Jamie Driver-More Than Meets the Eye

By Matthew Benoliel

Boynton Beach, FL. Jamie Driver, aka “The Red Queen,” is a striking figure. At 5’8” tall, with flaming red hair and covered in tattoos, she is sure to attract attention wherever she goes.  Among the various skulls, flowers, and daggers that cover her arms,“Si vis Pacem, Para Bellum” adorns her neck piece. “If you want peace, prepare for war.” Indeed, Jamie has done both. 

In the past, she has competed in Sambo, mixed martial arts and kickboxing. Currently, she is contracted with BYB Extreme, the bareknuckle fighting organization founded by Dada 5000. Fighting is what makes Jamie tick. “I have anger issues, I’ve had a temper my whole life…I got kicked out of college for fighting one of the girls in the dorm. She threw my wet laundry on the floor…I couldn’t control myself. I would let my emotions overtake me.”  

Now, at age 33, The Red Queen is at a turning point. She controls her anger with meditation. She follows a strict pesco-vegetarian diet, which has helped regulate her hormones and stall the growth of a pituitary tumor she was recently diagnosed with. She has been training with Derik Santos, a well-known boxing coach in Boca Raton, Fl. And she has put her distractions aside, continuing to build her fan base and remain focused for her upcoming fight. 

But building a fan base is not always easy. As a female combat athlete, Jamie knows what it takes, and it’s an endeavor which can be both exciting and dangerous. From professional boxers to mixed-martial artists, and WWE Wrestlers to Bare Knuckle Fighters, female athletes need to take advantage of any avenue at their resource in order to build a following. Because at the end of the day, a professional fighters’ career is based on how many tickets they can sell, and how many pay-per-views they can amass. 

So they turn to social media to take advantage of the oldest economic theory known to man: sex sells. Racy photo shoots, Only Fans, a little suggestion here and there is what generates likes, fans, and hopefully ticket sales. But there is a dark side. Jamie has received unwanted attention, even direct threats, and requests to send more photos and videos. Basically, spam from perverts and weirdos from all corners of the internet. 

In her own words, “for me, personally, it was the wrong type of fans and the wrong type of support.” However, she asserts, “I made more money on Only Fans than in my fight career.”  

“As a woman, you hear ‘she’s really gorgeous, and they want to use your looks instead of your talent.’” 

Aside from navigating the indignities of the Internet, Jamie found herself in an abusive relationship. Her boyfriend, an MMA Fighter, had a temper equal to Jamie’s and the two often found themselves in physical conflicts. Unable to resolve her demons through traditional psychotherapy, Jamie turned to micro-dosing with psychedelic mushrooms. Her experiences “made her darker days brighter,” and gave her the confidence to leave the relationship. In fact, the experience was so profound that she began a spiritual journey that she says changed her “way of thinking from negative to positive.”  And once again, her past is behind her. 

On the inside, Jamie describes herself as an “empath with a big heart. I’m extremely family-oriented. I like family dinners. I like to spend time with my family when I’m not training.”  She also gives money to the homeless and contributes to domestic violence charities. Her favorite dog is tattooed on her left arm. Turning off this “soft side,” is part of what makes Jamie remarkable. Once again, she relies on her meditation practice to stay focused in the ring.  

Jamie also draws strength from her family. Her father and brother were both professional race car drivers. She wanted to follow in her father’s footsteps, but says her father wouldn’t approve. Jaime says, “I can control who is punching or kicking me, but I can’t control another car hitting me.” Her mother was a gymnast. Jamie herself has been a lifelong athlete, playing field hockey, lacrosse, and running track. 

See Jamie in action at BYB Extreme’s Brawl in the Pines ll on January 18th at the Charles F. Dodge City Center in Pembroke Pines, Florida. Jamie will be facing Adriana Vukovic, who is making her bareknuckle debut. Vukovic is a former mma fighter with a professional record of 4-1.