Julia Avila’s victory over Julija Stoliarenko at UFC Vegas 30 wasn’t just her first submission win inside the octagon, it also capped off what can only be described as a new beginning for the fast-rising bantamweight.
Three months after being kicked out of her old gym, “Raging Panda” and her husband opened their own gym, Outsiders Combat Club. It was a whirlwind process, something that Avila had been wanting to get done for some time before finally being forced into action to continue her thriving fighting career.
Speaking to MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck on What the Heck, Avila talks about picking up her first UFC submission victory, why she hugged Stoliarenko before the fight and Daniel Cormier afterwards, the drama surrounding her departure from her old gym, how quickly she was able to start her own gym, what she hopes to achieve as both a fighter and now a leader for other fighters, working with James Krause, and more.