Q&A With MMA Fighter Elaina "Beef" Maxwell

Here is an Q&A with female MMA fighter Elaina "Beef" Maxwell. Maxwell is a fighter with Strikeforce and fights out of Cung Le's gym. She has a MMA record of 2-2 and one of her losses was  to Gina Carano  by decision in 2006. Maxwell will be fighting Meisha Tate on June 27 at the HP Pavilion in San Jose. 

Hey Beef, How are you?

I'm doing great. I am  training hard for my upcoming fight on June 27th in San Jose. For tickets, you can  go to http://strikeforce. strongvon. com, and select MAXWELL. To catch it on television, check out HDNet and NBC!

Did you get a chance to watch the Gina Carano vs. Kaitlin Young fight? 

No, I was at XFA(Xtreme Fighting Association) in Las Vegas.

You fought Gina once in a kickboxing matcht and once in the cage. Would you like a rematch with Gina in the future?

Yes.

What do you think of Gina not making weight for her fight against Kaitlin Young and being four and a half pounds over the weight limit?

There should be more weight divisions for women.

What do you know about your opponent on June 27, Meisha Tate?

She is a high school wrestler and trains with Dennis Hallman.

What kind of fight should we expect between you and Meisha?

Like all of my other MMA fights, it’ll be fight of the night. It’ll be a classic match-up of striker vs grappler.

Are there any fighters out there that you would like to face after your fight with Tate? 

I take one fight at a time, so I’m not there just yet. Maybe I’ll think about that on June 28th!

How do you like fighting for Strikeforce, and do you feel added pressure to win and put on a good performance due to all the local support you get in San Jose?

I love fighting for a local organization, such as Strikeforce, especially since I have been fighting for them for such a long time since I was an amateur kickboxer. Although I do love traveling and competing abroad, there won’t be any additional pressure because I am used to fighting in San Jose.

What part of your game do you think you need to work on the most?

I would like to work more on my transitions from stand-up to ground, and on my ground game of course, especially since I’m only a blue belt.

What is it like to train with a superstar like Cung Le? 

It’s been great to watch him evolve from San Shou to MMA. It has definitely helped me transition into becoming a well-rounded MMA fighter.

How did you get your nickname "Beef"? A lot of fans are wondering about that.

I worked at Outback Steakhouse for five  years when I first started training martial arts, and my teammates thought my strength and power came from all of the beef I consumed. When I call people, my caller ID is not Elaina but “Beef” or “Beefy!"(laughs)

What do you have to say to critics who think that women should not be fighting in MMA?

If I thought about that, then I wouldn’t be where I am today. I can’t change people's point of view with my words.  I can only change them with my actions.

Do you have any final words for all the MMA fans out there?

I’d like to thank my sisters, Ila & Christina, and my sponsors: Toyota, Sprawl, Takedown, Score Clinic, Conquer, BR Flooring, ADP Graphics & GTS.