Carina "Beauty but the Beast" Damm returns to MMA action on May 27 at Amaxon Fight 8 in Brazil.

Thirty-two-year-old Brazilian Carina “Beauty but the Beast” Damm (15-6) will return to mixed martial arts action on May 27 when she faces “Gorilla” Deize at Amazon Fights 8 in Belém, Pará, Brazil.

Damm, who fights at 125-pounds, was on a 10-fight win streak prior to making her Strikeforce debut in August of last year where she suffered a second round submission loss to Japanese “Girlfight Monster” Hitomi Akano.

Her most recent fight, which resulted in her third straight loss, was against Tara LaRosa at Shark Fights 14 in March. After a back and forth first round, LaRosa submitted Damm with a heel hook 28 seconds into round two.

Now living and training in the U.S., Damm has been struggling to find the same amount of success she previously exuded in Brazil. With her next fight set to take place in her home country, it could provide the impetus she needs to turn things around.

ProMMAnow.com (www.prommanow.com) spoke to Damm this week about the details of her upcoming bout, her thoughts on the loss to LaRosa and if she thinks the competition in the U.S. is tougher than in Brazil and other  parts of the world.

We also found out what types of things the beautiful brawler likes to do when she is not fighting and got her opinion on the future of women’s MMA.

Carina Damm handstand. Photo courtesy of Strikeforce

PRO MMA NOW: Hi Carina, thanks for talking to us at ProMMAnow.com. We last saw you in the cage back in March against Tara LaRosa. What have you been up to since that fight and do you have your next fight scheduled yet?

CARINA DAMM: Hi, I’m still training hard and I’ve been playing some submission tournaments. I like to always be in the rhythm of competition. Yes I have a fight scheduled for May.

PRO MMA NOW: Can you tell us who you are fighting and where?

CARINA DAMM: My next fight will be on Amazon Fight Brasil No. 8 championship in the city of Belem, the capital of Para, where I will face the tough boxing champion Maguilla Deize.

PRO MMA NOW: What do you think of your opponent Maguilla Deize and how do you match-up with her?

CARINA DAMM: I do not know the characteristics of my opponent, the only thing I know she is a boxing champion and is training to fight me!

PRO MMA NOW: Are you worried about her stand-up because she is a boxer and how do you plan to beat her?

CARINA DAMM: I am not even a little worried because she is boxing because I train muay Thai and jiu jitsu every day. I’m training every day and the victory will be very strong result of annuities.

PRO MMA NOW: Do you still have a contract with either Shark Fights or Strikeforce — and if you do, do you know when you will return to fight in either promotion?

CARINA DAMM: Yes, I’m still under contract with Strikeforce. As far as Shark Fights, Jesse Finney, my manager is in talks to return in my next show.

PRO MMA NOW: What are your thoughts on your fight with Tara LaRosa — was she tougher than you thought she would be?

CARINA DAMM: Despite Tara LaRosa is the number one ranking, I was well prepared to fight, where I dominated the fight all the time and in my simple carelessness she eventually came to finalization. I’ll keep training and be sure to be back in her face!

Carina Damm in her Bodog days. Photo credit: Bodog

PRO MMA NOW: Unfortunately, your last three fights have not gone your way. Can you talk about maybe why this is, is it just tougher competition maybe here in the United States or what do you think may be the problem?

CARINA DAMM: With certainly I come from three defeats in my last fights, most women do not think the U.S. are better or stronger than the other the rest of world. I am an experienced fighter and already fought in several countries, struggling with and defeating such Americans as Jessica Aguilar, Molly Helsel and Sophie Bagherdai among others. I will always keep training.

PRO MMA NOW: Are you living here in the U.S. full time now,  who are some of the people you train with and who are your coaches there at Finney’s MMA in St. Louis? — Do yo do all of your training at Finney’s MMA?

CARINA DAMM:Yes I am living in St. Louis, Missouri. I train with my husband Luis Sapo (Muay Thai and jiu jitsu), Jesse at Finney’s MMA helps with my fitness and also my husband at the time because I am awaiting the arrival of the master Andre Bank, who was recently hired by Finney’s. I train here in Finneys and the team for which my husband and today is part of me too. I believe that over time the team Finney’s HIT Squad will be among the best teams in the MMA world.

PRO MMA NOW: Is there any woman out there right now in particular you would like to fight next or sometime soon?

PRO MMA NOW: What is that makes you want to be a professional fighter and how did you get started with MMA?

CARINA DAMM: I’ve always been involved in martial arts, and practiced since I was a child. Always overflowed my force and my aggressiveness in training. Never needed to hurt anyone on the street because I always had a lot discipline. The sport made ​​me this way! I love the inside of the cage and my sense of accomplishment after a long time training.

PRO MMA NOW: Did you get in a lot of fights and were other girls jealous of you a lot when you were growing up?

CARINA DAMM: Hahahahahahahha, no!

PRO MMA NOW: What sort of things do you like to do when you are not fighting – what do you do for fun?

CARINA DAMM: I love to be with my husband and travel as much as possible. I love to go shopping and buy makeup and handbags! I also love the beach!

Carina Damm can kick. Photo courtesy of Strikeforce

PRO MMA NOW: Are you concerned about the future of women’s MMA and the ability for women to earn a living as fighters — is it going to get harder to do, or do you think things will ultimately get better for the ladies?

CARINA DAMM: The female MMA is growing every day and every moment more girls are interested and the sport grows. There are great shows and they value the fighters, such as Shark fights, Bellator, and Japan is back with two new shows for women. In Brazil most of the events have female fights, and so finally we continue training and showing we can be men!

PRO MMA NOW: Thank you Carina for talking with us. Is there any people or sponsors you would like to thank?

CARINA DAMM: I want to thank my coaches, Luis frog (Husband), Jesse Finney (MMA), my sponsor banco BMG and all my fans and friends who are always rooting for my success!

5 thoughts on “One-on-one with Carina Damm who returns to action at Amazon Fight 8 on May 27”
  1. If i was her, if i lost a fight i would say to my opponent, “at least i can train to get better but you will never get better looking”

  2. Puhlease. This girl is average at best. Her body is the product of strenuous mixed martial arts training and its in shape but her beauty is nothing to write Victoria Secret about. Cute girl but definitely of the B variety.

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