The "Queens of the UFC". The wives of Mike "quicksand" Pyle and Ian "uncle creepy" McCall let you in behind the scenes.

 

For those who are unaware of what lies beneath the bright lights, and glitz of the UFC, these two women are holding down the fort while their famous husbands are at camp… Fight camp that is.  While they support the careers of their husbands in the widest growing sport in the world, MMA, these two gals are truly two of the strongest women behind the cage.

Thanks to Mrs. Katerina Pyle (wife of Mike “quicksand” Pyle) and Mrs. Shay McCall (wife of Ian “uncle creepy” McCall) for opening their doors to the reality of the MMA lifestyle for a brief Q&A.

So, with the big event coming up in Florida around the corner, in one word how would you describe the household?

KAT: Erupting volcano. I know it's 2 words but I'm foreign so I have an excuse!

SHAY: Focused

With all the physical training that goes into your husbands fight camp, you must “fuel the beast”. Do you prepare all the food and what all is allowed and restricted in the diet leading up to the

event?

KAT: Yes I prepare all the food. Specific meal for each day. It's hard to make the same thing every week and keep it different, if that make sense. I constantly look up new ways of making chicken and fish so that he doesn't get bored with his food. He can have some candy here and there up until 2-3 weeks before the fight but I try not to have any of that around so he doesn't get tempted to eat it but when Mr. Coats is in town I have to hide the candy from Mike in Mitch's room cause Mr.Coats has a sweet tooth!

SHAY: No, Ian is very educated when it comes to his diet, he has been doing this for a very long time if anything he's teaching me.

How do YOU deal with all the testosterone and different personality types in this industry?

KAT: The only Testosterone and Personality I care to deal with is Mike's and that's ALL I can handle. All the other stuff is just noise. I noticed that when he gets into camp I up the frequency of my own work outs hahah that's how I blow off steam and not "accidentally" kill him.

SHAY: I've been around it my whole life with my father being a hockey player so I’m used to being around professional athletes, i don't really notice any difference.

It is well known that mood swings are a major part of training. How do you keep the peace and love in your home during these grueling days?

KAT: I gotta admit its not easy by any means, especially for me cause I'm a little mouthy myself so I do have to bite my tongue a lot during these times. In all honesty You gotta be a strong woman to be married to a fighter. But they are like kids you give them an inch and they will take a foot so I do draw a line when he gets a little too far with it  but as long as his belly is full he is happy.

SHAY: Strength and conditioning coach Corey Beasley at Innovative Results helps out by letting Ian stay at his house 3 weeks prior so he stays focused and well rested. But the brief time i do spend time with him I’ve learned to deal with the mood swings and let everything go because I’ve come to a point where i know it can be mentally tough for him so i just try to support him as much as possible.

When you travel with the fight camp to these events, is it all glitz and glamour like everyone would think? What is the best and worst part about attending the UFC events?

KAT: Hahahaha that's funny! No Glitz and glamour here. There is a bunch of sweaty, stinky dudes around you at all times. Not to mention the main Cranky guy that’s cutting weight! All I try to do is stay out of the way and try to be useful which, they don't have much use for ME. I think I loose a couple of pounds on these trips too cause I try not to eat around him when he is cutting weight cause I know he is hungry and I feel guilty eating haha

The best part is that I'm there with Mike and giving him the best support I can. It matters to him that I'm there so its important for me to be there for him, physically be there with him!

The worst part of course is the anticipation and the anxiety. I have to carry myself strong and be strong for him. And it's hard to do but Practice makes perfect  

SHAY: I don't travel with him to the fights, its easier for him to focus that way, i attend with good friends & family, Greg his dad and Brandon his friend usually are who i spend time with while Ian is focusing and preparing for the fight with his teammates and coach's from team Oyama.. those are his 2 biggest supporters.

There are many egos in this industry, both men and women. How do you “handle” groupies or haters?

KAT: Don't have any groupies yet to handle but haters will always hate. Every one has their own fans and mike has his too. Plus any publicity is good publicity, negative or positive, as long as they are talking about him I'm happy

SHAY: In the past I didn’t handle the situations very well, but I’ve come a long way and now I am very supportive of the fans *or groupies* because I consider them fans as well, as far as haters I don’t think twice about them.

At what moment have you felt the most proud of your husband and why?

KAT: The most proud I felt of my husband is when he proposed to me because that was the best decision of his life

SHAY: There isn’t really 1 moment, the last 3 years have been a roller coaster of up and downs and the way its all come together continues to make me so proud, so there isn’t 1 particular moment because its all connected to a point where he is so focused and determined on his goal and it makes me so proud to see that every time.

As a couple how do you celebrate victories or massage losses? (keep it clean J)

KAT: The celebration begins right after the win! All his boys are there so it's just hanging out and enjoying the win. Sometimes there is a fight after party so we go to that. I used to work in a night club so I threw him a surprise party there before  it's a very fun time for months after the fight.

A loss is very hard to deal with, it kind of drags on for months and I just try to be positive and supportive but unfortunately you are as good as your last fight so it doesn't matter how well he did the fight before, all he thinks about is this last one  I just try to be encouraging and take it one day at a time.

SHAY: For victories after his fights we obviously acknowledge the fans and he autographs and takes pictures with them, than we go home and have an after party with friends and family in Laguna Beach at the white house and everyone celebrates together.

 As far as losses Ian doesn't lose but i know he would still celebrate his hard work with friends and family @ the white house when we got home, and than immediately get back in the gym and critique what he felt he could have done better in the fight.

Where do you see yourselves with this industry in 5 years?

KAT: In 5 years or LESS I see myself with a UFC welter weight champion!

SHAY: I see myself in this industry in 5 years, maybe compete a few times with the help of Ian and Carla Esparza @ team Oyama. If I don’t end up doing that ill continue to support my husband as flyweight champion.

In one sentence, tell me what it takes to be married to a famous

UFC fighter?

KAT: it takes a tough and confident woman to be married to a famous UFC fighter!

SHAY: it takes patience, a strong personality that isn't mentally weak, there is a lot to deal with.

How do you maintain your identity, so you don’t become “that guys

wife”?

KAT: This might sound weird but I don't have an identity to maintain, I'm just me. Plus I don't have a problem being "that Guy's wife"

I AM his wife and pretty damn proud of it! So they better recognize WHO that's guy's wife is!

SHAY: Its hard to become "that guys wife" when I’m already "that guys daughter" hahaha, ill always be myself , shay mccall!!

Tell me one embarrassing thing about your husband that other

 people would enjoy?

KAT: Hahaha there is a couple of embarrassing things I could tell you that OTHER people would enjoy, him on the other hand NOT so much. So I better leave this one alone or I'll be in big trouble

SHAY: He dances sexier that strippers hahah

Thanks girls! See you in FLORIDA! xxo