The award-winning documentary series, Vanguard, has produced a one-hour special they are airing on Current TV this Monday called “Cage Fighting in the USA.” One of the main subjects of the documentary is Crystal Lizama, an amateur female fighter who is training for her first MMA match.

The Roundup got an exclusive preview of the hour long special. Crystal is not the only female presented. They also cover Emma Bush‘s career and subsequent retirement from the sport due to injury. Parts of her amateur Tuff-n-Uff fight against Sarah D’Alelio are shown.

The bulk of the storyline follows Crystal Lizama’s journey as she prepares for her first amateur fight. Her screen time amounts to what can only be seen as a high-level glance into the life of a fighter, but tells the story from a tangible, realistic view into women’s MMA. The questions and footage stay true to what being a fighter is all about: training long hours, working as much as possible, and mentally preparing yourself for the experience.

It’s a pretty slick piece of work that goes more in depth with a life of a female fighter than we’ve seen with previous documentary style news coverage of women’s MMA. Check out the trailer below and watch the doc on Current TV on Monday, 12/19 at 9/8c.

Mariana van Zeller explores the fastest growing sport in America – Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). MMA is now a billion-dollar industry, watched by millions on national TV. But increasingly, amateurs are stepping onto the mat and drawing blood. Mariana meets male and female cage fighters to understand why they love this violent sport. And she spends time in a church run by “The Fight Pastor,” who ministers a flock of young men who fight for Jesus.