Bodog Beat

Tara LaRosa will fight for the 135lb title. (Bodog Nation File Photo)

Her parents would prefer that she didn't beat people up for a living, but Tara LaRosa (12-1-0) is quite happy doing what she loves.

"They really wish that I worked in a bank or something," laughs the women's top-ranked 135-pound mixed martial arts athlete. "But they know fighting is what I love to do, that I get paid to do it, and that I'm pretty damn good at it."

On July 14^th, her family will see first hand just how good their daughter has become when LaRosa takes on Kelly Kobold (16-0-1) for the vacant Bodog Fight women's 135-pound championship belt in Trenton, New Jersey.

LaRosa hails from the small farming community of Woodstown in Salem County, New Jersey. "I grew up nearby," she says, "so this fight is in my back yard, and all my friends and family will be there. So I can't think of a better storyline than to have them cheering for me as I try to win the women's title. It's going to be awesome."

Surprisingly, LaRosa thinks she is an underdog against Kobold. "People will expect me to win," she says, "but this is not an easy fight for me."

Can't wait 'til the event to see her fight? Catch Tara in action on the next episode of Bodog Fight: Paradise Lost, Tuesday,  July 10^th at 11 p.m. / 10 p.m. Central on ION television and in Canada on The Fight Network.

The episode features a battle between LaRosa and South Dakota's Shayna Baszler (6-3) as well as a middleweight match between Bobby Martinez (5-3-0) and Diego "Toro" Visotzky (10-3-3).

Bodog Fight: Eddie Alvarez vs. Matt Lee
Sovereign Bank Arena, July 14th, Trenton, NJ

• Eddie Alvarez vs. Matt Lee
• Yuki Kondo vs. Trevor Prangley
• Mark Burch vs. Yoshiki Takahashi
• Kelly Kobald vs. Tara LaRosa
• Eben Oroz vs. David Love
• Amar Suloev vs. Chael Sonnen
• James Binky Jones vs. Nick Agallar
• Brandon Lee Hinkle vs. Roman Zentsov
• Yves Edwards vs. Jorge Masvidal
• Nick Cottone vs. Dan Hawley

Tickets now available at www.comcasttix.com.

For more information visit www.BodogFight.com.

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