Photo By Staff Sgt. Sarah Myrick | Danae Dostie, a specialist with the Maine Army National Guard 488th Military Police...... read more read more
The fighter stares across the cage. Lights stream down from overhead, blue and white splashing across the sweat already building on her forehead like she’s on stage. The mat is soft under her bare feet. Her cornrows are pulled tightly against her scalp. Her opponent is young, blonde and muscular with fierce eyes staring back over the top of her gloves. The crowd roars around them as the referee steps back, the bell dings and they step toward each other, fists raised.
She’s ready. The grueling hours spent at the gym, sweaty, bruised, beaten and beyond muscle fatigue, she trained for this.
In the army and in the ring, discipline defines success for Danae Dostie, a specialist in the Maine Army National Guard 488th Military Police Company in Waterville. Dostie made her mixed martial arts debut against the youngest MMA fighter in New England Fights history at Aura nightclub in Portland, November 3rd in an amateur bantamweight (135-pound) contest against Jayda Bailey.
“I have always loved watching fights and sparring with friends,” said Dostie, a Fryeberg native. “Now it’s my turn to be in the ring.”
MMA is a full-contact, combat sport that allows striking and grappling, both standing and on the ground, using techniques from other combat sports and martial arts.
Dostie has just three months of training under her belt, but the rookie felt confident and ready for her first fight. She said the goal is to learn.
“My main focus, especially for this fight has been boxing techniques,” said Dostie, “With a focus on standing and low kicks. I didn’t want to go too high because I knew Bailey was going to take me to the ground.”
Dostie emphasized the importance of commitment for those who want to start fighting.
“If you want it you have to go out and get it,” said Dostie. “It’s definitely not a walk in the park. You will need drive and motivation.”
Dostie trains at Kenney’s MMA gym in Lisbon. In preparation for her first fight she spent her time studying a combination of boxing, kick boxing, Jiu-Jitsu, wrestling and MMA grappling. She also worked on endurance and stamina through sprinting, stair climbing, biking and circuits focusing on pushups and sit-ups.
“I usually trained four to six days a week for at least two hours, but sometimes up to four,” said Dostie.
“The hardest part was training even though I’d worked a long week,” said Dostie. “I really enjoy learning MMA so for the most part it was easy for me to want to train, but it can be hard balancing my civilian job, my military job and training. There were times I wouldn’t get a day off for a couple weeks.”
Dostie said her favorite part of training was sparring. Her least favorite part was having to cut weight.
“It takes a lot of discipline and willpower to train to be a fighter,” said Dostie. “Discipline is what a Soldier should be about. This is helping me become the best Soldier I can be. It is also training me to stay in shape and be able to be more equipped to fight for this country when I am needed.”
Dostie credits her background in combatives training through the Army as preparation for ground fighting. She said it’s what helped her hang on during the fight.
“As an MP you need to know how to defend yourself and others, training for the fight has me ready for those moments,” said Dostie.
Sgt. Daniel Ojeda, who has served with Dostie for the past four years in the 488th said she is a very hard working, dependable Soldier.
“She's the type that you can always count on being where she needs to be when she needs to be there,” said Ojeda. “She's someone that I would trust my life with in a battlefield and know that she would always try to watch out for me.”
Ojeda said that Dostie is a great contribution to the 488th MP company.
. “She has the ability to retain knowledge, perform tasks or duties that correspond with what was taught to her and is able to teach others what she has learned,” said Ojeda. “She has always been a helping hand, not just in first platoon but in the company as a whole.”
Dostie’s unit, family and friends are supportive of her MMA training and competition.
A technical knockout in the first round led to a victory for Bailey, not Dostie but the rookie was not discouraged.
“I’ve got a lot of emotions running through me right now, but I’m pumped,” said Dostie. “I want to get back in that ring and fight again. I think there are things I could have done differently.”
Dostie said that she learned a lot and now knows a little more of what to expect after her first time going in the ring. She said it was definitely a good learning experience and overall it went pretty well.
Dostie said she didn’t underestimate Bailey at all, she knew her opponent had a lot of training, but she overthought her opponents MMA knowledge.
“I should have gone in there not thinking so much about her training, but focused more on how I can take her on,” said Dostie.“I want to be a little bit more balanced between standing and the ground because it’s MMA and you don’t know where the fight will end up.”
Dostie plans to get back in the cage in April or maybe as soon as February.
“If I can get more training under my belt I know I’ll be a lot more experienced and have a little better head on my shoulders going into the ring.”
| Date Taken: | 11.03.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 11.05.2017 14:12 |
| Story ID: | 254166 |
| Location: | PORTLAND, ME, US |
| Web Views: | 440 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Disciplined Soldier, Disciplined Fighter, by SSG Sarah Myrick, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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