London-born mixed martial arts sensation Shanelle Dyer has put the combat world on notice as she continues in her quest to become the best.
At just 22, Dyer has rapidly established herself as a force to be reckoned with in the octagon.
With an undefeated 4-0 record in professional MMA, she’s ranked as Tapology’s second-best pound-for-pound women’s fighter in the UK and Ireland.
Possessing incredible striking ability, she’s previously conquered the Muay Thai world, boasting a remarkable 27 titles in World, European and British Championships.
Now fighting under the banner of Professional Fighters League (PFL), one of the biggest MMA companies in the world, she’s already left an impression on fans – dominating her way to a debut victory over Luisa Fernanda Cifuentes last September.
And despite only being in the embryonic stages of her career, she’s hellbent on becoming one of the world’s best, setting her sights on championship gold in 2024.
Dyer said: “I’m going to become PFL European champ, that’s my number one goal for this year.
“I’m going to have three fights and I’m going to win those three fights, no matter what – KO, TKO, decision.
“I know that I’m going to beat whoever they put in front of me.
“Literally anyone and everyone, I can go all the way to the top.
“When I start something, I don’t finish it until I’ve done everything, and that’s my mentality in MMA.
“I started MMA and I’m not going to finish it until I reach the top and become one of the greatest of all time.”
Seeming destined for stardom, Dyer hasn’t been short of professional inspiration, having surrounded herself with some of the best Britain has to offer in combat sports.
Training at renowned Mitcham-based MMA gym Great Britain Top Team, she works under the tutelage of former UFC star and British fighting legend Brad ‘One Punch’ Pickett – whose glittering career includes a win against arguably the greatest flyweight of all time Demetrious Johnson.
Also sparring alongside London’s own Nathaniel Wood, who similarly plies his trade in the UFC, Dyer thrives off sharing the mat with such a high calibre fighters.
She added: “Every time I walk through the door, I look around and it’s a mat full of killers.
“Brad Pickett, he’s a legend in the game – he’s done everything – so just to have his influence gives me a bit of security.
“Brad knows how to make me the greatest fighter of all time, so it’s great to have him in my corner.
“Having Nathaniel Wood is great as well.
“I remember that first time being in the same room as him, I was like, ‘he’s a UFC fighter, he’s like one of the best fighters in the country – and I’m literally sharing the same mat as him.’
“If I’m in the same room as him, then I’m 100 percent going to become a great fighter like him.”
In her journey to the top, Dyer won’t be shy of stepping into spotlight – having already become a familiar face on our TV screens.
Taking centre stage by starring in BBC documentary Inside the Cage: The Rise of Female Fighters and Sky Sports documentary The Good Fight Club, Dyer helped shine a light on the UK’s mixed martial arts communities.
While helping to get her name out there, a must for any aspiring fighter, she has hailed the documentaries for humanising the sport she loves.
Dyer said: “A lot of people see MMA as a brutal sport and everyone thinks we’re like psychopaths and criminals – but we’re not.
“We’re literally normal people that just love this sport, and the documentaries I’ve been in really show us as humans.
“They’ve shown me as a normal person and what we actually have to do to win a fight – what we have to go through in training sessions, our mentalities, our bumps and hurdles to actually make it to a fight.
“I really like what the documentaries have really done as it’s really trying to commercialize the sport.”
Featured Image Credits: James Bradbury-Hulls (Instagram: @bro_where_photo)
