Jackie Cataline, a lifelong wrestler who transitioned to mixed martial arts in 2022, intends to utilize her grappling expertise against boxing specialist Jamie Edenden at Invicta FC 61 in Shawnee, Oklahoma this Friday.
Their featherweight bout was initially scheduled for February 7th but was postponed due to a medical suspension Cataline received after a Power Slap competition. Edenden expressed frustration over the cancellation, suggesting Cataline`s confidence was misplaced. However, Cataline dismisses Edenden`s challenge to avoid takedowns.
“She’s trying to build hype, which is fine,” Cataline told MMA Fighting. “But honestly, her reluctance to engage on the ground works to my advantage. Ground fighting is my strength. I haven’t faced an opponent I couldn`t take down, and her fear of it is obvious. Her trash talk just motivates me to not only win but to dominate her. Now, it’s personal; I want to inflict pain.”
Cataline`s MMA record stands at 5-3, with three wins by finish, including a dominant TKO victory over Kelly Ottoni in August. Edenden (5-2-1) is on a four-fight winning streak since turning professional in 2022.
“She wants a stand-up fight, a brawl,” Cataline explained. “She’s an aggressive striker who comes forward throwing punches – her boxing isn`t particularly refined, but she’s constantly advancing. This style is ideal for a wrestler like me. My goal in every fight is to overwhelm my opponent, take them down, and inflict damage. I don’t aim for a pretty fight; I want to leave my opponent battered.”
At 36, Cataline, a mother of four, electrician, and high school wrestling coach, remains a force in combat sports. The former Olympic wrestling team member plans to continue competing in both MMA for Invicta FC and Power Slap.
“I’ll be 37 this year, and my competitive window is closing,” Cataline acknowledged. “I don’t see myself doing this at 45 [laughs]. Power Slap was a strategic business decision, a way to get noticed. Dana White is now my boss. Crucially, my contract allows me to compete in both fighting and Power Slap, unlike many others. I intend to stay active, competing in Power Slap three to four times and fighting three to four times this year.”
“I spent 20 years on the U.S. national and Olympic wrestling team,” she added. “But I have a full-time job as an electrician. I have four kids and coach high school wrestling. I’m incredibly busy and don’t need to fight for financial reasons. My career provides a good income. I compete because I love it, I enjoy challenges. I want to experience as much as possible in the next few years before retiring from competition entirely.”
Regarding Power Slap, Cataline defends the sport, arguing it`s perceived as more dangerous than it is.
“I don’t believe it’s more dangerous than MMA,” Cataline stated. “In MMA, you absorb hundreds of strikes in a 15- or 25-minute fight. In Power Slap, you take maybe three slaps. It’s less cumulative damage than in fighting. My face is never as marked up after Power Slap as it is after an MMA fight. The perception of damage is exaggerated because of the knockouts, which are visually dramatic and generate clicks. It’s a ‘wow’ factor. People see the knockouts and assume that’s the norm, but it’s not. I definitely sustain more damage in MMA fights than in Power Slap.”
