With Dreams of Wrestling Gold in 2024 Olympics, Loopy Godinez and Sister Ana Reveal Unique Approach to Training

Up-and-coming women’s UFC strawweight star Loopy Godinez has managed to do what every mixed martial artist wants; getting into the UFC. The Dana White-led promotion, of course, is the world’s largest and most prestigious combat sports organization in the entire world whose title is the most esteemed, by far, in the entire sport.

Despite this, she may not even be the best combat sports athlete in her own family. The Mexican-Canadian UFC star has stiff competition for her younger sister, Ana. The latter is in Paris, representing Canada in wrestling at the ongoing Olympic games there. This, of course, means that the siblings are competing at the highest level in their sports in the same week! But the two still find time for each other.

Loopy Godinez in touch with Olympian sister ahead of Mackenzie Dern fight

Loopy Godinez is currently ranked #10 in the women’s strawweight division. The Mexican-Canadian is gearing up to face #7 ranked Mackenzie Dern on the main card of the UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi card on August 3. As per usual, Loopy has been in Mexico for her training camp, while Ana was busy preparing for the Olympics.

The sisters are close and find time for each other despite their busy schedules. Unsurprisingly, the two bond over their shared love for combat sports, and they have made it a point to be constantly in touch with each other, even if it is in the form of Loopy and Ana sending each other videos and updates on their training.

“We still talk. We FaceTime. When she’s home, we talk everyday on the phone, but right now when she’s in Mexico, our schedules don’t match really but we always message and sometimes we’ll FaceTime. It’s definitely a busy time. She’ll send me videos of her training and I’ll update her on my training,” Ana told MMA Fighting.

Ana is scheduled to fight six days after Loopy’s clash against Dern. The younger Godinez used to play rugby in school, before she discovered wrestling. Once she did start wrestling, with her sister being one of her earliest instructors, she showed remarkable promise and soon became a full-time wrestler. Fast forward a few years, and she is at the Olympics, representing Canada in wrestling. And she may well follow her sister into the UFC.

Ana Godinez is ‘interested’ in MMA

Ana, on being asked if she ever saw herself following Loppy’s footsteps and making a transition to mixed martial arts, admitted she was definitely ‘interested’. The two-time Pan American Gold Medallist revealed that she had been involved in Loopy’s fight camps previously, which she enjoyed a lot. Given her affinity for MMA, it was not surprising that Ana felt it would be ‘foolish’ for her not to give MMA a shot after she was done wrestling.

“I definitely have interest in [MMA]… My focus obviously is wrestling right now, but I’ll probably try it out. If I want to fight someone, I will. I think it would be foolish not to try after wrestling is done,” Ana added. Loopy too sees MMA in her younger sister’s future and was impressed by the promise Ana showed in their brief MMA sparring sessions.

This is not surprising, since Ana has already shown she has all the ingredients of a future MMA champion. Along with her championship pedigree, Ana has shown by qualifying for the Olympics that she is among the very best female wrestlers in Canada. Not to mention she will have the guidance and support of her older sister, who is among the best female fighters in her sport.

What are your thoughts on their relationship? Let us know in the comments below.