“It’s a gateway to introduce the division because people will get to know everyone and their personality, so it’s perfect,” said Calderwood, who laughs when asked if she’s already started scouting the other seven ladies already chosen for the show (the other eight competitors will be selected from the recent tryouts in Las Vegas).
“I’m trying. I think about it every day. I’ve fought a decent amount, and I’m nervous but I’m more excited than nervous.”
In addition to her 21 kickboxing bouts, the 27-year-old is 8-0 in mixed martial arts, making it clear that she has the experience necessary to do well on TUF. Still, this is a trying experience like no other, but she believes that she has the right stuff to get through it.
“I think my mental game is my best part,” she said. “I’m always positive, and always remaining within myself. It’s tough, especially when you’re training, but you have to stay positive and I think that’s the way I get through it. This is going to be really tough, being in the house, training and living with all the girls, but I’m going to remind myself that this is the experience of a lifetime and that this is what I want to do, so I always put positive thoughts in my head and it will keep my mental game strong.”
In fact, the only concern you might have for Calderwood is that being under the bright lights and dealing with all the added media attention could throw her off her game. But the Silent Assassin has already received a dose of the UFC madness when she traveled to the Alexander Gustafsson-Jimi Manuwa event in London earlier this year.
“I went down there for the week, so I got a taste of it,” she said. “I was doing five things a day from the Thursday to the Saturday and I was like ‘this is a totally different ballgame.’ (Laughs) But I don’t really think you can prepare yourself for it, especially myself, because I don’t really like the attention that comes outside of the cage. I think I just like the fighting part, but I know it’s part of the job. As long as I keep reminding myself that I’m getting to do what I love as a job, so I can be doing ten interviews a day, but at the end of the day I’m getting to train, I’m getting to wake up and do what I love, so there’s nothing negative about it. It’s not a bad thing.”
And being the Queen of Scotland, so to speak, when it comes to MMA, has prepped her well for being the center of attention.
