A Maple Ridge woman who turned professional as a Mixed Martial Arts fighter five years ago has caught a huge career break.
Alana Cook has signed for at least two fights with Oktagon MMA, the largest MMA organization in Europe, and will be making her promotional debut on Sept. 12 in Brno, Czech Republic, at Oktagon 93.
Cook is the first Canadian woman signed to Oktagon, and she’s ranked number one in Canada.
“I’m also Métis and a proud member of Métis Nation British Columbia, so this milestone means a lot to me beyond my own fighting career,” she said. “I’m incredibly proud to be the first Indigenous woman to sign with Oktagon, and to have the opportunity to represent both Canada and my Métis community on an international stage.”
Oktagon is a major player on the European fight scene, first packing Czech and Slovak arenas, and also putting on events in Germany and the UK, while promoting its fights and fighters through reality TV programs. It drew 60,000 fans to a record-breaking MMA event in Frankfurt in 2024.
Signing with them was a dream come true for Cook – a 35-year-old who started in the sport as a 19-year-old, at the Fight Pitt in Maple Ridge. She had her first fight at her hometown Unified Training Centre.
“I was hooked, right from the get-go,” she said.
Now she’s known as “Alanamal,” and the only thing more memorable than her first fight might be this next one.
“I’m pretty excited,” she said. “MMA has a huge following in Europe.”
Cook will face Niamh “the British Razor” Kinehan, and Oktagon promotes the fight as ” a clash between an elite British striker and a relentless Canadian powerhouse.”
Kinehan is a world champion Muay Thai kick boxer, and one of the world’s elite stand-up fighters.
Cook has eight bouts, a record of 6-2, and is a well-rounded fighter with good jiu jitsu techniques and strong grappling.
“…she’s built her reputation across the Canadian and American circuits through gritty fence battles and relentless pressure – a style designed to break opponents down,” said the Oktagon promoters. “And that relentless approach could be exactly the kind of challenge Kinehan doesn’t want.”
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If she’s not hitting punching bags, Cook is hitting the books. She a PhD kinesiology student at UBC, where her research focuses on Indigenous women and martial arts.
She also runs the Walking Like Warriors non-profit, offering self defence classes aimed in particular at Indigenous women and girls.
Cook and her partner moved to Ontario to train at Niagara Top Team Gym, but she doesn’t forget shout outs to Animo Boxing Gym where she coached, and Maple Ridge Physio. She is also accepting new sponsors to help cover expenses for her European fights.