Alexis Davis is trying to talk on the phone, but she pauses the conversation for a good reason.
“Mommy, I went potty!” Her two-and-a-half-year-old son runs from the bathroom to tell his mom the good news. They have been working on potty training for some time, so she had to give him her full attention.
“Candy?” He knows the reward that comes with going potty. She keeps talking as she hands over the peanut butter cup, reminding him to unwrap it before eating the chocolate.
Davis has fought in the UFC since 2013, joining the promotion the same weekend Ronda Rousey became the UFC’s first female champion. Since then, she’s won six bouts, lost three, and had one son.
Her story isn’t uncommon. More athletes are finding they don’t have to choose between motherhood and being a professional athlete. Serena Williams’ pregnancy and return to tennis was high profile, but she isn’t alone among women in figuring out how to balance elite athletic careers and motherhood.