Most mixed martial arts fans know that The Ultimate Fighter is not the only reality show which seduced new fans to our favorite sport. Focusing on the opposite sex, Oxygen recently aired the reality show, Fight Girls, spotlighting young women who were honing their standup game in hopes of pushing their athletic careers.

Many who followed Fight Girls viewed Felice "Lil' Bulldog" Herrig as the strongest prospect who emerged from this reality show, in terms of both athleticism and star power. What many people may not have realized about the 23-year-old from Buffalo Grove, Illinois, is that prior to Fight Girls, Herrig had already accomplished a great deal in the combat sports.

Said Herrig in an exclusive interview, "I actually didn't start training until I was eighteen, but I knew it was something I was going to do and rise to the top in ... I grew up watching my Dad and brother-in-law train. It was never forced on me. I was always interested and decided to give it a try when I was in my senior year of high school.

"Before Fight Girls, I believe I had a total of sixteen fights, with my first two being my only losses. I was the 2005 International Kickboxing Federation (IKF) Women's Bantamweight National Champ, the 2006 IKF Women's Bantamweight North American Champ, and the 2006 World Association of Kickboxing Organization Women's Bantamweight National Champ."

One of the difficulties in building a career in the combat sports for women is the much smaller number of competitors. With Herrig's success came new challenges.

Said Herrig, "I stayed as busy as I could. I tried to fight every month and of course as I got better and better, it was harder to do so because not too many girls wanted to fight me. In 2006 I broke my arm, which was disappointing because I was in a really good groove. I didn't end up being able to fight in the Golden Gloves, which is something I wanted to do before I turned pro.

These setbacks notwithstanding, the 'Lil Bulldog pushed on. "I did compete in the 2006 IKF Nationals just seventeen weeks after breaking my arm and won. I had a lot of setbacks in 2006 but I kept persevering. I ended up getting chosen for Fight Girls, and it's all been uphill since then."

In addition to having difficulty getting fights, Herrig indicated there are other significant factors women face in MMA. "I believe it's very hard for female athletes to get the recognition that they deserve, and I'm sure a lot of that has to do with the fact that there aren't as many dedicated female athletes out there as there are male athletes. We are just built a little different."

Still, Herrig noted that being on Fight Girls helped to expand her fight game, both physically and mentally. "Fight Girls was a great stepping stone for my career. It also helped me to step out of my comfort zone as an athlete and adapt. The first time I ever did muay Thai was on Fight Girls. It gave me the opportunity to add different elements to my fighting style, which only bettered me as a fighter and athlete. It steered me in the right direction and put me in contact with many inspirational people. You can never be inspired too much."

With regard to the lack of women in the combat sports, Herrig has run into further challenges. Capitalizing off her success on Fight Girls, she recently competed in Chuck Norris's World Combat League (WCL). While Herrig normally fights at 114lbs, the WCL only had one weight division for women, 123-128lbs, and most of Herrig's opponents cut to make the 128lb limit.

"...there was a huge size difference between me and some of the girls I fought in the WCL. My first fight in the league I only weighed about 117. I ate a huge breakfast the morning of weigh ins and weighed in with all my clothes and jewelry on. I even layered up with my clothes ... By the time I ended up fighting them, there was a good 20lb difference. I noticed the difference. I'm used to really dominating my opponents. I held my own but it just wasn't the same. I went into it knowing that I was smaller. I did it for the experience and to prove that I'm not afraid to Fight Girls heavier than me. And it helped me with my game a great deal."

Along with fighting professionally, Herrig is simultaneously augmenting her athletic career with one in the media. She currently hosts Combatwire, part of Chicagoland's Television. Herrig explained why she is diversifying her skills, such that she is not limited to one career option.

"I believe in being well rounded. This is inside and outside of the ring. I love fighting but I also love working on television because it gives me the opportunity to show off some of my other talents and have people see me as a person, not just a fighter. In order to really make a career as a fighter I need to do as much in the sport as possible and make as many contacts as possible. I always believed that I was meant to entertain. I'm athletic and outgoing.

"When I got involved in fighting I knew it was a way for me to showcase my athletic skills and my personality, to think outside of the box. I love the sport. I love watching it grow and I love being a part of all aspects of the fighting world. I get to fight and host a MMA show. It doesn't get much better than that."

Despite her media successes, Herrig continues to prioritize her athletic training first, saying, "Training always comes first. I always make time for it. I know that a lot of the opportunities I am given are because of my accomplishments as a fighter. I never want to forget that."

Short-term, the Lil' Bulldog has been expanding her game to go full MMA, and she has an ambitious long-term vision that encompasses both sporting and media aspirations.

"First off, I want to win a few more titles in the sport and start showcasing myself as an MMA fighter. When it's time for me to be done with fighting, I would like to commentate, maybe take Bas Rutten's job on HDNET (laughs). I am hoping that Combatwire does really well, and who knows, as the sport continues to grow I hope it can be a nationally viewed show. I really enjoy hosting it and would love to continue to work on it. And I have to admit, I have always wanted to play a bad ass super hero in a movie."

But for now, Herrig is looking to build her stardom and athletic success in MMA. She trains six days a week, twice a day Monday through Thursday, and most of her training now revolves around full MMA. While developing a ground game, she still works her standup to insure she stays sharp. Unfortunately, the details on her MMA debut are still a bit sketchy. Said Herrig, "I am supposed to make my MMA debut August 9th. However I still have no opponent. This will be on the Xtreme Fighting Organization show on Island Lake, IL."

Jumping into the world of MMA, Herrig carries a number of emotions, but not anything different from how she's felt in the past. "I feel very confident. It's normal for me to be nervous and have some doubts. This goes for kickboxing, boxing, muay Thai, or MMA. Going into any fight brings out a little worry and doubt, but I'm confident in my coaches and my training partners. I will be going into this fight 100% ready. I have to start somewhere. I already have great skills as a standup fighter and I will take those skills into the cage."

Herrig also spoke of her coach and friend from Fight Girls, Gina Carano, who recently participated in MMA's debut on primetime network television, as part of EliteXC's main card. Said Herrig of watching Carano, "I finally knew the feelings my parents go through when I fight. I was more nervous for her safety than anything. Of course I wanted her to win but I just wanted her to come out in one piece. She did very well. I was proud of her."

Despite Carano and women as a whole making great strides in the world's fastest growing sport, Herrig reiterated that women face unique challenges in MMA. "...a lot of people think girls have no business in MMA. This makes it harder for females to be taken seriously. It also limits us in our opportunities. It's very difficult to go to the gym everyday and have to roll around with males that are much bigger and stronger than you. It takes a toll on the body and mind." And as Herrig mentioned before, "It is also much harder for women to find opponents, especially if they are good. I suppose a lot of these reasons are why many girls don't stick with fighting." But the Lil' Bulldog is sticking to it and points to her resolve that makes her an ambassador for women in the fight game. "I deal with a lot of challenges everyday, but I work through them and keep moving forward. I think my perseverance sets me apart from many females in the sport. I want to prove that women do belong in the sport. It makes no difference whether you're a man or woman. What matters is your heart and desire, and if you are willing to push yourself." If you can't roll with this Lil' Bulldog, stay on the porch. David Mayeda, PhD, is author of Fighting for Acceptance: Mixed Martial Artists and Violence in American Society, the first book that examines MMA from a political standpoint, based on interviews with 40 MMA athletes, including "Rampage" Jackson, Randy Couture, Antonio McKee, Dan Henderson, Chris Leben, Guy Mezger, Travis Lutter, Frank Trigg, Toby "Tiger Heart" Grear, and with the Forward written by Jason "MayheM" Miller.