39-year-old UFC mom details new-found passion for fighting after months of giving birth despite body feeling old - "I want to make him proud"

There aren't too many instances of UFC fighters competing inside the octagon after giving birth. However, there have been enough to pave the way.

Germaine de Randamie is now planning to join Julianna Pena, Mackenzie Dern, Michelle Waterson, Miesha Tate, and a few others in the elite club of UFC moms. The former women's featherweight champion is targeting a return to the octagon later this year after giving birth to a baby boy.

De Randamie told UFC Eurosport [Tranlation: YouTube] that her manager was negotiating with the UFC for a comeback in October or November, but a date or opponent has not yet been fixed.

"We are full in training and I don’t have a date yet, but we are going for November or October, end of October or November. I’m feeling good, I’m waiting for the call right now. My manager is negotiating, so we’ll see, but 2023 it will be anyway."

Germaine De Randamie and her partner Samantha became parents to a baby boy in March. They have named the newborn Isiah.

The 39-year-old added that her son has ignited a new passion for fighting, and she wants to make him proud.

"I have to say very honestly after three years it is tough because I am also getting older by the day. My body feels that, but there is a fire burning in me. You can no longer take that figure away, and especially now that I have become a mother, I fight with a different goal: my little man. I want to make him proud... So in the end, whoever is in front of me, it will be them or me, that’s one thing for sure."

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Germaine de Randamie was stripped of her UFC title

Germaine de Randamie won the inaugural women's featherweight title with a victory over Holly Holm at UFC 208. However, after that, she refused to defend her title against serial 'cheater' Cris Cyborg.

De Randamie wrote on Instagram that she reluctantly accepted a fight against Cyborg, but the latter said she would not be able to make weight in 12 weeks and then got flagged by USADA. After the debacle, de Randamie chose not to face her for the title after all.

"My reason for rejecting the fight now has nothing, absolutely nothing to do with me being afraid. I believe that if you want to practice top sport, you do this without substances that can influence muscle mass. I - as a top athlete - have always trained hard, always watched my diet, and devoted 18 years of my life to sports without using a single substance that is not allowed."

In the end, UFC decided to strip her, ending her short-lived four-month title reign. She wrote in her statement that she learned about the news from the media.

Cyborg ended up fighting Tonya Evinger for the belt and won via TKO in the third round.