She’s dangerous.
Michayla Hellums, a 16-year-old sophomore at Texas High School, is a world champion jiu-jitsu martial artist and excels at grappling.
Hellums started Brazilian jiu-jitsu when she was 10. Her grandfather Tony Marracino purchased lessons for her as a birthday gift.
The Texarkana grappling star uses martial arts as a relief, and she feels like it’s a sport in which she can be herself.
“If I am in a bad mood, I can go to the gym and feel better,” Hellums said. “I love jiu-jitsu; it’s my calling.”
Texarkana Combat Sports on Jefferson Avenue is the gym where Hellums trains, and she’s been there for two years. Craig Campbell and Justin Stone coach the martial arts prodigy.
Boxing and kickboxing are part of mixed martial arts. Hellums is training with Campbell and Stone in order to boost her repertoire.
“She has started working on boxing and kickboxing,” said Stone, owner of Texarkana Combat Sports. “We are helping her put it all together. Where Michayla differs from others is that she has talent and she works hard.”
Texarkana’s world champion consistently trains four or five days a week. Hellums faces a high level of competition in which opponents come from all over the U.S. She competes in invitation-only tournaments—the ones that pay out cash.
With so many tournaments coming up and many already under her belt, Hellums’ maturity has grown beyond her years.
“Something that I’ve learned is that I can’t let small things get me down,” Hellums said. “I learned to focus on the big picture, to remember my main goal and push toward it.”
Hellums’ main goal is to fight professionally in mixed martial arts competitions like the Ultimate Fighting Championship. If that does not work out, she would like to earn a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, open her own gym and teach the art to others.
The fiery high-school competitor gets her first fight in teenage MMA in six months.
Teenage MMA competitions are hybrid contests; there is one round of kickboxing and one round of grappling.
“Michayla is intelligent, tough and athletic,” Stone said. “Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a strategic game, and you have to make adjustments in order to win. Her stamina is amazing, and I have never seen her tire out.”
Stone and Campbell are working with Hellums to help get her accustomed to using the muscles she needs for kickboxing.
When she isn’t focusing on MMA, Hellums enjoys swimming. She is also a responsible student who takes care of school work first.
The next contest for Hellums is Battle for the Ages on April 23-24 in Dallas. The tournament is by invitation, and only the best of the best compete.
“When I found out about the invitation to the Battle for the Ages, I was surprised,” Hellums said. “Now I’m excited about it. I’m going out of my comfort zone, but I’m happy to get more experience.”
Coach Stone says Hellums is a good role model.
“She is following her dreams and is getting closer to having a career in jiu-jitsu or mixed martial arts,” Stone said. “Michayla’s determination and dedication are extraordinary.”
Hellums placed first at the North American Grappling Association World Jiu-Jitsu Championships in the teen girls, expert, lightweight, 14-15-year-old division on Dec. 12, 2015.
Courtesy of: Texarkana Gazette