Hot Fighter Alert: 14 Photos of Lia Mata’afa, Rumored TUF 18 Castmember


(Click all images for larger versions.)

Yesterday, Dave Melzter released a rumored list of the 16 female fighters selected for the upcoming co-ed season of The Ultimate Fighter. Though the cast list hasn’t been confirmed by the UFC or FOX, it includes such well-known veterans as Tara LaRosa, Shayna Baszler, Tonya Evinger, Roxanne Modafferi, and up-and-coming talent like Jessamyn Duke, Colleen Schneider, and Raquel Pennington.

One name stuck out for a different reason — Lia Mata’afa, the only fighter on the list with a 0-0 professional record. So why would TUF bring on a fighter with no professional experience? Well, as the UG informs us, she happens to be really attractive.

But make no mistake: Mata’afa is a freak athlete with a ton of potential. In addition to her 4-1 amateur MMA record, Lia was a two-time girls State wrestling champion in her native Hawaii, and according to the Meltzer report she played varsity rugby at Boston University and is currently a member of the American Samoa national rugby team. She is Kendall Grove‘s sister-in-law, and a product of Chris Leben’s Ultimate Fight School in Honolulu.

We’ve gathered a few of our favorite Lia Mata’afa photos for your consideration — which continue after the jump — along with a video of her MMA debut. Visit Lia’s Facebook page for more.


(Click all images for larger versions.)

Yesterday, Dave Melzter released a rumored list of the 16 female fighters selected for the upcoming co-ed season of The Ultimate Fighter. Though the cast list hasn’t been confirmed by the UFC or FOX, it includes such well-known veterans as Tara LaRosa, Shayna Baszler, Tonya Evinger, Roxanne Modafferi, and up-and-coming talent like Jessamyn Duke, Colleen Schneider, and Raquel Pennington.

One name stuck out for a different reason — Lia Mata’afa, the only fighter on the list with a 0-0 professional record. So why would TUF bring on a fighter with no professional experience? Well, as the UG informs us, she happens to be really attractive.

But make no mistake: Mata’afa is a freak athlete with a ton of potential. In addition to her 4-1 amateur MMA record, Lia was a two-time girls State wrestling champion in her native Hawaii, and according to the Meltzer report she played varsity rugby at Boston University and is currently a member of the American Samoa national rugby team. She is Kendall Grove‘s sister-in-law, and a product of Chris Leben’s Ultimate Fight School in Honolulu.

We’ve gathered a few of our favorite Lia Mata’afa photos for your consideration — which continue after the jump — along with a video of her MMA debut. Visit Lia’s Facebook page for more.