Cuts, Not Bruises
From uppercuts to haircuts, former-MMA fighter Ashley Rushing is making a big impression at Bareknuckle Barbershop's new location, now open in Drayton Mills' Marketplace, (1800 Drayton Rd, suite 305.) The specialty shop offers cuts, shaves, facials, wax and color services, all with a complimentary drink to sip. Book Here.Bareknuckle Barbershop is o-owned by Tyler Maupin-- Rushing's former client and current business partner, who works on the business side of the shop and created the name as a nod to Rushing's MMA career.Once known as "Doll Face" in the MMA world, Rushing fought for a little more than a decade, starting with an amateur career at a North Carolina gym. She began her professional career when she moved to South Carolina and fought in two professional fights with Invicta Fighting Championships, a women's MMA organization.
But she's always had a passion for cosmetology, too, and has worked as a cosmetologist for about 15 years. When Rushing broke a lower vertebrae ending her fighting career, she decided to focus on hair full time which led to the opening of Bareknuckle Barbershop.
Rushing found she prefers doing men's cuts and women's pixie cuts over a traditional women's color and highlights that can take hours at a salon. "I didn't like standing behind someone's head for four hours," Rushing said.
There's no specific demographic that comes into the shop, co-owner Maupin said, mostly men of all ages, races and ethnicities come to Bareknuckle Barbershop.
Photos of Ashley Rushing and Tyler Maupin by Tim Kinzey via GoUpstateBarbershop photos via Bareknuckle Barbershop