Perfect start for Windsor fighter brings her one step closer to MMA dream
With a 2-0 record, Randi Field is expected to challenge for a regional MMA title in her next fight
Prospect Fighting Championships (PFC), a regional MMA organization based out of southwestern Ontario, is targeting a strawweight championship fight featuring Randi Field — a Windsor mom who burst onto the regional scene with a perfect 2-0 record.
The last fighter to wear the PFC strawweight championship was Randa Markos, but she never defended that title. That's because Markos vacated it after getting called up to the UFC in 2014.
Field, who hopes to follow that same path, said the opportunity to fight for a regional MMA title at such an early stage in her career is exciting and humbling.
"I know it's more eyes on me and more people's lives that I can hopefully help, inspire, or change and make them become better," said Field.
That statement isn't out of left field for the 29-year-old mom, considering the pursuit to "become better" is what got Field started on her mixed martial arts journey.
"I actually was jobless. I live in subsidized housing. I'm a mother to my eight-year-old daughter. I didn't have much going for me," said Field. "I knew the only bit of passion in my life was my love for my child."
Without going into much detail, Field said she "hit rock bottom," prompting her father to take her to a local MMA gym at the end of 2013.
Field's father wanted her to pick up a new hobby so she attended a class run by Manny Alfaro, who admits Field initially wasn't his "A+ student."
"There were several incidents. One time, Randi came in with some friends. I don't know if they were hungover or still drunk. She did my class and the entire class was just giggling and messing around — and I'm very serious in my classes," he said.
But things took a turn for the worse when Field "decided to go back to the partying scene," according to Alfaro, who said he kicked Field out of the gym in September 2014.
"I told her I never want to see her again. That was very hard on her," said Alfaro, adding he sent his other students to check up on her during that ban.
"What I wanted to do was shock her. I wanted to make sure that the lesson was learned — and it was. She completely stopped everything. She changed her whole life."
Alfaro said Field felt she was "losing something in her life," far more important than partying and hanging out with people who could negatively influence her. About one month after Field was kicked out of the gym, Alfaro asked her to return — but with a catch.
"It was actually to put her through the toughest sparring she had ever had against [Olympian and world champion boxer] Mary Spencer," said Alfaro, adding he asked her to "put a whooping on Randi."
Field's toughness shined through during that sparring session, proving to Alfaro that she had the heart to pursue a career as a professional fighter.
But following that sparring session, Alfaro wasn't exactly easy on Field. He would often call her to ask about her schedule for the day — specifically, if it included going out to drink.
"I was very, very strict on her. If she came in late, if she didn't show up or if she showed up hungover, I would have her spar really tough opponents or I would spar her myself," said Alfaro.
"I was trying to keep track of her potential and her discipline because I knew that she had something special."
That tough love hasn't gone by the wayside for Field. Following her entry into MMA, Field said she's quit drinking and has learned to "embrace solitude."
"I'm now okay to be alone, whereas before if I was ever upset, I'd want to go out and I'd want to drink with my friends. I thought that was my idea of fun — but it's not anymore," said Field, who started dating Alfaro on New Year's Day 2017.
Perfect pro start
Following a six-fight stint as an amateur fighter, Field went pro this past June, defeating Amanda Borg by first-round technical knockout at PFC 10.
That momentum carried forward into her second professional fight in early December, picking up a unanimous decision victory over Melissa Karagianis. Though she got the win, Field admits she was overconfident walking into the cage that night and is not happy with the result.
"If you seen round one, I got a straight kick right on my chin and it shocked me. It kind of changed up my game plan a little bit," said Field.
"I do know that I'm lucky to have my strength. I'm lucky to have my abilities in my back pocket, but there's so much more that we've worked on and that I'm capable of doing."
Tap on the player below to watch Field's most recent fight at PFC 12:
For Alfaro, Field's upcoming fight is validation against all of the people who told him to stop investing time and energy to train the upcoming PFC title contender. He recalls her receiving insults from some of her male peers at the gym.
"I realized what this person needs is just some push. She needs to be directed ... I figured that out a long time ago after having a little bit of doubt — and look at us now. It's unbelievable where she is. Many have tried to stop us, but they haven't been able to," he said.
"I think after this fight, so many doors are going to open for us when she wins that title," said Alfaro.
I feel like my life was given a chance to completely start over and write my book exactly how I want it.- Randi Field
For Field, the regional championship would serve as a representation of a complete life turnaround.
"I feel like my life was given a chance to completely start over and write my book exactly how I want it."
An opponent and date have yet to be determined for Field's PFC championship fight.
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