It's finally Visalia native Jackie Flores' time to shine at 559 Fights

At just nine years old, Jackie “Lulu” Flores was inspired. 

After her training sessions at Elite Team BJJ in Visalia, Calif., Flores would stay and watch the professional MMA fighters train.

She saw the likes of current UFC fighter Cody Gibson, former Bellator fighter Doug Marshall, former UFC fighter Cain Carrizosa and now MMA coach Darren “DC” Crisp all training at the highest level. 

“It all just made me think ‘man, I could do that one day, if I work as hard as they were,’” Flores said. “I want to do that, punch people in the face.”

And work hard she did. Now at 25 years old, Flores now trains under Crisp at his MMA gym and is set to make her 559 Fights debut in her hometown of Visalia on Saturday, August 23 at the Visalia Convention Center.

Although her next bout is her first with 559 Fights, it is far from her first amateur fight. Let alone her first bout in combat sports.

Flores wrestled throughout her childhood and at Golden West High School in Visalia. She wrestled at 131 pounds and qualified for the CIF State Championships tournament in 2016, 2017 and 2018.

Her performance in high school earned her a scholarship to wrestle at NAIA Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, Tex. 

Flores was on the wrestling team for all four years but struggled with the idea of what she would do after college. She experimented with boxing in Texas right after graduating with a degree in Justice Administration in 2022 but it wasn’t the same.

“It wasn’t enough for me,” Flores said. “I would do boxing tournaments and I would clinch up with girls and I’d end up throwing them.”

After she realized she defaulted to the discipline she knew best, she sought out her old friend, Darren Crisp.

Crisp was a former MMA fighter turned coach who opened his MMA gym, Crisp MMA, in 2019.

It only took Flores one in-person look at his gym to realize she wanted to make the jump back to California to train at Crisp MMA. 

Not only did Crisp recognize Flores’ talent, but he also acknowledged her relentless work ethic.

“She’s tough, she’s durable,” he said. “She spars with some of our guys that are more experienced and she’s over there putting hands on them.”

Crisp MMA has a plethora of active fighters at 559 Fights all of whom Flores instantly meshed with and impressed.

“It felt like family right away,” Flores said.

Some of those fighters include current 559 Fights Bantamweight champion Matthew Vargas, title challengers Brianna Stephens and Tyler Saelee, flyweight Lorenzo Quintana, featherweight Matthew Martinez and bantamweight Nathan Chastain. 

Chastain, like many of their teammates, immediately noticed Flores’ work ethic was second to none.

“She’s all gas, no brakes,” Chastain, who is also competing at 559 Fights 116, said. “If I’m [sparring] with her I’ve got to be on high alert, just as any opponent she goes against is going to have to be.”

Flores’ first amateur opponent at Peak Fighting Championship (PFC) in Texas experienced this first-hand on June 8, 2024. She earned her first amateur win with a knockout just one minute and 14 seconds into the first round.

Flores followed that up with another PFC win on Oct. 19, 2024 as she submitted her opponent in the second round to quickly earn two wins to start her amateur career.

Her next fight wouldn’t come for another eight months, finally fighting with PFC again this past June. 

During those eight months, she waited for a fight to materialize with 559 Fights, but nothing would come to fruition.

“I’m really impatient,” Flores said. “So as soon as PFC would give me someone, I’m like, ‘Let’s do it.’”

Her impatient nature translated onto the mat and backfired against her in June, costing Flores her first amateur loss via submission.

“It was more of her just being overzealous and wanting to beat the girl so bad,” Crisp said.

Despite the loss, Flores signed a fight contract with 559 Fights shortly after to fight Jasmin Jastrzebski who also sports a 2-1 record.

Flores is looking forward to finally competing in front of her hometown, family and biggest supporters, but she’s still focused on improving on her loss.

“Every time I lose my work ethic gets crazier and crazier,” she said. “This time you’re going to see a different Jackie. You’re going to see a more calm and collected Jackie.”

Flores says regardless if she comes out on top, she would like to be more active than she’s been and get to a higher level.

“If we can rack up some wins or just fights, then we’re going to go pro by next summer,” she said.

Flores and Chastain will look to get a step closer to achieving their goals and represent Crisp MMA well at 559 Fights 116 on Saturday, August 23 at the Visalia Convention Center.

Contacts:

Jeremy Luchau, CEO – 559-813-0307

Antoine Hood, VP of Talent Acquisition – 760-977-6011

Michael Hernandez, PR Manager/Commentator - 559-672-9574

Sergio Romero, PR Coordinator - 559-577-2841 

FOR FIGHTER CONTACT INFORMATION, please contact the Media or Public Relations Coordinator at the numbers listed above.