LOS ANGELES — Throughout her 12 years as a professional boxer, Ava Knight has possibly achieved it all.

She’s won world titles, was the first female from the United States to win a diamond belt from the World Boxing Council and has garnered wins from some of the biggest names in the boxing world.

Her success has led her to be billed as the Lady of Boxing.

But now, the Chico native is venturing into unchartered territory as she’ll pick up a pair of MMA gloves and make her debut with Bellator, one of the largest MMA promotions in the world, come September.

Knight will be making her professional MMA debut on the preliminary card Sept. 28 at Bellator 228 at The Forum in Inglewood. Knight will face Shannon Goughary in the 115-pound strawweight bout.

“It’s hard to change the mindset and mind frame from going to a champion to being nothing and learning from scratch,” Knight said during a phone interview Friday. “I think this is going to be something that tells me how much more of a better champion I can be.”

Knight grew up in Chico where she trained under Joe Rodriguez, a local boxing trainer.

“Everything he taught me, I still use,” Knight said.

She currently resides in Las Vegas but has been training for the octagon in Los Angeles. Knight made it clear she hasn’t left the boxing world but has actually been MMA training on and off for the past three years.

“Now I have to worry about feet and going to the ground and all these other things,” Knight said. “Boxing is a pure sport. MMA is a bunch of sports mixed together.”

Knight brings in a boxing background that features an 18-2 record with five draws and five knockouts.

Despite taking on a new realm of fighting, Knight’s confidence is still high.

“My confidence is exactly the same. Nothing has changed,” Knight said. “Only because as a champion and boxing for 18 years … I’ve gotten my ass beat so many times by people in the ring … there’s really nothing else that can break me.”

Knight made the decision to temporarily switch to MMA after seeing the sport rise in popularity. Knight said she’s had people contact her about competing in MMA for the last six years.

“Even though it’s something different. I’m still going to box. I’m glad I get to keep that part of me,” Knight said. “I get to try to be great at other things that a lot of other people won’t ever get to do in their lifetime.”

Knight will be the third woman to switch from boxing to MMA on the Bellator roster — joining Ana Julaton, who has since retired, and Heather Hardy.

Knight said she’s aware she’ll have to deal with critics, but her longterm goal is to stay with Bellator until she can add another championship to her decorated career.

“I would love to stay with Bellator and continue to be a champion for them,” Knight said. “We still have big plans in boxing. With MMA and boxing together, I get to do a big thing for women in sports. Not saying that nobody has done it, but nobody like me has done it.”