If you’ve been paying attention to the women’s MMA landscape lately, quite a few big things are going on in the 115 pound division. The all-female promotion Invicta Fighting Championship will be holding it’s seventh event next weekend with several top female strawweights being showcased (including a title fight) and UFC announced it will be adding female 115 pounders as its next targeted weight class. But one of the biggest announcements was the signing of Jessica Aguilar to World Series of Fighting. “Jag” is currently the top ranked woman in the strawweight division, holding two victories over the legendary Megumi Fujii as well as a decision win against current Invicta champ Carla Esparza. Aguilar has been at or near the top of the 115 pound ladder for a few years now and expects 2014 to be a year where she finally gets to showcase her talent regularly on a national scale. The American Top Team product spoke to MMAOddsbreaker.com about being the face of WSOF’s women’s division, how Invicta and UFC could affect her moving forward and finally getting a chance to realize her dream in this exclusive interview. Check it out: Brian Hemminger: There’s so much going on with you lately. It must be a pretty exciting time to be Jessica Aguilar right now. Jessica Aguilar: It’s a very exciting time. I’m very blessed and happy to be back and to be part of a family now. I’m very excited and honored. I don’t have words to explain how excited I am about this deal with World Series of Fighting. I’m used to working several jobs, being my own publicist and doing several things to just try to survive to be able to do what I love to do. I don’t have to do all that anymore. I can concentrate now on being healthy and being the number one female fighter in the world. I can focus on taking care of myself, doing what I need to do and keep inspiring people all over the world. I’m honored to be a part of the WSOF family. Brian Hemminger: Considering World Series of Fighting made a pretty big deal about signing you plus adding in your status as the top ranked female fighter at 115 pounds, it seems like you’re going to be the face of World Series of Fighting’s female division in 2014. How does that feel? Jessica Aguilar: That’s right. I feel special. I’m the face of the organization and I’m ready. I’m ready to make some more noise and to shine and tell my story and keep showing everyone why I’m the best in the world and keep showing them what I love to do. It’s lifechanging. This is what I’ve been waiting for, somebody to give me the opportunity and for somebody to value me the way I think I should be valued. I’m very grateful and it means a lot to me. I now have an opportunity to take care of my mother so I’m very happy to do that. Brian Hemminger: You haven’t had the opportunity to fight extremely often, which has been to your detriment at times. Was the fact that WSOF has shown they can put on events pretty regularly and keep its talent active one of the big drawing cards? Jessica Aguilar: Yes, yes sir. I’m very excited about that. I’m looking forward to staying busy and healthy and to keep this thing going. I’m very excited for this opportunity. Brian Hemminger: The pink elephant in the room of course is the fact that Invicta has almost all the top women’s 115 pounders signed to their roster, other than you of course. Is there any concern that you won’t be able to find the type of opponents you need in World Series of Fighting considering your status as the number one ranked women’s strawweight? Jessica Aguilar: No, there’s no concern. I’m sure they’ll do what they have to do to find top level opponents. If things come to a head, we can always work together. I’m not worried about it. I’m just happy to have a home. Brian Hemminger: There was also some huge news that broke earlier where UFC President Dana White said he wanted to add a women’s 115 pound division to UFC next. He didn’t give specifics on when they’ll actually be added, but what were your thoughts on that? Jessica Aguliar: I think that’s great. It’s amazing. Creating jobs is great and it’s giving my division more opportunity. I think it’s exciting and it shows how far our sport has come and how it’s growing. Brian Hemminger: How do you think that announcement affects you? You just signed with World Series of Fighting and haven’t even had a fight announced yet. Is that something you’re looking at down the line? Jessica Aguilar: I don’t think it affects me negatively in any way, it just makes everything better. It makes the situation better. Like I said, I’m very grateful for WSOF for wanting me, wanting to sign me as the first women with the organization and for wanting to build me. I’m very happy right now, but in the future, it’s possible. I want to be a champion though so my first priority is to become the WSOF champion and then we’ll worry about UFC. I’m very happy about that announcement because it gives a ton of opportunities for the ladies but WSOF is my home right now. Brian Hemminger: You’re coming off one of the biggest wins of your career, scoring a doctor stoppage victory over Megumi Fujii in her retirement fight in Japan. What were the emotions like for that? It must have been a bit surreal and even bittersweet. Jessica Aguilar: Megumi Fujii has been my idol since I started my career and she’s still my idol. We’re very good friends. This last fight against her was very important for my career and I actually had the chance to take my mom with me and she was there for her first fight she’d ever been to. It was in Japan and against my idol for her retirement bout. It was a very important fight, very special to me. The fans there are very respectful and it was very exciting. Obviously it didn’t finish the way I wanted it to but I got the win and it was a great night. Brian Hemminger: What was it like to take your mom with you, because I remember for the longest time you didn’t even want to tell her you were a cagefighter? Jessica Aguilar: Yeah, I know. It was, like you said, it was great to be able to have her with me there for such a special fight for her first fight. The timing was just right. Everything happens when it’s time to happen and that was the time to show my mom and have her experience what I do and what I love to do and have her see the type of people I’m around and show her why I love this sport. It was just a tremendous experience. Brian Hemminger: Based on her response to your fight, do you almost wish you’d caved and told her about your fighting career earlier? Jessica Aguilar: I think everything happens for a reason and I wanted to tell her when I was ready and when I was already the best in the world. I was ready to take her to a show and the timing was just right. I don’t think I’d have done anything differently. Brian Hemminger: In a perfect world, how often would you like to fight in 2014 if you stay healthy? Jessica Aguilar: Every three or four months. I’m ready to work so put me to work. This is what I love to do and it’s my job so I’d love to stay busy and continue showcasing my skills and growing as an athlete in 2014. I love the challenge and I love to be challenged and I love to show that I’m the best in the world. Brian Hemminger: Do you have any big expectations for 2014? Perhaps some final thoughts on what you want to accomplish with this deal. Jessica Aguilar: My expectations for this coming year are first of all, staying healthy. Secondly, I’m ready to prove to the world, keep making noise and shining and proving to everyone that I am the number one female fighter in the world and that dreams can come true and you can change your life. I’m going to be changing my family’s life and hopefully will help people around the world. I’m so excited and honored and thankful and I’m ready. I kept believing and that’s what keeps me going. Jessica would like to thank her family, her friends, American Top Team and everyone who’s supported her throughout her career. You can follow her on Twitter @JagATT.
