craigdailypress.com

Angela Poe doesn't wear makeup, doesn't own a curling iron and most definitely doesn't wear dresses.

And the only date she's worried about is a date with the champ.

A date that's approaching fast.

Poe is a submission grappler about to make her leap onto the international fighting scene.

A leap, to Poe, that is long overdue.

"I've been doing this a long time," she said. "It's time I see how good I am."

Regardless of how Poe places in the 2008 Grappling World Championships Dec. 20 to 22 in Lucerne, Switzerland, it's safe to say she already has begun to make a name for herself.

Growing up with two older brothers and 21 male cousins, Poe had her share of backyard brawls.

But it wasn't until high school that she decided to put her feisty demeanor and will to tussle to good use.

"I started out in karate, wow, 15 years ago," the 33-year-old said. "I figured, I liked to punch and kick, so why not?"

Little did she know how far she would take it.

Tired of beating girls up, Poe toiled in rugby, played women's professional football and even tried women's professional boxing.

"I remember, one time, I had an injured shoulder and went to an arm-wrestling tournament with a friend," she laughed and said. "I was just going to watch, but I got talked into competing."

And what do you think happened?

"I won it," she said.

Nothing had changed since her karate days - Poe went undefeated as a boxer - as she continued to search out stronger - and sometimes bigger - competition.

"My first fight, I knocked out a 6-foot, 200-pound girl that was 12-0," Poe said. "Apparently, she hadn't lost before - until she fought me."

Already a football player, karate champion and undefeated boxer, Poe still was looking for a bigger challenge.

She joined the mixed martial arts craze - another undefeated record followed - attempting to step her fighting skills up another notch.

"Boxing ended up being too political, and MMA has too much violence in this area," Poe said gesturing toward her face. "I had started to practice jujitsu, so I got involved in grappling."

Like each of her previous forays into different fighting circles, Poe is tasting success as a grappler.

She swept through the regional meet four months ago in Pueblo and earned a spot in the national event in San Diego in September.

There, Poe lost to the current world champion - her only defeat as a professional fighter.

A defeat she is looking to avenge in Switzerland.

"If we meet, it will probably be at the end," Poe said. "And let me tell you, I plan on coming home with that gold medal."

Her endless hours of training, running stairs and sparring with men, could pay off on the grappling world's biggest stage.

Despite saying she is not a "normal" women, Poe did divulge a secret as to what she will do upon returning as a champion.

"I'm actually going to go to a spa," she said. "I like to be pampered. After all, I am a woman.

"Just not a normal one, I guess."