Marriage is a big commitment. So is entering a cage to legally assault another human.
Having to make sacrifices between work and personal life is never pleasant, but imagining the work side of that equation being a professional MMA fighter is enough to magnify anxiety levels to steep heights. UFC strawweight Elise Reed found herself in that exact predicament ahead of UFC Vegas 99.
“We had the [wedding] venue [booked] sometime in September of last year,” Reed told Uncrowned of her marriage plans. “So, the date was pretty much picked out from a ways back.
“Then probably eight weeks before this week, so probably middle of August, [my manager] goes, ‘Listen, we have [a fight offer]. It’s a great matchup.'”
That date? UFC Vegas 98 on Oct. 12.
The same day Reed and the love of her life scheduled their day of holy matrimony.
“Well, um, can’t do that,” Reed recalled responding.
The MMA gods sure can be a devious bunch, can’t they?
Reed, 31, had been itching to cleanse the stain of a tough September 2023 loss to Lupita Godinez from her 7-4 record. Elbow surgery already delayed her 2024 return, and declining an offer to fight UFC veteran and strawweight pioneer Jessica Penne was not the desired option.
But it was the only one. At least for that date.
Therefore, a gamble had to be taken. Something was getting erased from Reed’s schedule and it wasn’t going to be her magical night. With a roll of the dice, her honeymoon in Key West became the casualty. That week on the beach celebrating her nuptials? It turned into a trip to Las Vegas for a fist-fight.
“UFC is the best place to be, so you want to be as nice and the best fighter that you can for them. So I was like, ‘OK, so if we were to cancel the wedding …’ No,” Reed joked. “We already had part of the deposits done. That’s the only date I can’t do.
“We tried to get it for the week before because then it’s like, OK, then the fight’s done, the training can be done, and then the day’s done. Then they said no. They said, ‘We can do the 19th.’ OK, well, let me talk to the soon-to-be wife and see what she thinks. And we said yes, I think within a day or two, and that’s that. So, no Key West. But Vegas.”
It’s one thing to get married after your fight, but getting it out of the way beforehand at least saves any potential nightmarish photo ops.
Luckily for Reed, she’s been able to brag about her sweet spray tan during fight week, even if she expects that to be an exclusive occasion.
“Going from training to a dress fitting to training again to a spray tan was a new experience for me. Absolutely new experience,” Reed said with a laugh.
However, that doesn’t mean the overall build-up to fight night didn’t come without its typical bumps and bruises.
Reed admitted she did get beat up during this camp. From a split lip to stitches, the whole gambit was unfriendly to the newlywed’s face.
Remember that anxiety mentioned up top? Training camps are enough alone. Especially for a matchup with a big name you’re trying to rebound against.
But mixing in the joys of wedding preparation? Reed had the time of her life.
“It was miserable. It was absolutely miserable,” she said. “My significant other is amazing, so I don’t want to say anything in that regard.
“We had an event planner for the day of, so that took a lot of what we had to do off our plate, as long as we had the vendors, which we had already done well ahead of time. But I think there was three dress fittings, there was a spray tan. There’s a waxing. There’s a mani and pedicures. Finding the shoes, finding the rehearsal outfit, finding the reception outfit.
“I am not a person that cares for that type of stuff to begin with, so it probably took a little bit more mental space than I would have liked,” she added. “But we didn’t want to let training take a backseat either, obviously, because that’s something that’s not more important than our marriage but it’s very significant.”
Reed benefited from the support of her partner of several years, who made sure training was amped up when it needed to be. Her coach also played a big part, imploring the pair to be precise with their needs and wanting them to take their time finding comfort in the process.
You only get married once, ideally.
By the end of camp, the blend of preparation worked itself out for Reed, who noted how it tapered into the big celebratory night. Now, the newly married duo has Penne to worry about before rebooking their honeymoon location, which is looking to be a possible all-inclusive winter excursion early next year.
“It was definitely unique,” Reed said. “I think the anticipation of the event and the day is just because there’s so much effort that goes into it. You’re planning a year, eight months out.
“There’s always a lot of hiccups or some hiccups in there, but it was good. We came in, we knew that we wanted the day to be as relaxed as possible. Hung out with my family, with my friends. She did the same on her side. The vows, we almost cried, but it was great. It was beautiful.”
With only UFC Vegas 99 left ahead, everything has wound up as perfectly as can be for Reed so far.
Outside of that stupid candle selection, of course.
“If I have to argue whether it’s a gold candle or a silver candle or a clear candle ever again, I’m done,” Reed said, laughing again. “I’m done. No more, no more.”
