UFC fighter Felice Herrig is a busy woman this summer. Besides fighting in her hometown of Chicago on July 23, she’ll also appear on the new season of NBC’s American Ninja Warrior, and recently finished production on Cold, a film in which she plays the leading role.
Even with all that going on, Felice found time to answer some questions for The Comeback.
Comeback: You’ve been doing reality TV for a long time — Fight Girls premiered back in 2007! Since then you’ve done The Ultimate Fighter and now American Ninja Warrior which premiered June 1. We know you love to compete. Other than that, what is your favorite part of doing reality TV?
Herrig: I had a blast doing Ninja Warrior! But I never really had it in my mind to be a reality TV star or ever be on a show, for that matter. I guess it just kind of happened that way. I have, however, always had a love for entertaining. Since I was a little girl, I always wanted to be an actress.
I guess what’s cool about being in reality TV is people get to see more of my personality and not just “Fight Mode Felice,” although with reality TV that can backfire too. Because they really do show what they want and piece things together to paint the picture they think will get the most ratings. Not necessarily the one that’s true.
Comeback: What is the worst part of doing reality TV?
Herrig: I think the worst part of reality TV is the unnecessary drama. It’s one thing to be on a reality show where that’s expected and that’s all they care about and you know it. I mean, look at shows like Bad Girls Club and Real Housewives of LA. Those people are on the shows in order to get famous.
The shows I’ve been on have been to fight and to compete. The producers like to put you in positions that are going to cause drama. So it’s really far from reality because they’re situations you’re put in on purpose to cause drama. And in real life, you can just walk away. On top of that, the extra stress and drama makes it harder to focus on the task in front of you. But at the end of the day, it’s just another obstacle to overcome. And it really does help you become a stronger person and fighter.
Comeback: Is there a reality show you would like to appear on? I can see you on Survivor, maybe even Dancing With the Stars.
Herrig: To be honest, I don’t really have much desire to appear on reality shows. I would much rather play a super hero in a movie. That’s what I want to do — act. I love acting. It’s much more of a challenge to me and brings a greater level of satisfaction to the table. I love getting into character and role-playing. I guess that’s why I love cosplay so much.
Comeback: You’ve also gone from the small screen to the big screen with your leading role in Cold. Tell us a bit about the film and what it was like to star in a movie.
Herrig: The role was very deep and very dark. It’s pretty much a suspense/drama/thriller-type movie. My best friend and I get locked in a freezer and spend our time in there trying to survive. I think me being a very passionate person and suffering from bipolar and depression most of my life really helped me tap into this character. All I had to do was tap into emotions I’ve felt. I cried on camera with ease. I got angry, sad. You name it, I went from a mixture of emotions and characters.
But I didn’t feel like I was acting. It felt very natural. Acting to me just feels right. It’s kind of like fighting. I just get caught in the moment and feel free. It’s the only time I’m not in my own head worrying and over-analyzing.”
Comeback: While you are still in your prime, fight careers can’t last forever. Is TV and film what you’d like to do when you are done fighting?
Herrig: I always knew fighting would lead to bigger things. Don’t get me wrong, I love fighting. I’m passionate about it and always have been. But I’ve always hoped being the best fighter I could be would get me seen and lead to other opportunities for me, and it has a lot over the years. And each year seems to bring more opportunities and on a bigger scale.
Comeback: Any idea on how long you’d like to fight? Any chance that you will coach or commentate for MMA? Why don’t we see more women coaches and commentators?
Herrig: I think I still have a few years left in fighting in me. But nothing is ever set in stone. I’ve been fighting for 14 years now and I always knew I would stop fighting on my time, when I don’t have the desire to do it anymore — but that isn’t now. I have, however, spent the past 14 years dieting, cutting weight and dedicating my entire life to the sport, so it would be nice to live my life a little more.
That’s why I took the past year off. I ran myself down so much from all the stress and pressure and just burnt myself out that it caused a lot of health issues. I took the past year to recharge, enjoy life, get my health back, and find the love and passion for the sport again. Sometimes, you just need time to miss something to appreciate it.
As for commentating, I think the sport for so long was dominated so much by men, and men seem to have a higher fight IQ. But since women have been given some of the same opportunities as men with fighting the past few years, I can see that translating over into the commentating side as well.
If I was going to commentate, it would probably be more of a color commentator or the person who does the backstage interview. I’m not much of a fight commentator. I could be too distracted. I would also make a terrible judge because I would probably doze off halfway through the round and then wake up when the bell rings and realize I missed half the round.
Comeback: One person, any person in MMA, fighter or announcer — whatever. You get one clean shot with no repercussions. Who do you hit?
Herrig: I would love to cold-clock Bruce Buffer. Not because I dislike him but because he wouldn’t be expecting it. I like the element of surprise (laughs).
Comeback: You are well-known as a social media star. This has pros and cons. The con is obviously there are a lot of weird people in the world that try to talk to you as if you are their best friend. Can you tell us about some of the creepier or even funnier attempts to get your attention on social media, and have you ever been fearful that someone might come stalk you?
Herrig: I actually have been fearful because I do have a stalker who I had to seek the police for. I turned off being able to send me messages on my fan page because he was writing me every day. In his mind, we are in a relationship. He would tell me he was going to call the gym at certain times and to be there to take his call. Then he would call the gym and I wouldn’t be there and he would send threatening messages back and then apologize and call me “baby,” “his darling,” or “his daughter” later.
He’s showed up to appearances. He called the gym and said he was moving here and wanted to sign up and only train with me. He writes me love letters and sends lavish gifts to my fan mail address. He’s just taken it beyond creepy and in his mind we are in a relationship and it’s quite scary. Especially considering I have no communication back with him.
Comeback: Fans stop you all the time to chat you up. What’s the one question you hate hearing — the one you never want to be asked again.
Herrig: Oh gosh — that’s so easy because I really do dread these top three questions in every encounter: “So when’s your next fight?” “How did you get the nickname ‘Lil Bulldog’?” There’s also “So you can probably beat up this guy here, huh?” And of course, “Will you hit me or my friend as hard as you can?”
Comeback: So what’s a gorgeous woman that can beat up the majority of the world look for in a man? Or does your fighting background have anything to do with what you want to see in a potential boyfriend?
Herrig: When I was younger and just got into fighting, I always wanted to date a fighter. I thought it would be the greatest to be this power couple and have so much in common. But I’ve been around fighters so much that I don’t really think I want to date a fighter. Gosh, can you imagine both being in training camp together? There’s just too much time and dedication that goes into being a fighter. Fighters have to be really selfish.
I just want to be with someone who will understand what I do and take care of me. I don’t mean take care of me financially. I’m a very independent person, but I’m also in my own head a lot and spent a great deal of time worrying. I just want to be with someone who’s going to make me feel safe and that everything in the world will be OK. And if he happens to be funny and handsome, that’s OK too. I do find myself very attracted to Latino men. I like a little bit of a dark bad boy with a softer side.
You can catch Felice Herrig on American Ninja Warrior, Wednesdays on NBC, and watch her fight Kailin Curran on UFC on FOX 20 on July 23.
