After an eventful 2014, Joanne Calderwood was voted the WMMA Press Awards “Fan Favorite Fight of the Year”. This was the only award that was voted by the public.
Calderwood took the award with 15% of the vote, with Tonya Evinger (11%) and Ronda Rousey (10%) taking second and third respectfully.
The Scottish standout was a contestant on “The Ultimate Fighter 20” and is still undefeated in her MMA career.
We talked to Calderword about winning the award and her 2014.
Wombat Sports: Congratulations on winning WMMA Press Awards “Fan Favorite Fighter”. What does it mean to you to have the fans behind you for this award?
Joanne Calderwood: To be honest it is a surprise, I didn’t know about the voting and hadn’t asked my fans to vote. So I’m really grateful for the people who voted for me and I hope I can continue doing what I do and promoting myself as the fighter I am inside the cage and out.
Wombat: During when TUF 20 aired, you got a lot more exposure to MMA fans who don’t follow the women’s divisions closely. How was it for you to see more people get to see you as a person and as a fighter?
Calderwood: I was really excited for this because I know a lot of the UFC fans are proper hardcore fight fans, so I knew they’d like me cause I am focused and determined and all I care about is fighting.
W.S.: You are coming off a win over Seo Hee Ham in youjr official UFC debut. What was it like for you to go down to the octagon for the first time in front of an UFC crowd?
J.C.: It was a shorter walk than I imagined but I just thought about all the walks to the gym and up those 5 flights of stairs that had me prepared for this fight and under the same roof as my team and under the watchful eye of my coach James Doolan I felt blessed and relieved that the TUF experience was done.
W.S.: I remember when we talked for the first time when you were campaigning to have the local Scottish government to allow you to fight your first MMA bout. Could you have imagined then you would be undefeated and in the UFC?
J.C.: Awesome memory I knew I would still be doing it whether they allowed it or not lol. I didn’t know my journey then I just knew I’d be working my ass off to keep improving as a mixed martial artist and looking to fight the best.
W.S.: Think a lot of fans are looking forward to your next time in the octagon. Anything you’d like to add/thank?
J.C.: Yea hopefully I will have something soon it already feels like ages ago I just wanna get back in there. Thank you to everyone that voted and to my fans that are truly awesome. Thanks for the award, my first award I got from you is framed and still up in the gym proudly.
Wombat Sports 
Well deserved and class act. She defined herself as a star of WMMA in the ring and iut of it. The newspaper tuff 20 blog, participation / sparring with other competitors before tuf 20matches. What truly made others stand up and notice is her speaking up when others were booing post match. Jojo is obe to watch as see her post mma as Scots – UK wmma / mma commissioner or rules committee member at IMAAF.