A familiar face is returning to Cage Fury Fighting Championships (CFFC), but this time instead of showcasing her talent in the cage, she’ll be making an impact behind the scenes.
CFFC and UFC veteran Miranda “Danger” Granger will be joining the CFFC team in the capacity of Business Development. In her new position, Granger will be overseeing CFFC’s business development in three different areas – new markets, increasing the female roster, and athlete relations.
Granger made her CFFC debut at CFFC 71 in 2018. Asserting her dominance in the strawweight division, Granger finished her opponent in the first round with an armbar submission. She continued to make her mark on the regional scene at CFFC 75 where she dominated once again with a quick first-round submission to win the CFFC Strawweight title.
Her time at CFFC propelled her forward in her career and she made a successful UFC debut in 2019. After the birth of her daughter Austin in 2021, her priorities changed which led her to retire from active MMA competition.
Granger said her decision to step away from the octagon was from her value of family. Knowing that being a UFC fighter meant committing all her time to training and staying ready for action, Granger wasn’t ready to keep giving up her time with her daughter. She competed one more time after giving birth and knew it wasn’t going to work anymore.
“Being behind the scenes, I knew that it would keep me in the fighting world,” Granger said.
“It allows me to spend more time with my family. Fighting takes up your whole world, and I’m just not willing to give up my time with Austin.”
Granger is no stranger to the ins and outs that come with being a professional fighter. From starting her career in the regional scene to making it all the way up the ladder to the highest stage. Granger said through it all, her favorite memories have come from her time at CFFC.
“I think my experience with CFFC was so great. I mean I have fought for what some people say is the best fighting organization in the world, UFC, but it doesn’t give that family vibe like CFFC does,” Granger said.
“I’m super thankful and honored to be a part of the team. I’m excited to see whatever the future of the company is.”
With her positive past experiences and a desire to remain in the fight world, Granger said that she wanted to help CFFC anyway she could.
“I love the atmosphere, and I love everything about it,” Granger said. “Rob (Haydak) helped me throughout my career in the UFC, and I just wanted to give back in any way I could.”
CFFC CEO Rob Haydak shared his own excitement with Granger joining the CFFC team. Haydak highlighted Granger’s experience as a fighter herself that will not only help her in the position, but the company overall. With the company’s ultimate goal of creating a promotion that not only values their fighters, but gives them a platform to showcase their talent and propel their career forward, Granger can help continue that goal.
“Miranda is going to be a tremendous asset to our team,” said Haydak.
“She brings a wealth of knowledge of MMA with an acute awareness of how an athlete needs to be treated. We value our athletes and it’s imperative they walk into CFFC and know they’re going to be treated like professionals from arrival through departure.”
With a new year underway, CFFC has been making big moves to continue to change the fight-game. Recently, the company announced that they would be embarking on a five-year partnership with local college, Rowan University to allow interns to learn every aspect of running a regional promotion.
Along with the partnership, Haydak said Granger’s role will focus on two more developmental areas – female roster and market expansion.
“Miranda will focus on the Northwest, Canada, Vegas and other key markets we’re looking at for expansion in the months and years ahead,” Haydak said.
“I know she’s also passionate about expanding our female roster, we’re going to give her the resources to deliver.”
Granger shared her excitement when it comes to being given the opportunity to grow CFFC’s female roster. Being a former CFFC Strawweight champion, Granger hopes to be able to give other female fighters the same opportunities she had.
“I hope to build up the female roster in the CFFC,” Granger said.
“I’ve made a lot of friends and contacts through fighting, and they have a lot of female training partners that are looking for fights, but they have nowhere to go. I have some good intel for that.”
Along with expanding the female roster and markets, Granger will also be in charge of handling athlete relations, something she said she believes she’s the right fit for. Pairing her extensive knowledge on what it takes to be a fighter and living through experiences, Granger is more than ready to take on the role.
“I will have really good relationships with the athletes because I can relate to them,” Granger said.
“I have been doing martial arts since I was four years old. I just know that these athletes have been doing this sport for their whole lives, and I know that one fight can be make or break. I’ve experienced all the emotions, good and bad, and think I will be good at handling athlete relations.”
Though her time in the ring may have reached its end, Granger said she’s excited to still be living her dream, this time in another facet.
“My dream was always to be a professional athlete,” Granger said.
“Working for a company like CFFC is an extension of it. I think I lived through my passion, but I’m not ready to let go of that dream.”
Haydak said he is more than happy to be able to get Granger insights on how to keep CFFC growing the standard of being a developmental MMA company. From building up the female roster to handling athlete relations, Haydak believes Granger will do nothing less than succeed in this new role.
“I’ve known Miranda and her family for many years,” Haydak said.
“Everyone of them is well respected in the business and MMA community. I couldn’t be happier to have her provide insights and directions on how we can continue to improve our overall operations.”
Though her time at CFFC was shortlived, Granger is a prime example of the fighter experience that athletes get when they arrive at CFFC. While CFFC was a platform to showcase her talent, Granger hopes she can give fellow fighters the same experience. Granger said she’s living her dream, and now she wants to help fighters do the same.
“I hope that the athletes in CFFC get the same experience that I did when I fought for them,” Granger said.
“When I think of CFFC, I just think of a fighting organization that actually cares about its fighters. I think that’s the reason why CFFC breeds championship fighters that move to the next level. They just really care about the success of their fighters. I hope that I’m a part of that rise. I hope that I’m able to add more females to that list, and make more fighters’ dreams come true.”
