Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Rowdy beck rawlings in the belding, How are you back?
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Thank you?
Speaker 3 (00:08):
Let's just practice in advance, right and new what that's
when you know you've won the title, say new world champion.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
I'm still still?
Speaker 3 (00:20):
Are you world champion? So I'm saying new and then
you can be still. So that's the second interview you
have to come back.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
Congratulations on everything, but more importantly your movie at the
Gold Coast Film Festival.
Speaker 4 (00:34):
Thank you as all happening right now, So it's very exciting.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Now.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
It's called Fight to Live, and it's it's not just
about you know, fighting in the ring. It's about your
history of escaping domestic violence.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (00:46):
Yeah, it's a sports dooco, but it also touches on
mostly on the domestic violence side of things. It's kind
of like an emotional rollercoaster the documentary. But yeah, it's
an insight into I guess it shows people that it
can happen to anyone, even a strong world champion fighter
that fights people in cages or fights people with no
(01:07):
gloves on. So yeah, it kind of it just shines
a light on that it doesn't discriminate and it can
happen to the toughest people.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
Were you in that situation before, whilst you were fighting. Yes, correct,
So that's what people are confronted with. They go, well,
wouldn't you just fight your way out of that?
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Yeah, and believe me, I tried.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:27):
It's a lot of things go into domestic violence, the
emotional torment and obviously the physical. In my case, my
ex husband was also a professional fighter, so he knew
how to fight. And yeah, you know, he was a
man and I'm a woman, and he would overpower me.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
So yeah, it goes.
Speaker 4 (01:46):
It's a tough one because I did try to fight back.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
But at some point you just can't anymore.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
And I think that's the important part of you know,
raising awareness about domestic violence is you know, it's easy
said than done to just leave or to fight back,
but it's not that easy.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
Well, I think the leave thing is the biggest question,
isn't it Because people, friends or whoever would always go
why don't you just leave? Why don't you just leave?
But it's the same cycle we see in so many
abusive situations where it's dangerous to and it's nearly impossible
to leave. But that there's also because of the emotional
and psychology psychological abuse there's an element of not wanting
(02:26):
to leave as well, because you know, you were in
love to start with with the person, and then there's
the addiction to the person. It makes it hard to
leave because you're chasing what you had in the first
three months whatever of the relationship.
Speaker 4 (02:40):
Yeah, they do a really good job of love bombing
you at the beginning, and then that makes you want
that back, and that makes you see, you know, there's hope.
You know, maybe I can make him change, or maybe
I can say what he was. Yeah, maybe I can
stop him. Maybe it's me. What can I do to
stop him from you know, abusing me? So yeah, it's
an emotional torment. But yeah, it's not that easy to leave,
(03:03):
especially you know with in my case, he would.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Threaten me and the kids if I were to leave.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
That's the danger part.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
And you're talking narcissism or sociopathic.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
Both, Yeah, all of the above with this one.
Speaker 4 (03:14):
You know, everyone's story is different, everyone's I guess abuse
is different. But yeah, mine he was sociopathic, narcissistic, borderline
personality disorder, and he would hold that against me, say
why would you leave me? Yeah, he would say, why
would you leave me? You're meant to help me or
my wife. You know, you vowed to protect me and
(03:35):
help me, and you're going to leave me.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
So where is it at now? Obviously this movie is
coming out. Are you scared for him to see it
and what the repercussions might be.
Speaker 4 (03:44):
Yeah, Look, there's a little bit of I know that
he's going to do something. He's already tried to do
a slander campaign when I first, you know, I came
out about it, but that was years ago. That was
when I was with the UFC and he tried to
get me cut.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
From the UFC.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
So yeah, there's a little ounce of me knowing that
there's probably something to come, but I don't care. You know,
I've got the I've got the power now. Yeah, and
this is this is.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Being shared for a reason to help people. It's not
about me.
Speaker 4 (04:12):
It's about you know, either people, it's about victims, or
it's about the future and hoping that they don't get
caught in a similar situation.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
I want to ask the question how did you eventually
get out? But I think for those listening, let's got
all the way back to the beginning, happy childhood in Tasmania, yes,
and then into this fighting world. Let's have a quick
look at who you were to then.
Speaker 4 (04:34):
I was a bit of a wild child. To say,
happy happy upbringing, No I was. I was definitely a
loved kid, but I was a wild child, you know.
I was always seeking danger, I guess.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
And.
Speaker 4 (04:46):
Yeah, a little bit of a bad apple during my
teenage years, a little bit of a rebel, but always
highly athletic, always into sports and competing. So that's how
I found mixed martial arts. To begin with, I had
my eldest son, Zake, and I was a little bit
out of shape, and I was like, you know what,
I just want to go punch things. I just want
to get into boxing or kickboxing. And I just found
(05:09):
a local kickboxing gym.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
And started in that.
Speaker 4 (05:12):
And then I saw MMA going on on the other
mat beside me, and I was like, what's this.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
I want to get involved in this, and I fell
in love instantly.
Speaker 4 (05:21):
And I didn't even know you could fight and get
paid at that point. I was just doing it for
the love of it. And then my coaches offered me
a fight. They're like, you're pretty good at this, do
you want to have a fight, And I'm like, oh, sure.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
I can do this.
Speaker 4 (05:33):
Legally okay, And then they said yeah, and you can
get paid for it.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
So I never looked back.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
Yeah, I love that motherhood makee you want to punch things.
A lot of women listening right now are going aha,
here you go. And so then how did it progress? Well,
I guess how did your partner fold in? Is he
the father of your first child?
Speaker 3 (05:52):
No?
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Seconds?
Speaker 1 (05:53):
Okay? So then that's where I was like, oh, hang
on a minute, you start fighting with one child and
then you've met him on the were I am assuming?
Speaker 3 (06:01):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Correct, he was in my gym.
Speaker 4 (06:02):
Actually, he was one of the students in the gym
that took on kind of a coaching role when my
coach left overseas for to corner people fighting and such.
So yeah, it started off as a friendship, coach, training partner.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
A mentor as well. Yeah for you, very.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
Tricky, yes he was.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
And he definitely held that against me. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (06:24):
He would say, you know, he had more talent in
his pinky finger than me, and I would never make
it and I needed him to survive and make it
in this in the fight game, and boy did I
show him.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
So then did you surpass him in your I did?
Speaker 3 (06:36):
Okay, And a problem.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
What is all of your belts and fights and wins.
Speaker 4 (06:43):
So I first got signed to I was the first
Australian woman to get signed to Invictor Fighting Championships over
in the US, which was is still an all women's
promotion over there.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
It's a very big promotion.
Speaker 4 (06:54):
So I was the first to get signed to them
and you know, fly the Australian flag. And then I
got signed to the UFC. I was one of the
first girls in Australia also to get signed to them
and fight and win over there.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
So I was with the UFC I think for.
Speaker 4 (07:08):
Seven years and then yeah, and that's when I went
to Barknuckle Fighting Championships after.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
That, And is that what you're in now?
Speaker 2 (07:15):
I am currently?
Speaker 3 (07:16):
Yes, Well, they think as far as a fast growing sports,
UFC is looked upon as the fastest growing sport in
the world, but bare knuckle is now really starting to
be pushed through as.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
Well, right yeah, yeah, and I was.
Speaker 4 (07:28):
I was on the first show, the first legal ban
knuckle fighting championship show within one hundred years, and I
was the first woman ever to win a world championship
in bare knuckle.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
Boxing hand to tape right, bare knuckle.
Speaker 4 (07:41):
No, our wrists and our thumbs are knuckles are bare.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
Yes, this sounds silly, but how are you so pretty?
How's your nose not squished across your face?
Speaker 2 (07:52):
I've got a gold tooth, but that's broken.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
Okay.
Speaker 4 (07:55):
But yeah, I try to keep my hands up and
I move my head. The object of fighting is to
hit them and not get hit, and I.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
Try really hard to sleep.
Speaker 4 (08:04):
I do have Like my last two fights, I did
get cut, but I've healed up quite nicely. So the
biggest injury I've had is I fractured my hip and
that was running.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
So that just tells you running is not.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
I love it, okay. And the big question is, after
now hearing all this history and how amazing you are,
how did you eventually free yourself with that domestic violent situation.
Speaker 4 (08:26):
Looks it's hard to speak on it because I still
to this day, I don't think if I had my children,
I don't know if I would have left. And that's
really scary to think that I left to protect them.
I didn't want to protect myself, and I know a
lot of people are in that situation. But yeah, it
was when he turned his threats to my children. Is
(08:47):
when I knew a hat to leave.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
You know, you're so important to so many people, and
I know you realize your voice, but what you're doing
through this film and through what you've gone through this
story is so important to so many people because it's
happening everywhere.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
So then what would your message be.
Speaker 4 (09:08):
There is light at the end of the tunnel. You
just need to ask for help. People will help you.
You're not hopeless.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
There is help out there, and you just have to
take the leap for yourself.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
Love yourself enough, because that sounds like you didn't for
a long time.
Speaker 4 (09:20):
I didn't know, And I think that's a big major
part of the documentary is touching base on self worth
and knowing that you don't deserve it and there's nothing
you can do to change that person.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
Yeah, that's the big bit.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
And you were made to think that too. Absolutely all
of those things from crazy making.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
But women are nurturers. You know, we're nurturers, and we
mold the lives of our kids. So it goes to
stands to reason that sometimes we feel like we can
mold a man, yeah and fix you. And I say,
the only thing you can change about a man is
his nappy. I like that.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
Given present company, I'll just go along with that. Jo.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
It's an important It's a joke, but it's an important
thing for all, especially young women, to hear. Don't go
into a relationship ever thinking you can change someone. Yeah,
and both ways. And can't change a woman. Woman can't
change a man.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
The person needs and has the right to be who
they are. Yeah, So fall in love with the right person.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
Correct.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
And so you're launching the movie and this is very
exciting to be a part of the Golcos Film Festival.
I know everyone needs to head along. Is it Thursday
night it's launching, Yeah, okay, and your Minesday, you're going
to be there.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
I'll be there. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (10:29):
There's a red carpet event five point thirty pm and
then six pm the screening of the of the documentary starts.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
So is it sold out?
Speaker 3 (10:37):
No?
Speaker 1 (10:37):
Okay, still tickets, get tickets. If this didn't inspire you,
I don't know what could. Because that is a very
compelling story.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
Thank you, Lovely to meet you.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
Thank you lovely to meet you too.
Speaker 3 (10:49):
Were you in that situation with your abusive partner whilst
you were fighting beck hold the line?
Speaker 5 (10:55):
This is compelling stuff. We'd love to know how you
did eventually get out of that situation, but also want
to find out a bit more details about your movie,
which is going to be dropping at the Gold Coast
Film Festival in a couple of days. Beck hold the line,
this is compelling stuff. We'd love to find out how
you did eventually get out of that situation, but also
(11:16):
we want to know details about your new movie, which
is called Fight to Live, which is premiering at the
Gold Coast Film Festival next week. So we'll continue our
conversation with Beck Rawlings up next here at Wanted to
Know Hot Tomato. It's Gailey and Emily Jade, which is
premiering at the Gold Coast Film Festival tomorrow night. There
is still tickets available to that, so we'll get some
more details in that coming up next with Beck Rawling's
(11:38):
Professional Bare Knuckle Fighter, It's Wanted to Know Hot Tomato
with Gaily and Emily Jade