By: Thomas Vickers (MMA – Journalist)

QUEEN MMA MEDIA

MMA journalist Tommy V. caught up with Shino VanHoose, an exciting atomweight, for a quick one on one interview.  VanHoose has produced a 6 – 5 professional record facing such big names in the sport as Seo Hee Ham, Amber Brown, and Kikuyo Ishikawa.  VanHoose has tremendous experience for a twenty-three year old atomweight having fought under the promotional banners of Jewels, Pancrase, Road FC, Intense Championship Fighting, Real Fighting Championships, Front Street Fights, and Invicta Fighting Championship.

Tommy V – Can you share some of your martial arts combat sports background?

SHINO – “I started out doing jiu jitsu when I was about six or seven years old.  My parents have always been martial arts fans so they threw me and my brothers in at a young age.  As we got older we started finding other martial arts like judo and muay thai.  Before you know it we started putting everything together and our MMA journey began.”

Tommy V – How would you describe yourself as a fighter?

SHINO – “I would describe myself as a risk.  I’m young in the game but I’ve also had a lot of experience for my age.  I think a lot of people sometimes look at me as an easy fight because my record is almost even, but if you really look at those losses they were all to top ranked fighters at the time and I was a teenager for most of those fights with a lot to still learn.  I think I’m finally starting to figure my own fight style out and becoming more and more dangerous.”

Tommy V – What made you decide to become a WMMA fighter?

SHINO – “Like I said earlier, I’ve been doing martial arts since I was a young girl, so being twenty-three now I’ve spent almost seventeen years on the mats and it is what I’ve put the most time into.  So when WMMA started coming up and girls like Gina Carano, Cris Cyborg, Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate were becoming popular, I knew I owed it to myself and my parents for all the time and money we’ve put into it already to really see how far I can take this.”

Tommy V – You are an amazing athlete.  You turned pro back in 2011 and now at the age of twenty-three years you have compiled twelve pro WMMA fights, what has been the highest moment of your professional career in the cage?  Why?

SHINO – “For me, the highest moment of my pro career was probably my first win in the biggest WMMA promotion in the world.  I turned pro at sixteen back in 2011, that was before Invicta FC was even a promotion.  Once they established Invicta, I knew it was where I wanted to be because I could tell they were going to have the highest female talents.  So when my dream since I was seventeen became reality, and I got my first win in Invicta it became so real to me that I’m actually capable of becoming a champion and making this a career.”

Tommy V – Who has been your toughest opponent to date as a pro?  Why?

SHINO – “This is an interesting question for me because I’ve fought so many top ranked people but it was actually the fight with Jenny Silverio in Florida that made me realize how much I needed to work on my mental game and confidence.  My family had just moved across the world for the military and it was the first camp I had without them telling me what I needed to do, how much I needed to train, what I needed to eat, that I put so much pressure on myself to “Not lose” and forgot to tell myself I was capable of winning.  It was a mentally challenging fight but it helped me realize I needed to grow up and start figuring things out on my own.”

Tommy V – The bout between Alesha Zappitella and you had been cancelled, it was my understanding you had pulled out with a reported injury.  Could you clarify as to why the Invicta FC match up had been scrapped?

SHINO – “I had to pull out of the fight with Alesha because I had suffered a complete ACL tear.  Surgery and physical therapy are the next steps for me to recovery.”

Tommy V – I am guessing you saw the Invicta FC fight between Zappitella and DeCoursey.  Jillian DeCoursey stepping up on short notice to fill in.  Was the outcome of that fight what you expected?

SHINO – “Yes I definitely tuned in for that fight.  I honestly didn’t know how it was going to go but I knew that Alesha was going to be very prepared and DeCoursey was going to be making her work.  It was a great fight.”

Tommy V – You are coming off a big win at Invicta Fighting Championship 25 back in August of 2017 a year ago.  A split decision victory over a then 3 – 0 Alyse Anderson, an extremely challenging and notable opponent who recently just defeated Stephanie Alba.  Were you surprised by Anderson’s win over Alba?  Do you expect considerable cage rust next time you step into the cage?

SHINO – “I knew she was going to be hungry for a win after our fight so I didn’t have doubt she would come out on top.  She definitely looked ready and super happy for her!  How she won with that flying triangle was for sure surprising!  Haha very impressive.  As for ring rust, I don’t think it’ll be there.  I’m trying to take this time to work on myself better than I ever have so I can be physically and mentally the strongest I’ve ever been so I’ll be brand new, like I never left.”

Tommy V – Many in the fight industry feel the Atomweights are growing in talent and number.  I myself am among them.  Atomweights seem to be slowly battling their way on to the main stage.  Do you agree?  Why?  And do you see the UFC creating an Atomweight division in the future?

SHINO – “Oh of course I agree.  It used to be so hard to find opponents and that’s why I’ve fought so many top ranked people at a young age.  There was nobody else!  Now I’m fighting and getting matched up with girls my own age so it’s exciting to be part of that growth.  I also feel like the UFC will have no choice but to bring the Atomweights in.  They’ve already brought so many Atomweights up to the 115 lbs division.  They can’t bring all of us up.  I think finally crowning an Atomweight champion will help with that decision.”

Tommy V – What is on your horizon?  Do you have a fight in the works?

SHINO – “As of now all I’m focusing on is healing up and having a smooth recovery.  You guys will see me back.  Thank you.  I loved those questions!!”

QUEEN MMA MEDIA

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