5 Things You Didn’t Know About Shayna Baszler’s MMA Career
4. She Made Her Pro MMA Debut In 2003
Women's MMA really didn't start to enjoy any sort of mainstream attention until the late-2000s, when Gina Carano rose to prominence. However, it wasn't until Ronda Rousey became a star in the UFC, in 2012, that the door really opened for female athletes in the sport.
Unfortunately, for Shayna Baszler, she debuted in 2003 at a time when women's mixed martial arts had little more than a small cult following. Her first professional fight took place in South Dakota on October 31, 2003, for a promotion called Reality Cage Fighting. That night she submitted another debuting fighter named Tina Johnson. Johnson would never fight again and finisher her career with an unspectacular 0-1 record. On the other hand, Baszler would continue to fight another fourteen years or so.
Her best years were from 2003 to 2008. During that span, she faced some of the toughest women of the era and was sporting a respectable 10-5 record.
Referring to Shayna Baszler as one of MMA's first female stars is probably a bit of stretch. However, she was one of the early noteworthy female fighters in the sport and was showcased when Bodog first started televising women's MMA in North America (2006). At the very least, she is worthy of the "pioneer" label.