Not only is she an MMA fan, she trains too. The dedication she brings into the gym comes from her first passion: music. The Californian has been singing as long as she's had lungs. When she was five-years-old, she cemented the idea she wanted to become a singer. Her parents thought it was phase, but she was persistent. And now at 22, she is nominated for Best Female Vocalist at the 2008 Los Angeles Music Awards.

Despite her success early on in her career (she hasn't officially released any music), she's already learned the complications of the music industry are inescapable. Too fat. Too skinny. Not toned enough.

At 16 years old and in throes of honing her craft, she already heard those whispers -- sometimes screams. "I didn't really know how [to lose weight]," she explains. "[But] I loved to beat up on the boys and that's when I tried boxing."

She found a legitimate trainer in former heavyweight contender Stan Ward. A man who once mixed it up with Mike Weaver and Greg Page, he knows the "Sweet Science." In Winett, he sees enough craftsmanship to turn professional. As much as she loves the training that helped her drop 40-pounds plus, music is her first priority.

Criticisms damaged her emotionally, "and the thing is martial arts helped me reverse that." This is thanks in large part to Majid Reeves, training partner for Karo Parisyan and Renato Sobral among other major MMA players. He showed her wrestling and kickboxing as a supplement to her boxing. Of course, she picked up the submission game.

"I can put a 275-pound man in an armbar and make him cry like a baby and I'm like 98-pounds," she relays about the empowerment she gets from martial arts. "This is awesome!"

Winett became a fan of the sport early on. Her dad, known for getting in more than a few street tussles, had the early UFC's on VHS. But it was only when she turned 13 and developed a crush who liked MMA that she began to follow the sport.

Now, she even watches the IFC. Some of her favorite fighters are Josh Thomson, Yves Edwards, and Matt Serra. "Randy Couture," she continues. "But I think that's kind of a given." Living in the star-driven area of Los Angeles, she has the opportunity to meet her fight heroes too.

"Babalu's sweet!" she exclaims about Renato Sobral. "He's a very kind man."

Begrudgingly, she admits one of her favorite fights saw her family friend Karo Parisyan get his veneer knocked out en route to a decision loss against Diego Sanchez. Listening to her energetic conversation skills that travel as fast as Crocop leg kicks, it becomes apparent she exists in a realm of truth when she praises a man most shy away from-Kimbo Slice.

The singer of Puerto Rican heritage then reveals her favorite fighter.

"I love Gina Carano! First of all, she's gorgeous…Second of all, she's badass! She's hot, okay. I guess I have a little girl crush on her. She's badass. I aspire to be as talented as she is."

Training three times a week two hours a day (down from six times a week), the five-foot fireplug has thought about entering the world of female MMA. Unfortunately, a broken nose could alter her singing ability for the worst. After dropping out of UCLA to pursue her singing career, it's a risk she's not willing to take.

So Winett will continue writing her own lyrics and drawing on her influences like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and The Who. She sees parallels between her MMA training and music career: determination and focus are pre-requisites. Despite her upcoming album and fight prowess, Winett remains humble.

"You know, I think I'm just a normal typical girl next door...that can kick your ass and tell you how I did it," she jokes.

For more info about Winett, visit www.myspace.com/karisawinett