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Tara Nicole LaRosa has had a career ranking her among the world's top female Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighters. LaRosa has endured lengthy breaks in competition, failed promotions, a dearth of opponents, and narrow opportunities. Originating from New Jersey's Woodstown, she was raised on a farm, and have been involved with martial arts for most of her life. Her awareness of MMA first came during UFC 1: The Beginning (1993), and was fascinated when Royce Gracie submitted Ken Shamrock. She learned Shotokan Karate in her senior year at Saint James High School, while partaking in softball, basketball and field hockey. LaRosa started playing field hockey in the fifth grade and earned a scholarship and attended North Carolina's Catawba College. There she learned judo, competed in jiu-jitsu and grappling tournaments. In 2001, she joined Team ROC (Reality of Combat) and studied Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, and then MMA. Her instructors were Greg Thompson, who earned a black belt from Royce Gracie, and Aitor "Spenser" Canup.
A natural flyweight (125 pounds), LaRosa spent most of her career at bantamweight (135 pounds). Her first professional MMA fight happened in April 2002 in HOOKnSHOOT, a promotion founded by Jeff Osborne. During HOOKnSHOOT's "Revolution," LaRosa fought Shelby Walker in a bout scheduled for two 5-minute rounds. LaRosa won in three minutes by technical knockout from punches from the mounted position. LaRosa beat Angela Wilson similarly at HOOKnSHOOT's "New Wind" event. At a Shooto Americas event in Tennessee, LaRosa submitted Ginele Marquez by arm-bar after four minutes. LaRosa lost her first fight when she moved down in weight against veteran boxer and top-ranked Jennifer Howe to inaugurate a flyweight champion. LaRosa was first hurt by a straight punch from Howe, later knocked out by two left hooks. LaRosa returned to HOOKnSHOOT in 2004 to face Canadian fighter Linda Langerak, and won submission with a left arm-bar. The next month, LaRosa met Alisa Cantwell in Xtreme Fighting Organization, and won by arm-bar in three minutes. She competed in overseas MMA for the first time in Tokyo, Japan, in March 2005. She met Megumi Yabushita in Shooto, and won by majority decision. In October 2005, LaRosa received a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu from Royce Gracie. A month later she returned to Japan to fight Kumiko Maekawa on Smackgirl's "Lightweight Anniversary" card. Over two rounds, LaRosa utilized her grappling to control the heavier and taller Maekawa to win unanimously. LaRosa next fought her friend, Roxanne Modafferi, for Mix Fighting Championships (MFC) in New Jersey. She defeated Modafferri by unanimous decision.
LaRosa moved to Washington to train in the Yakima MMA gym, preparing for Hitomi Akano in her second MFC bout. LaRosa won by unanimous decision. She had similar results against Julie Kedzie a month later at Ultimate Cage Wars, and won the bantamweight title. Soon after, LaRosa signed with the promotion owned by Calvin Ayre, BodogFight (2006). She fought Amanda Buckner-a replacement for Laura D'Auguste who had an ankle injury-in the promotion's first women's bout. It was a back-and-forth striking exchange, and LaRosa won with a rear-naked choke in the third round, with twenty-nine seconds left in the fight. Defeating Buckner earned her a spot on the American (Team USA) against their Russian counterparts (Russian Red Devil Club) at BodogFight: USA vs. Russia (2006). Her opponent was Julia Berezikova, whom she submitted by arm-bar almost ninety seconds in round two. LaRosa fought Shayna Andrea Baszler at a BodogFight event in Costa Rica, which was later televised Ion TV. The fight ended when LaRosa slammed Baszler to the mat, obtained the full mount, and hit a few punches until it was stopped by technical knockout. In April 2007, LaRosa relocated to Boca Raton, Florida, to train with Ultimate Self Defense, an American Top Team affiliate school lead by Charles McCarthy. LaRosa next fought Kelly Kobold in a bout to crown a women's bantamweight champion in BodogFight. LaRosa dealt with most of Kobold's strikes by getting take-downs. In the fourth round, LaRosa was taken down, she reversed the position, ended up on top, secured an arm-bar, and Kobold submitted. Tragedy entered Tara LaRosa's life when her boyfriend, Adrian Marcos Elizalde, died in Iraq due to an attack by an improvised explosive device. A Fort Lewis, Washington-based engineer in the U.S. Army Special Forces, Sgt. 1st Class Elizalde was in a truck in the city of Al Aziziyah on August 23, 2007 when he and colleagues were attacked. LaRosa was in Canada doing promotional work for BodogFight when Elizalde's parents called with the news. LaRosa met Elizalde in 2005 in North Carolina when she worked as a Modern Army Combatives instructor at Team ROC Fayetteville. LaRosa and Elizalde frequently trained together. Afflicted by the loss, LaRosa, who qualified for the first U.S. Submission Grappling Team, was faced with competing in the upcoming inaugural World Grappling Championships. LaRosa moved back to New Jersey, leaving Philadelphia Fight Factory. She remained with the US grappling team, then traveled to Antalya, Turkey, where she won a gold medal in the 63kg (138 pounds) division at the 2007 FILA World Grappling Championships.
In November 2007, LaRosa moved down to flyweight for a non-title fight against Cody Welchlin in a BodogFight/HookNShoot event. Welchlin connected with right hooks and LaRosa took her to the ground. LaRosa avoided Welchin's kicks in the second round, took her down to end up in side control position. LaRosa attempted an arm-bar which Welchlin avoided, then transitioned to a triangle choke to get the submission. LaRosa was undefeated in all five of her BodogFight bouts, and never defended the title due to the promotion's closure in 2008 from financial losses. She was approached by people in Elite XC (2007) with proposals she had reservations about, including fighting 3-minute rounds, and possibly competing above bantamweight to fight Gina Carano. She signed with the Kentucky-based American Fight League (AFL), and the official announcement was made in June 2008 at AFL's second event: "Bulletproof". LaRosa reportedly had a lucrative 4-fight eighteen-month deal which would have made her the sports highest paid female fighter. AFL planned to have her compete during their first pay-per-view card. A planned rematch with Roxanne Modafferi that October was shifted to Ironheart Crown, then canceled due to limited funds. In the interim, LaRosa qualified for the American grappling team for a consecutive year. She prepared for and competed in the 2008 FILA World Grappling Championships held in Luzern, Switzerland. She won a bronze medal in the gi division, and a silver in the no gi division at 55kg (121 pounds). AFL closed and LaRosa remained out of MMA competition until January 2009. In Extreme Challenge, she fought Alexis Davis at "War at the Shore" promoted by her manager, Monty Cox. The fight was contested at a 130-pound catch weight because Davis was overweight, then promoted to main event when Wilson Reis and Eddie Alvarez withdrew from their respective bouts. LaRosa survived Davis' early punches and tempered them by taking the action to the ground. In round two, LaRosa survived a triangle choke applied by Davis until the round ended. In the third round, LaRosa's punches aggravated a cut over Davis' right eye. LaRosa won when a physician examined the cut and stopped the fight. At Extreme Challenge's March "Mayhem at the Marina" card, LaRosa fought Sally Krumdiack, the Freestyle Cage Fighting women's flyweight champion in a non-title bout. LaRosa won with a third round kimura submission.
LaRosa discussed going to Strikeforce (2006) and fighting featherweights (145 pounds) Cris Cyborg and Gina Carano. LaRosa said she declined to go up in weight given her natural physical limitations. She qualified for the U.S.Grappling World Team for the third straight year to compete at 60kg (130 pounds). She fought on Locked In The Cage's first card against Valerie Coolbaugh. After Coolbaugh connected with a right hand, LaRosa backed away and rushed in to get the fight to the ground, and later got a rear-naked choke submission win to become the women's flyweight champion. LaRosa won four medals in the 2009 FILA World Grappling World Championships: two gold medals for the 60kg gi and open weight gi divisions, a silver medal in the 60kg no gi division, and a bronze in the open weight no gi division. She was scheduled to compete at Locked In the Cage's second event in February 2010, however the bout was canceled.
LaRosa negotiated with Bellator Fighting Championships (2009) (BFC) until their decision to have a tournament to crown a straw-weight (115 pounds) women's champion. LaRosa re-matched her friend, Roxanne Modafferi in a 130-pound fight at Moosin: God of Martial Arts (2010). Modaferri hurt LaRosa with punches near the end of the first round, and almost got a triangle choke then arm-bar submission in the second round. LaRosa was dominant early in the third round, getting a right punch which sent her opponent down. Modaferri won by split decision, ending LaRosa's streak of fifteen wins. Settling at flyweight, LaRosa was to fight Aisling Daly for DaMMAge Fight League in Atlantic City. Daly could not get approval from BFC officials, and was replaced by Takayo Hashi. LaRosa had defeated Hashi in grappling at Abu Dhabi Combat Club. LaRosa won the competitive bout, and was crowned DaMMAge Fight League's inaugural women's flyweight champion via unanimous decision. Soon after, LaRosa had a near fatal experience when she went exploring on Western Pennsylvania's Laurel Highlands trails. She became lost and could only contact her mother through text messaging. Rescuers were able to locate her by tracking her phone with Global Positioning System technology. LaRosa was treated for hypothermia.
After DaMMAge Fight League closed, LaRosa fought fellow BodogFight alum, Carina Damm, at Shark Fights 14 (2011). It was decided in the second round after Larosa caught Damm's left leg after a kick, and landed punches which sent an off-balance Damm to the ground. Larosa pursued her and Damm attempted a leg-lock submission, which Larosa fought off and applied a reverse heel-hook to submit Damm. LaRosa signed a non-exclusive contract with Resurrection Fighting Alliance (RFA) and competed at RFA's second event in March 2012. She replaced Angela Magana, who was injured in a car accident, and fought Kelly Warren. LaRosa, Kelly, and other fighters were overweight due to a faulty sauna used for weight-cutting. LaRosa beat Warren by arm-bar a second before the bout was to end. In October 2012, LaRosa debuted in the all-women's Invicta Fighting Championships. had the advantage, out-landing LaRosa, which included several leg kicks. LaRosa lost by unanimous decision. In 2013, she auditioned to join The Ultimate Fighter (2005) which would have women competing for the first time. She tried to qualify for rival teams led by Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate. LaRosa failed to make the cast after losing a two-round exhibition bantamweight bout by unanimous decision to Sarah Moras. She went to Japan in September 2013 and fought Rin Nakai in a bantamweight bout. The close fight was judged by majority decision in favor of Nakai. That loss began the longest losing streak of her MMA career. The streak continued at Invicta FC 8: Waterson vs. Tamada (2014) when she fought Roxanne Modafferi for a third time. Modafferi was the more aggressive and landed more strikes, and won by unanimous decision. In May 2015, she fought at Fusion Fight League's "Epic Evolution" and beat Katie Howard by unanimous decision.
