ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Jayla Perkins is only ten years old and already has 175 MMA competition wins under her belt. She believes this is only the beginning of a long and accomplished career down the road.
“I want to become the greatest fighter of all time,” said Perkins.
It all started when Perkins watched a UFC fight with her father. She then decided that she wanted to pursue a career in mixed martial arts.
Over the last four years, Perkins has established herself as one of the top young fighters in the country. She initially built her resume training at Jackson Wink Academy but has now broadened her horizons.
In order to build up her Jiu-Jitsu foundation and to help in her overall MMA arsenal, Perkins recently joined The War Room Jiu Jitsu gym.
“You know most girls her age are discovering lipstick and having their first crush on a boy and normal things like that, but Jayla, she’s a naturally born fighter,” said Perkins’ professor, Jose Garcia. “My strategy with her is basically just to turn her into a killer.”
So far, Perkins’ career has taken her to 11 different states. Up next, she will be fighting in Tampa, Florida, on August 16.
While her long-term goal remains getting to the UFC, she has other accolades she wants to hit along the way. Among them is to reach 200 submission wins by the end of the year.
She will have a busy five months in order to reach that goal, looking to compete in as many tournaments as possible.
In order to continue to compete and travel across the country, Perkins has started to partner with sponsors and local businesses to help with expenses. She has also hosted homemade bake sales across Albuquerque and Santa Fe.
Anyone interested in sponsoring or donating is encouraged to visit her website.
