Gympie MMA superstar Arlene Blencowe trains with the ‘GWOAT’ Claressa Shields in America

The region’s fighting champion has also been rubbing shoulders with the likes of Holly Holm and Michelle Waterson as she eyes a return to the cage in 2021.

Arlene Blencowe (left) trains at the famed Jackson Wink MMA Academy with world champion boxer Claressa Shields.

She may have suffered an agonising world title defeat to one of the biggest names in MMA history, but Gympie’s fighting superstar Arlene Blencowe has ramped up her comeback bid with some massive names in her corner.

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The 38-year-old, known as “Angerfist” when she dons the Bellator gloves, has once again jetted to the US for some training at her home away from home, the famed Jackson Wink MMA Academy in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The Jackson Wink gym boasts some incredibly successful students, such as long-time UFC light heavyweight king Jon Jones and former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm.

As well as Holm, Blencowe has been sharing the Jackson Wink mats with the likes of UFC competitor Michelle Waterson and Olympic gold medallist, world champion boxer Claressa “The GWOAT” Shields.

Blencowe shared a snap of the two on her social media accounts this week, telling her 44,000+ followers that she was glad to help Shields prepare for her highly-anticipated MMA debut in the Professional Fighters League next month.

As for her own return to the cage Blencowe has not yet secured an opponent for her next Bellator bout, but shared that she was “keen to start this 2021 campaign” with another Instagram post.

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Blencowe announced she had signed a new four fight contract with Bellator last December, following her submission loss to former UFC champion Cris Cyborg in a contest for the women’s featherweight title two months earlier.

The now NSW-based mixed martial artist returned to the Gympie region over Christmas, attending Amamoor State School before moving on to One Mile State School, Gympie State High School and James Nash State High School.