W.F. West's First Female Wrestler to Compete in MMA Fight at Muckleshoot Casino

Mar. 4—Kayla Weed, A 2016 graduate of W.F. West High School, is preparing for an upcoming fight set for 7 p.m. March 11 at the Muckleshoot Casino in Auburn.

In 2014, Weed became the first female to compete in wrestling at W.F. West. In the following years, she helped develop a team of 27 girls by her senior year.

"It was really awesome starting the program, building it from the ground up," Weed said, adding how proud she was to see the team take fifth at the Mat Classic last month. "Seeing how good they are doing nowadays has been amazing. It's more than I dreamed of."

While taking care of her now 1-year-old daughter Mia, Weed has dedicated time to training for her next fight, taking lessons from Coach Jeff Hougland at Combat Sport & Fitness in Enumclaw since last August.

Weed, who grew up in Adna, said the "journey getting back into shape" has been challenging

"Pregnancy is really hard on the body," she added.

Mia, who celebrated her first birthday in February, attends training sessions, crawling across the mat as her mom spars with trainers.

"It's very rewarding and it's a great opportunity for me to be a role model for my daughter and show her what hard work is," she said.

Weed will take on Rose Fujinaka in an Excitefight mixed martial arts matchup, featuring fighters from across the Pacific Northwest.

"I know her opponent. I watched her last fight. She's tough," Hougland said. "Kayla should be able to beat her in just about every area."

Tickets are available online at https://bit.ly/Excitefight-Muckleshoot.

Read more about Kayla Weed's journey in this 2019 Chronicle profile: https://www.chronline.com/stories/local-mixed-martial-arts-looks-can-be-deceiving,8068