This Saturday, June 5th, "Slick" Sally Krumdiack (7-3), ranked #6 in the world at 125 lbs, will take on undefeated Japanese fighter, Hiroko Kitamuara (4-0), at the MMA event happening at the Yakama Nation's Legends Casino in Toppenish, WA. Fighting out of Charlie's Combat Club in Everett, WA under Charles Pearson, Sally turned pro in 2006, and from 2007 until December of last year went 6-1 with her only loss to #1 ranked Tara LaRosa in a great fight. Sally then traveled to Japan where she took on Saori Ishioka at the Jewels event in Tokyo. In the first round, Sally was defending a weak armbar attempt from Ishioka when the referee asked her if she was OK. Sally, who was in no danger from the armbar, confirmed that was she was OK but the referee misunderstood and stopped the fight. Although the ref immediately admitted his mistake, the ruling was not overturned n or the fight declared a no-contest. In her first fight since this controversial loss, Sally will be facing Saori Ishioka's training partner which may offer some degree of redemption for Sally. NW Fightscene was able to speak with Sally this week about the upcoming fight, her experience in Japan, how she got into MMA, her job as a personal trainer, plus a whole lot more...

NW Fightscene: You are going to be fighting Hiroko Kitamura this Saturday. What do you know about her and what are your thoughts about the fight?
Sally Krumdiack: Well, my first opponent was going to be somebody different and somebody I knew, and was planned and kind of ready for. About four weeks ago that all changed and got this girl. I don't know much about her... Recently I got a small scoop on her. She's decent at standup. Her background is Karate and she's pretty good at Jiu-jitsu. She's been training for a year and a half ish. And her training partner is Saori [Ishioka] which is the girl I lost to in Japan. That's really all I know. I try not to study people too hard because I want them to worry about me. And I don't concern myself with that. I go out there and fight and hopefully come out with a win.

NWFS: Well lets talk about you then. You turned pro in 2006. Did you have any amateur fights before you turned pro?
Krumdiack: I had no MMA fights before I turned pro. I had three kickboxing fights I  believe it was. And with a little peer pressure, I decided to start grappling. When I first started the sport, I just wanted to be a kickboxer. I didn't care about the submission or the jiu-jitsu or anything. And then about 8 months or so after I started grappling, Charlie, my coach, was like 'Hey, I got a fight for you in Hawaii, MMA Pro.' And I was like "What!? I get paid to fight? Sure! Why not?' And I still felt super green on the ground, even after that. You don't feel good on your ground game 'til probably two years into it. You feel better. But that first year is just rough. 

Anyway, that's kind of how that started. My goal was Hawaii and I did well in that fight, and that kind of just sparked the interest in really settling down and getting into the sport. At that time I was living in Bellingham and driving to Everett three days a week just to train with Charlie. He was up in Bellingham at one of his other gyms twice a week, but I needed to be training five days a week for that fight. I moved down closer to the gym and then I just basically dedicated myself to getting better. I love any competition and the high from that win just sparked an interest going full-force with it.

NWFS: You fought 4 times in 2009, and three times in 2008, so you've been on a pretty good pace. Is that in your playbook right now where you're trying to get as many fights as possible?
Krumdiack: Well, Charlie is always looking out for fights for me because I'm in it for the experience and not the big money or anything. And at this point, when you get this many fights and this far ahead, not many people want to fight you. So I have a feeling that they're either going to be hard fights or I'm not going to be fighting. But I want to get as many as I can and get the most traveling and experience possible. That's really what I'm in for. I was super stoked to be able to go to Japan last December and get that experience. And its all about experiences for me. Its an honor to be ranked in the top ten, but when I first started that wasn't my goal. You know I just wanted to have fun. So I try not to stress myself on that I need to keep up in the top ten or whatever. I'm just fighting for the experience and just going out there.

NWFS: Let's talk about the experience in Japan at Jewels. You went over there and had a controversial loss where they kind of just screwed you.
Krumdiack: There was just some miscommunication in that fight and I was super bummed. But I cut so much weight & I was so miserable & the jet lag was so bad, it was hard to be too upset at that point because I felt terrible. It was a downward spiral. That whole day was not going my way. I want it back. I fell like I could beat her. I'd love a rematch but in this sport, there are not many rematches that go on. Especially the girls. In my experience, you fight them, whatever the outcome is, you always talk about a rematch. You'd like one but nobody ever agrees to it and you end up friending each other on Facebook or something. (laughs) I'm not going to count my chickens. I'd love to try it again. It'd be cool if she came here because then I wouldn't have to deal with the jet lag. That is rough. I'd never had jet lag in my life and that was horrible. It was not a good experience. But the whole trip was great. They treated me well. I don't know if they were being wishy-washy about that they were trying to work something out, having meetings about what went on, but I figured they probably won't overturn it. They should, but they won't. Because that was the main event, their number one girl, and they want to keep her on top. I get it. I don't like it, but I get it. So I would love a rematch, but it may not happen. I would love to just go back and fight anybody really.

NWFS: So are you talking with them about going back to fight there again?
Krumdiack: Yes, and I think that's probably another reason why we decided to go with a Japanese girl for this fight is that we can just trade fighters back and forth. So I'll get another opportunity to go back and I think that's a great thing.

NWFS: Was that fight at 115?
Krumdiack: That was at 115... They still want me and they're like 'we can find you so many more fights at 115'. But I mean, people can only lose so much weight.. There's a limit. I think I might have found my limit. That [weight cut] was super hard.

NWFS: Is this fight on Saturday at 125?
Krumdiack: No, its at 120.

NWFS: So a catch weight?
Krumdiack: Pretty much.

NWFS: Talk about your coach Charlie. How'd you hook up with him and what's your training regimen with him like?
Krumdiack: Charlie became my coach because the guy I started training with for about 8 months ish - he had started this small school and had a couple people he was training and he decided he didn't have enough time with his family and all that... His former coach was Charlie. So he said 'Hey Charlie, I kind of got this school kind of started, would you like to take it over.' And Charlie was like sure. He started driving up to Bellingham twice a week. So that's how I fell into the hands of Charlie who I just feel super privileged to be able to have as a coach, because he's just been so great. And our personalities just match up really well. He's my mentor and great friend.

Sally post-win with Buck Bisbey (L) and Charlie Pearson (R)

We train six days a week. And I train roughly 3 to 4 hours a day. An hour of it is kind of on my own. But three of it is basically with him. We read each other really well, so when I come into the gym he tells me what I'm going to do, or ask me what I'd like to do. We don't have a set schedule like today is grappling day, or today is kickboxing. We just feel it out basically. If its weights and mitts that day, or sparring and weights, or whatever it may be.

NWFS: I saw on your Twitter a comment where you said "Taught a good fighters training tonight. 4 of the 8 students puked. I love my job." So tell us about your job. How you got into it, why you love it, and what it is that you do.
Krumdiack: I am personal trainer. I have Bachelors Degree in Exercise and Sports Science. There are a lot of things that you can go and do with that degree, and I decided to kind of go the personal trainer side... I used that degree and got a certification as a strength and conditioning specialist. The one I got, you can only get if you have a college degree. When I moved to Seattle I stared personal training at a gym, and kind of learned the ropes there. And then I had picked up one or two clients on the side.. and I was training them at home with what I had learned in how to be a trainer, not necessarily the exact thing we were doing in the gym because we had to sign a clause to not do that. After a couple of gyms, I decided that I was getting enough clients to be able to kind of start my own thing. So I quit the gym and decided to have my own personal training business. So that's my main source of income. I go to peoples homes and I bring bands and balls and hand weights. A suitcase basically, literally a suitcase, and I wheel it in. And I train a lot of people with body weight and some days we won't even use any of the weights or bands. And work them out for 45 minutes and then stretch them. That's my main source of income.

And about a year and a half ago, I started training the strength and conditioning portion of fighters training... Charlie was like 'I don't really like doing the strength and conditioning kind of stuff. I'd rather just watch them spar and coach them.' And so he offered that I take the first half hour of class and teach them so we've been doing that for about a year and a half. I do a half hour and I try to make them puke, and get them in fight ready shape. That's my specialty. So right about 2 months ago I was super stoked to make them puke. (laughs) We crank the heat in the gym and its like 85, 90, 95 sometimes and its the end of the day and everybody's tired... I love doing that as a girl to just make the boys puke.. Its fun. And then they talk and word of mouth is the best business. Its been working for me.

NWFS: I've talked to some of the fighters and I've only heard good things.
Krumdiack: Thank you. And I've started a boot camp in April and it was 8 weeks long and just finished on Friday. We had 7 people in class, my goal was 15, but 7's not bad for the first one. It was such a great experience. Fighters training was the first class I had ever taught. I usually just do one on one personal training. So that was still a stretch for me to teach my own class. Open the gym, 6:30 in the morning. Its one hour, three days a week. And it was super rewarding. Everybody got huge results. We took before and after pictures. If the girls let me put the pictures online, I will because they worked so hard it was incredible to see from day 1, two months worth, how far they came. You got like girls in their 30s ish who don't care about fighting, they just want to get in shape. Doing wheelbarrows, up the stairs, and doing workouts the fighters have a hard time doing. And they're doing them, not easily, but they're getting through them and its not a problem by the end. Its just super rewarding and cool to see. And I have another one starting like two days after my fight. They're all excited.

NWFS: Now there's something that you're doing which is after my own heart and that is doing MMA photography at Charlie's fight events. Do you like taking photos?
Krumdiack: I do. I enjoy taking photos. I've never seen myself as a photographer by any means but Charlie owns Lockflow and he does so much for me and I need to kind of give back... I said I can take pictures because he had a couple people take pictures and they moved out of town, and hey why not. I can do that. I understand the game and I kind of know when things are going to get exciting. And what's a good move. You get a couple of people in there who don't know what a kimura is or a triangle and they won't take pictures of that because they're like 'they are doing something boring on the ground, I don't get it'. Anyways, its all about the camera apparently. I knew nothing and its been fun to just play with other peoples cameras. And see the difference in that. And just contribute to Lockflow too. Just get my name out there some more & its fun. I don't have many hobbies because I train a lot. I'll try anything and that has been fun to do at shows.

NWFS: Anything else you like to do in your free time? 
Krumdiack: Yes, I have a dog that I got a year ago. He's a little Pocket Beagle. He's nine pounds, super tiny and hyper, and super cute. He's kind of the gym dog. He's here a lot. On my only day off I scheduled him in obedience school and that was so fun to be able to do something outside of the gym that has nothing to do with fighting, or working out or anything. My dog and I. That was fun. That's really all. I'm on such a strict diet, I try to stay away from social eating, places, and events. I'm shunning the social things, but I'm getting experiences that other people are not or probably will not ever get. At least for now because I'm sure I'll get plenty of free time later in my life when my body's not able to do what I'm doing now.

NWFS: Anyone that you'd like to thank?
Krumdiack: I definitely want to thank Lockflow.com. Charlie owns that site and always sponsored me from day one. Give me money for every fight, wearing free gear, and Charlie's great, and that's an awesome website with free info.

Zipfizz has sponsored me and they're everywhere and have a great product.

Rough Riders. I don't know much about them but a shout out to them.

And Arlington Kickboxing Academy in Arlington, WA, Coach Landon [Showalter] has also sponsored me and been there for me along the way from day one.

Many thanks to Sally for taking the time in speaking to NW Fightscene. She will be defending her UMMA belt this Saturday, June 5th against Hiroko Kitamura at Legends Casino near Yakima. Forest Griffin is scheduled to be in attendance as a special guest. More info at yakamalegends.com/entertainment.html. Sally trains out of Charlie's Combat Club which is located at 1202 Hewitt Ave in Everett, WA and online at charliescombatclub.com. Check out Sally on Facebook and follow her on twitter.com/sallykrumdiack. She is also planning on getting her new website up very soon which will be CorePersonalTraining.org.