Lim vows to redeem herself after bitter loss
By Jung Min-ho
Don't be fooled by her girlish looks: Lim So-hee is one of the most promising fighters at Road FC, the largest mixed martial arts (MMA) event in Korea.
After a bitter loss in her debut against Xiaonan Yan, the 20-year-old is now busy preparing for an opportunity to redeem herself in her second strawweight bout next week.
At Road FC XX, which is scheduled for March 11, Lim will face Hana Date, a Japanese striker.
"Date has a unique fighting style that looks hard to break into. But I will break into her guard and knock her out," Lee said in an interview. "I think the fight will be mostly about who hits harder with precision and who has a stronger spirit."
Over the past few months, Lim said she has largely focused on strengthening her mentality.
"During my short experience in MMA, I have learned that sometimes it takes punches and kicks to create good chances," she said. "Now I can take them better with my eyes open and be ready to strike back."
For her, the most painful part of the previous fight was not that she lost by TKO but that she did not give her all. "Win or lose, I will make sure I try as much as I can for the next fight," she said.
She started to learn Wushu, a Chinese martial art, as early as she remembers because her father was a longtime practitioner. But neither Lim nor her father expected it would lead her to a fighting career one day.
"At first, I practiced Wushu only for Taolu, in which competitors are judged and given points according to certain rules," she said. "But when I was in an elementary school, I started to develop interest in Sanda, a fighting competition. Gratefully, my father supported me, which made everything natural."
It didn't take long for her to realize she made the right decision. Fighting brought her joy and motivation. She competed in many international contests and was happy.
But the minor sport in Korea gave her a stark vision for making a professional career out of it. There were no teams or organizations she could join with her Wushu skills. So when Road FC offered her an opportunity to fight, she was thrilled.
Her mother's opposition was the only obstacle for her MMA debut, but she later supported her decision.
Lim said her favorite part of MMA is that there are many things to learn, which makes her excited every day.
"I don't have a long-term goal. For now, I just want to beat my next opponent," she said.
By Jung Min-ho
Don't be fooled by her girlish looks: Lim So-hee is one of the most promising fighters at Road FC, the largest mixed martial arts (MMA) event in Korea.
After a bitter loss in her debut against Xiaonan Yan, the 20-year-old is now busy preparing for an opportunity to redeem herself in her second strawweight bout next week.
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| Lim So-hee |
"Date has a unique fighting style that looks hard to break into. But I will break into her guard and knock her out," Lee said in an interview. "I think the fight will be mostly about who hits harder with precision and who has a stronger spirit."
Over the past few months, Lim said she has largely focused on strengthening her mentality.
"During my short experience in MMA, I have learned that sometimes it takes punches and kicks to create good chances," she said. "Now I can take them better with my eyes open and be ready to strike back."
For her, the most painful part of the previous fight was not that she lost by TKO but that she did not give her all. "Win or lose, I will make sure I try as much as I can for the next fight," she said.
She started to learn Wushu, a Chinese martial art, as early as she remembers because her father was a longtime practitioner. But neither Lim nor her father expected it would lead her to a fighting career one day.
"At first, I practiced Wushu only for Taolu, in which competitors are judged and given points according to certain rules," she said. "But when I was in an elementary school, I started to develop interest in Sanda, a fighting competition. Gratefully, my father supported me, which made everything natural."
It didn't take long for her to realize she made the right decision. Fighting brought her joy and motivation. She competed in many international contests and was happy.
But the minor sport in Korea gave her a stark vision for making a professional career out of it. There were no teams or organizations she could join with her Wushu skills. So when Road FC offered her an opportunity to fight, she was thrilled.
Her mother's opposition was the only obstacle for her MMA debut, but she later supported her decision.
Lim said her favorite part of MMA is that there are many things to learn, which makes her excited every day.
"I don't have a long-term goal. For now, I just want to beat my next opponent," she said.
