The Fundamentals Of Modern-Day Shapeshifting

Our Guest Shift this month features Danielle West, Senior Consultant at GroupM Thailand, counsellor, theatre artist, former UFC athlete, and author of Girls Can’t Be In The Mafia.

- DANIELLE WEST

"THIS IS PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE. No one can do such a thing." The promoter watched me weigh in on the film that morning in the Moscow hotel gym to ensure I would safely rehydrate in time for the fight that was going to take place in 24 hours.

He shook his head and grimly responded in a thick Russian accent to my coach: "There's no way she lost seven kilograms and gained it back in a few hours. That's not possible."

Indignantly, she spat in Russian, which was quickly translated for me. Given the way she eyed me up and down, I suspect she may have said more. We were seated on the sofa of a sketchy bed and breakfast, a short walk away from the Mamayev Kurgan war memorial complex in Volgograd.

My coach laughed and explained that it was possible, even common practice at that time in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) where he was fighting. This was not a big cut compared to some of the men in the UFC at the time or even the nine-kilogram cut I managed in 18 hours about six months later for a fight in Tokyo. Several months after the match in Russia, my indignant Russian opponent reached out to ask about my technique. I was happy to share.