There was no doubt in anybody’s mind that Jamey-Lyn Horth Wessels was the queen of the ring in Saturday’s UFC bout in Atlanta, Georgia.
Horth Wessels won by unanimous decision against 36-year-old American fighter Vanessa Demopoulos on June 14.
After her original opponent, Czech Republic fighter Tereza Bleda, was forced to withdraw from the fight due to a staph infection, Horth Wessels found herself up against Demopoulos with only weeks to prepare.
Horth Wessels came into the fight as the early favourite. At 5 feet 7 inches (170 cm) with a reach of 66 inches (168 cm), she towered over Demopoulos, who sits at 5 feet 2 inches (157 cm) and has a reach of 59.5 inches (151 cm).
As the clear winner in each of the three rounds, Horth Wessels used her additional height and reach to lay claim over Demopoulos, who did her best to hold her ground against the Squamish fighter.
Horth Wessels landed an early kick in round one before she circled her opponent, landing multiple knocks to the body.
With two minutes to spare, Horth Wessels executed a number of blows to the head of Demopoulos, bounding around the octagon with an exuberant amount of energy.
The round ended with Horth Wessels using her size to hold Demopoulos to the mat.
The crowd at Squamish’s The Backyard went wild with excitement throughout the bout, all throwing their support behind the local sports star.
Rounds two and three were much the same, with Demopoulos managing to drag Horth Wessells down to the mat in the final round. Still, the Canadian quickly reversed the move to get on top, dropping a number of hammer fists against her opponent.
The only bloodshed was from the eyes of Demopoulos after an early blow from Horth Wessels in the first round.
But it was clear there was no bad blood between the two fighters as they embraced in a hug at the end of the bout.
Horth Wessels was named the clear winner by unanimous decision with the judges scoring 30-27, 30-27, 30-27 in her favour.
This brings her pro MMA record to 8 wins and 2 losses.
Preparation
In preparation for the fight, Horth Wessels told The Squamish Chief that aside from fight camp training, she was spending a lot of time with her family.
“Family is a huge thing for me, and I feel like spending time with my nieces and nephews, you know, just being around the kids, their energy is so, so real and authentic,” she said back in April.
“It's just relaxing, and it kind of brings you back down to just the basis of just laughing and being present, and I think that that's super important, and that makes me feel good.”
She was also getting involved in a number of activities across town to distract herself from any pre-fight stress.
“There's just always things in town that are going on, and I feel like I can use that as a distraction to my diet or my fatigue and being out in the community and going to the places that we love to go, and just being a kid.”
Community support
While there is always a number of friends and fans gathered to watch her fights in Squamish, local businesses are also quick to throw their support behind Horth Wessels, too.
At Outbound Station, Horth Wessels has her very own meal called the Born & Raised burger.
The venue shared on their social media that its name was chosen for a number of reasons close to the heart for Horth Wessels.
“Being 'Born & Raised’ isn't just about being physically born and raised here in Squamish. It means submersing yourself into all this town has to offer. By involving yourself in events, the community and giving back in the same and various ways the people of Squamish have given to you,” she said on their social media video.
“Growing up in Squamish has shaped me into who I am by providing ample amounts of organized sports, all supported with local companies and volunteers. As I continue to grow, so does the community support.
“The motivation to become a better role model for the youth and up-and-coming athletes in Squamish, is always being pushed higher and higher each year. I wouldn’t be who I am today without the love of Squamish, and of course, the support of my parents.”
The Born & Raised burger is a grilled jalapeño cheeseburger made with a fried egg, bacon and hot sauce.
Check out Outbound Station to try Horth Wessels' burger, and follow along with her UFC journey via her social media page.
