A dash of this. A pinch of that. If Xyience scientists were looking for the perfect formula, they found it, and her name is Amanda Corey.
You’re five-feet tall, but your personality is so big. Do guys find that intimidating?
It’s less intimidating. Working for Xyience, I run into so many different kinds of people, and I notice that my appearances really draws in a lot of people, and I think it’s because I’m smaller. Most guys are really intimidated to talk to taller models.Because I’m small and tiny, they don’t fear coming up to me and starting a conversation.
Now that you’re living on the West Coast, how does it compare to where you’re originally from in Rhode Island?
All my family lives back East. It’s really cool to go back and see my family and friends. Now that I live in California, they just can’t believe it. It seems like some kind of fairytale place that no one ever lives in. I am definitely a small-town girl. I grew up and went to college in Tuscon, which is a super-small city. I have my core group of friends, but I’m very outgoing when I meet people. I’m still kind of a homebody at heart—super-mellow and low-key—and I think that comes from a small town.
What did you learn from winning Beauty and the Geek?
The whole thing was pretty crazy. I was living in a house for seven weeks with no contact with family or friends. I’ve lived with roommates before in real life, but living with complete strangers and having your life filmed is definitely an experience. I think having an open mind and getting along with others was the most important thing. I would definitely do it again. The reality shows that are out there now have so much drama—don’t get me wrong, there was definitely drama on my show, but it was more family oriented.
How about joining The Ultimate Fighter?
I don’t think I would survive[laughs].
I don’t know, we like your chances. I hear you’re into kickboxing.
I have a membership at 24 Hour Fitness, and they do kickboxing classes every week. I also took a kickboxing class in college, and I liked it a lot. Then I started taking classes at the gym and found it was a great way to stay in shape. It kept my interest. It made me workout for the full hour, which is sometimes hard to do if you’re working out on your own on the treadmill.
The UFC is big at Hooters, where you worked previously. Do you ever go back for the fights?
I actually celebrated my birthday at Hooters! There were no fights going on—I wish there were, that would have been perfect. We actually did a little trivia thing, and we ended up winning a wing party—we won 200 free wings. We do go back when there are fights, but now, since I work for Xyience, I usually go to the fights. So that’s a great perk.
Are you a girl who can put down some wings?
I am! I love their food. People say their food is terrible, but I actually really, really enjoy it. The 200 wings that we won, I had four friends with me, and we put down all of them! It was fun. I have good genes, I’m pretty lucky.
What have been some of your favorite moments since working in the MMA field?
I’ve gotten to know Wanderlei Silva pretty well. We did a photo shoot together. I also did a photo shoot with Dan Hardy.Getting to know those guys on a personal level is fantastic.When I actually got to see Wanderlei fight in person, it was a crazy experience for me because I had known him on a work level. After I saw his passion for fighting, it was so exciting. I was so happy to see him do so well.
Is being in Seventeen Magazine and working with Hawaiian Tropic surreal for you?
It’s pretty cool. It’s different. Sometimes, I get calls from my friends who have seen me before I’ve seen the photos. I definitely never saw myself on ads and on billboards, but it’s pretty cool.
What has been your biggest accomplishment so far, and what do you want to accomplish next?
One of my first accomplishments was winning the reality show, because that actually brought everything together. That allowed me to move out to Orange County. From there, winning the contract with Xyience was a huge, huge thing for me. I travel to Vegas a lot. They’ve gotten me into UFC and MMA, and that’s an exciting world. It’s never something I thought I’d get into, but it’s a respectable sport, and I’m so thankful that I’ve been able to get in with Xyience and the fight world. A goal of mine definitely would be to get into a hosting gig.
Being a fitness model, what are your favorite cheat foods?
I definitely love food. There’s definitely not much I don’t like. Any kind of chocolate—chocolate cake is definitely up there.Orange chicken is definitely my favorite. Anything fried is like a treat for me. I try not to dip into it too much, but one day a week I can have whatever I want.
You’re not just a model now either, you’ve started your own modeling firm?
I am the co-owner of an agency right now called Thrive Model Management. My best friend and I started it about a year ago, and it’s just now taking off. It’s pretty exciting. You can’t model forever. I got my degree in college. Although it’s not what I intended to do, it’s definitely something I can do when it’s over—stay in the industry and pass all the tricks and stuff that I learned down to other girls who are trying to get into the industry.
You seem to have your head together. What flaws are you hiding?
I don’t know about flaws[laughs]. I need to know much more about MMA. I’m still really new at it and just learning.Studying up a little bit more would be a good idea. I’m not so hardcore on working out—I need to do a little more of that.
What does it take for a guy to win you over?
I like humorous guys. I don’t need cocky guys. I like old school guys—chivalry isn’t dead. I want someone who is confident but definitely not cocky, a non-smoker for sure, and mellow like me.
How do you win them over?
I try to pretend to know what I’m doing in the kitchen. Food is the way to the male heart. I try to get the recipe book out. Being outgoing, sweet, and a good cook are some things that guys always look for in a girl.
What words do you try to live by?
My kitchen is Italian-themed. I bought this little picture that says, “Live long. Love lots. Laugh often.” I love those quirky little signs—it might be corny but just going by that day after day. I totally believe in karma. Whenever you’re in a bad situation, do the right thing—and treat others with respect. That’s who I am, and I’m pretty happy about it. 
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