Gold medalist mixed martial arts fighter from Sutton looks ahead to international championship

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A gold medalist fighter from Sutton has her sights set on the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) after transforming her life through fitness.

Sutton's Millie-Rae Vardy was chosen by the English Mixed Martial Arts Association to represent her country at the IMMAF MMA European Championships in 2022, but she required funding for the trip.

With the help of her family, friends, and sponsorships, Millie managed to secure the necessary funds and went on to win a gold medal at the competition.

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This year, Millie has secured a spot on Team England once again and has been invited to represent her country at the World Championships in Uzbekistan in November.

Millie-Rae Vardy and Tanya Bass.Millie-Rae Vardy and Tanya Bass.
Millie-Rae Vardy and Tanya Bass.

Since these trips are self-funded and require covering expenses such as flights, fees, accommodation, and fight camps, a fundraising page has been set up to support her visit.

Millie, who had always been a sporty child, began her mixed martial arts journey after hitting rock bottom in life.

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She said she weighed 18½ stone and felt “despair”, so she joined a gym to regain her sanity and self-esteem.

Coincidentally, the gym focused on mixed martial arts, and Millie started transitioning from fitness and weight loss sessions to basic martial arts.

Millie went from 18½ stone to her fighting weight of 70kg (11 stone).

Speaking on her life-changing transformation, Millie said: “I used to be the girl who would scroll through social media, looking at Instagram models and people posting about their amazing bodies and happy lifestyles, thinking 'I wish that was me, why can’t that be me?'

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“The truth is, social media can be deceptive, and 'comparison is the thief of joy.'

“The key is to discover what truly ignites your passion, whatever that may be, and pursue it every single day.

“It's never too late to turn your life around and rise from rock bottom.

“There's always another way, and there are always better days ahead, but it all begins with you.”

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Tanya Bass, Millie’s partner and GoFundMe organiser, said: “I just want her to receive some kind of recognition for her sheer determination, and the hard work and sacrifice she has made to achieve the impossible and to get her out there and to continue on this journey that she is on.”

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