay low for a bit. And that's
probably been the hardest part about it. It's
a hard sport as it is with just, I mean, I guess
so. Well, the first hard part was just fighting
without the gloves because that's like I was
used to just like with gloves and then it's like
just knuckle hand, you know, no glove type thing.
That was pretty hard. I mean, there's a lot of
hard things. So that's that makes made the list
too. Yeah. Yeah. And the ring for you guys, it
doesn't look big. It feels like it's compact
for just a straight up like brawl. It's tiny,
man. That ring is like it's like it's almost
the same size as my bed. But yeah, it's really
small. Yeah. it's not that big it looks bigger
than it is but it's just like yeah i think it's
they said it's the world's smallest um arena
well now there's the phone booth and the car
booth but yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah no that's
that's wild because i was like i watched some
of it i'm like man these it just feels like it's
it's built for straight up like one -on -one
no no movement i'm like these people are just
I don't know. I've been in a lot of fights in
my life, and I don't think that I've ever would
be comfortable in a space like that. I like being
able to move around freely. And I was like, yo,
this is insane. So is there anything when you
first stepped in there? Because I don't think
there's a training ring for that, right? You
kind of just go into like a boxing ring, right?
Yeah. And you know what's funny? I actually Don't
like to step into the trigon like cuz everybody
like the deep day before and wains Everybody
goes and dances around moves around and I always
wait till like let the day of the fight That's
when I like to step into the trigon. I don't
like to go in there and go in there and do what
like I I trust that it's There's no holes in
it, you know, I trust not gonna fall off if I
step on but I don't know I just everybody has
everybody's different but everybody goes in like
tries to test it out. I just I like to go in
right when it's fight time and um Yeah, it's
it's it's small. But um, like if you know how
to move your feet, you're gonna be able to move
I think yeah Now entrances i'm big on entrances,
I love entrances is they're like do you go into
each one of your fights and there's like all
right for this fight I'm gonna come in with this
music I'm gonna do this or you're just I'm ready
to just fight and just walk in and do what you
do yeah that's um so you know it's uh so my first
fight the one in Dubai I walked out to NF uh
another level and another level yeah which was
super cool and it was like I loved that walk
out that was probably one of the best and then
the second one was uh my friend Nasi who I knew
from the when I first started boxing at Glendale
Community College. We knew each other from the
box. Wow. But he had become a rapper and I didn't
know that. And then I was in the hospital for
some stupid thing that happened. And then, yeah,
like his mom was one of my nurses and he's like,
hey, my son's a really cool rapper. This, that
I was like, what's his Instagram? And I look,
I'm like, what the heck? That's Angel. And then
so I reach out to him. Yeah, I was like what
the heck and so we reach out to him and then
he told me like he was rapping really well So
he's like I can make you a ring walk song. I
was like no way And he did so the sex I came
out to that song the second fight And then and
then they played it by mistake. This is the third
time my other friend D Sims He made me a song
too. And they were supposed to play that song,
but then they accidentally played the other one.
It was weird because I was waiting and I'm like,
wait, where's the, it's called Rise Up. Yeah,
so I was like, where's the, and then I had to
just go along with it. I felt bad because I told
them I would walk out to that song. So it was
kind of like. Messing with me as I'm walking
in to fight Shelby. I'm thinking like, oh my
god, this is the wrong song I promised him I
would walk to the song I was feeling so bad and
I'm thinking about that instead of thinking about
like, oh dude, this is my walkout But then I
had to like, you know snap out of it and I have
to fight so snap out. Yeah Wow, so you got two
Yeah, I got two songs. You got two personal walkout
songs. That's crazy Yeah, so far I got two No,
that's awesome. Like, I think for an artist,
anyone that can do something for somebody and
it's personal, especially when you know them,
it's so cool. Like, because you understand the
vibe. It's not just, you know, you're picking
a song that's randomly made and they're walking
out to it. Exactly. Wow. Yeah. So the one's called
Spitfire by Nasih and the other one is Rise Up
by DZim. check it out yeah yeah for sure no i
i got it because now i'm like oh i gotta really
pay attention lyrically because you know obviously
this is what it is so yeah if i see like i said
i'm a i'm a big food guy right because i'm a
chef i do what i do um what's a cheat meal that
you like like what if you gotta have a cheat
meal what is it oh uh torta or like birria I
love Mexican food, you know? And I don't know,
yeah, is that a cheat meal? Or is that, that's
good. And then I don't know, I love ice cream.
You're a chef, that's pretty cool. I love food.
Yeah. Yeah, yeah, like did it for a long time
and it got to the point where like I was cooking
away all the time and not being around the family
that I kind of got to the point where I'm like,
I'm not doing both. You know, I got a wife, two
kids, and I was like, I'll be the stay -at -home
dad. You work. And she hasn't cooked a meal in
26 years, so she can't complain. But, um, now
I thought you were going to say something more
Armenian or something. I was like, she'll probably
say something more like, like gato, whatever,
you know, the sweet bread. Oh, yeah, yeah. I'm
not really into, like, pastries that much. Like,
I like, I even like, like, ice cream cake instead
of, like, regular cake. But they, Armenians do
have really bomb pastries, though. I mean, I
like it, but I don't really go for it. Like,
I'm not really, like, that into that. But I do,
like, I feel like a lot of Armenian food is kind
of healthy. I mean, I think it is. So, I get
to eat it. I think it is, like, I love it. Like
I said, I'm a big fan of... Good, my fault, my
fault, I apologize. I just gotta avoid the bread,
you know, like some of the like breads like and
stuff. But I just love all foods and I'm kind
of like blessed that way. You know, I live in
L .A. so I get to have like Armenian food, like
grandma's cooking. I get to have Mexican food,
Japanese food, like sushi and stuff. I like like
ramen. I like all, I like food. Yeah. No, that's
so cool. Now, if you had like advice to give
somebody like, I guess that wants to get into
boxing or MMA or bare knuckle, whatever. Is there
like something where you go, you know, this is
the struggle that I went through to try to get
here? Cause I think everybody just sees it and
they go, Oh, I want to do it until they actually
have to put that work in, you know? Yeah, it's
tough. It's a tough sport. You have to have the
right people around you. You can't have any distractions,
especially like fight week. I cut like a lot
of people off and I just like focus and like
I have to stay sharp and you have to have the
right team, work with the right coaches. It's
harder for girls. You know, I feel like Yeah,
you got to be resilient. You have to have a strong
mind You can't give up easily because there's
gonna be times in your life that like it's not
gonna look like anything's gonna happen and it's
gonna feel like It will never happen, but you
have to keep persisting and going forward and
that's the main thing just don't give up, you
know, and If it's like a dream and you have it
in your heart then go after it with all your
Might yeah Yeah, and I and I think that like
when you read a lot of like social media comments
a lot of it's a lot of dudes that that hate on
women fighters and it kind of annoys me because
If you're like a fight fan and you really watch
women There's a it's like every single woman
you watch they're like dogs. There's no like
a lot of the guys They'll try to like gauge and
take more time before they really come at each
other and women just feel like They go full blow
toward I'm like if you're a fight fan, this is
what you want to watch like the women are no
joke Yeah, you're right. Yeah, I mean Girls go
in with the leg. We got something to prove, you
know, and I feel like when you have something
to prove it's just like There's nothing that
holds you back type thing. Uh, but yeah I feel
like those those comments like a lot of comments
and stuff come from people who can't even fight
like they probably Couldn't defend the fly. Oh,
so maybe they're just mad that a girl is stronger
than them or that you know I know that obviously
like men are stronger than women which is great
and I hope they all have that protector instinct
and they'll protect us in a way instead of like
uh but all those other guys who say that I feel
like they're just weak and they don't like yeah
they just they're just they just uh they're mad
because they're not they can't fight basically
no it's true because it's the one thing that
I see like when I recently started covering combat
sports and I'm like the one thing that annoys
me is I watch people that talk boxing or whatever
you know they've never been in a fight and you
could tell somebody's never had that situation
where they've ever had to defend themselves or
or put work in and I'm like you guys have no
idea the kind of because there's a pressure to
it I don't care if you're gonna go into a fight
this some still your nerves today because you
know you're about to Get into some shit and I'm
like if you've never been through that You have
no idea what they're going through and a lot
of these women like yourself and everyone else
and you're a champion now There's a bullseye
that's specifically on your back because you're
no longer, you know hunting you're the hunts
So everyone that's coming up next for you they
they want your head right and It's gotta be tough
on your spot where you're like, holy shit, you
know, I'm the queen, right? Everybody wants my
crown. Yeah, I mean, yeah, it's like that. Once
you become a champion, every fight is a title
fight. Yeah, like, everyone wants to be where
you're at. But, I mean, it takes, like, a lot
of hard work and behind the scenes stuff that
nobody really sees, you know? It's like, they
only see, like, the glory of it. They don't see
how many times. Maybe you didn't do well in sparring
or in day to day of boxing. You went home, maybe
you cried or something. Maybe you don't believe
in yourself at days and maybe you think you suck
most times. But then, you know, come fight night,
you know, you train your ass off and, you know,
and nobody could take that away from you. And
that's why it's like, that's why I like it because
it's like we made history in just such short
time. I got fighted the night, oh no, fighted
the year two times. I got my knives right there.
And yeah, they gave like, that was cool. That
was a cool award. They gave us like sick knives
and stuff. And debut of the year, which was awesome
with BYB Hall of Fame to do that for us. And
you're like, what is it? You're like, what, two
years in I think or a year in for? for a bare
knuckle? Yeah, I think it's, has it been two
or three years? Wait, yeah. Has it been two or
three? I don't know. Um, cause those - I know
it's, it's a short amount of time. Yeah, I think
it's been two or three years. I'm not sure. I
think two years. Wait. Yeah. And you've already
been awarded at a high level, which is insane,
right? Getting the knives was, cause when I seen
that I was like, yo, that's super dope. You know?
Yeah. Yeah. You want a seal? I do, I do. I was
gonna ask you, but I didn't know if it was cool.
Like, I was like... No, yeah, I wanna show you.
It's freaking awesome. Look, look. So that's
the... That's the... It says, like, my name and
everything. And then, look at the... That's sick.
Wait, wait, wait. Yeah. Woo -hoo! Sick! This
one says... It looks even crazier, like, close.
It says, debut series. Wow. So, and it's sharp,
like I could even get it sharpened. That's one,
and then this one is, that one's really cool,
look. Oh, wow. Yeah, this one's really cool.
Look. Oh, that's sick. Yeah, it says um that
may the road rise to meet you may the wind be
always at your back Yeah, that's incredible I
also like like learning like knife fighting and
all that kind of stuff, too So it's so awesome
to get this award and that it wasn't just a trophy
It was an actual fighting knife where you know
that that that was awesome No, that's That's
super awesome. And I mean, it's like, you're
on this rise. And I think that it's so cool to
watch people's stories unfolding. As a fan, we
get to come in and see it as it's going. I guess
where I started coming into boxing, the Ali's
and all those guys, they were already retired.
I was already transitioning with Tyson. I'm 45.
I'm an older guy. So I had that come in. So you
go, all right, I didn't see the beginning, but
you see the end. It's really easy to like someone
when they're already on the top. To watch somebody
come up, I think that's the coolest part about
watching you guys is we're watching your greatness
and the story being told. That is true. I never
thought of it that way, but that's awesome that.
Thank you for being like a five fan and that's
awesome and promoting us too. Thank you. Yeah.
Oh, for sure. Yeah, I always say like I wish
like Mike Tyson had like a YouTube channel back
then we could watch his stuff, you know, so But
yeah, and he's so like Spiritual like the stuff
he says to people it's it's so deep and you notice
uh There's such pride in and knowing his fighters
and stuff and I'm like This is where I feel even
if you're a small platform like myself or whatever
If you can get the opportunity to talk to someone
like you or at least just show someone's content,
it's like the next little girl or something,
she might come up and go, oh, I want to be her.
You know what I mean? Look, she's classy. She
does this. She doesn't get in trouble. And there's
more opportunity to see you guys. And I think
that it's such a blessing for us that we do have
this opportunity to see your guys work. Thank
you. I appreciate that. So last question I got
is I know you're With your injury and all but
like is there somebody that you're looking at
where you go? Okay, when I'm ready to go This
is who I want like is there one person that you
want to test your your skills with? Not at the
moment that sorry for the lame answer but no
not really I just I'm just trying to recover
as best as I can and I want to come in stronger
than ever, you know, and I can't wait to fight
again. And yeah, don't sleep on me. I'll be fighting.
I just don't know exactly when, but I'm training.
I'm in the gym, even with injuries and all that.
So yeah, I know there's a lot of people probably
they want to fight me, but I mean, it will all.
work out like we don't really like nobody knows
the future nobody knows if like just to be here
right now is a gift like we don't know what's
gonna happen tomorrow you know and so it's like
it's easy to like plan things ahead but i mean
yeah we're only here for like a short amount
of time and we're not like i'm not like we're
not god we don't know what's gonna happen so
it's not in my hands i wish i knew the future
and stuff but no so But um, yeah, just don't
sleep on me. I'm gonna fight. I just don't know
when Yeah, yeah, absolutely. So listen, I want
to thank you for your time because like I said,
I'm a fan of what you do Can't wait for you to
get better beat the next chick up. That's what's
gonna happen I'll tell a little future for them.
You're gonna win the next fight. You're up to
it And you know, it's gonna be a quick work.
I don't know about my little crystal bullshit,
but um If is there anything you want to plug
before you get out of here? No, thank you so
much for the interview. It was awesome chatting
with you. You're an awesome person and I like
your accents like New York I'm trying to be on
my country thing But I don't know it's tough
So ladies and gentlemen for myself the Spitfire
we out of here deuces