Bellator has a busy weekend and we have Denise Kielholtz on the show talking about her MMA transition from kickboxing and the women’s divisions in central Europe.
Also results from this past weekend, what is going on this weekend, DEEP-Jewels adds a division, InvictaFC gets two new fighters, and more. Continue reading WMMath Podcast: Bellator Star Denise Kielholtz Plus Phoenix Series Changes, Minimumweight Tournament, and More News
In what will be a busy week between PFL, Tuff-n-uff, UFC, One Championship, Rizin, and Combates; we give you the fights to watch. We will be live at the PFL playoffs and Tuff-n-uff and our guest Chelsea Rae helps us break them down as she prepares for her own fight at Tuff-n-uff Saturday. She will also be coaching some of the Wimp 2 Warrior participants in their first MMA bouts.
Invicta was this past weekend and we go through the results and give you the line-up for the next card.
Plus a lot of news.
InvictaFC President Shannon Knapp is starting the stack the last two cards of the year, and one will crown a new strawweight champion.
Knapp announced on the “Beatdown After the Bell” podcast that Bellator vet and former flyweight title challenger Enily Ducote will face Rizin star Kanato Murata for the vacant 115 title. The belt was held by Phoenix Rizin 1 winner Brianna Van Buren before she signed to the UFC shortly after winning it. Continue reading Invicta Strawweight Title Match Announced; Gonzalez vs Walker Added to October Card
Photo Courtesy Dave Mandel/Invicta FC
Coming off their debut in Salt Lake City, Invicta is already gearing up for their next card, with an announcement in just a few days about the May 4th event in Kansas City. Continue reading Invicta to Expand to More Combat Sports; Featherweight MMA Title in Limbo
(Photo courtesy Rizin)
One of the biggest female tournaments in Japan’s history us set to kick off October 15th.
The tournament will feature competitors from 5 different countries, with the winner receiving an over $90,000 grand prize. The winners of the October event will go on two fight twice New Year’s Eve weekend to win the championship. Continue reading Rizin Women’s Grand Prix Opening Round Announced
World boxing champion Heather Hardy is heading to MMA.
Hardy decided to crossover and has inked a deal with InvictaFC. She announced the signing via Ring TV. Ironically it was the new insurance plan for fighters under MMA legalization in home state of New York that drove her to the decision. She is still expecting to box along with her MMA career. Continue reading Watercooler: Boxing’s Hardy to Invicta; Schneider to Bellator
After months of speculation, Olympic Gold Medalist Kayla Harrision has decided to sign World Series of Fighting to begin her MMA career. Continue reading Watercoler – Olympic Gold Medalists Kayla Harrison Going to MMA; Rizin NYE Shapes Up
Cris Cyborg Justino made weight at 141 pounds on Friday ahead of her match with Saturday against Lina Lansberg in Brasilia, Brazil for UFC Fight Night. Lansberg tipped the scales at 140 pounds. The match will air on Fox Sports 1 as the main event. Continue reading Watercoler: UFC 205 Adds Jędrzejczyk vs. Kowalkiewicz; Tate vs. Pennington
On Monday, Japan’s Rizin promotion announced who will face stars Gabi Garcia, RENA, and Kanako Murata on September 25th in Tokyo, Japan.
Garcia (2-0) will face track star and semi-pro football Destanie Yarbrough (1-0). Garcia is a world champion in BJJ and grappling, and has been training striking with Cyborg Justino. Yarbrough is coming off a 0:33 TKO win in April, and currently plays for Women’s Football Alliance’s Cal Wart Angels.
RENA (1-0 MMA) draws world champion wrestler Miyu Yamamoto in her MMA debut. The Shootbox champion RENA was impressive in her MMA debut with a flying armbar win this past New years Eve. Yamamoto earned three world championships in freestyle wrestling and is part of a family of wrestling champions.
A familiar face to American fans as Kyra Batara (5-3) will make her debut in Japan taking on fellow grappler Kanako Murata .(3-0). Batara is on a three fight winning streak since coming to Combate Americas, two by TKO. The 10th Planet practitioner will have a tough test in Murata, who has racked up two straight TKO wins of her own. She was a national junior champion in wrestling.
No word as of yet if the matches will air or stream.
Coming into its third year, the IMMAF World Amateur MMA Championships are ready to show the best the international community has to offer.
So far 34 female athletes have signed up to make the trip to Las Vegas during UFC’s International Fight week. We will see some familiar faces from tournaments past, nationally recognized talent, and some new faces from some new places including Nepal. Continue reading 2016 IMMAF World Championships Participants Tenatively Set
Carina Damm has an opponent for her TitanFC debut.
Sarah Alpar has stepped up to take on the long time vet at the promotion’s June 10th event in Coral Gables, Florida. It will stream on UFC Fight Pass.
Continue reading Wombat Watercooler – Damm vs. Alpar; MacFarlane vs. Ruth Announced
All of the WMMA Press Award nominees have been announced and the committee will be voting on winners next week. We will have details on where you can hear who won next week.
To see the complete list of nominees click here.
Holly Holm and Miesha Tate are getting their wishes.
The UFC relented on their plans to have the UFC champ wait until UFC 200 to defend her belt and will defended it at UFC 197 against Tate. They will co-main the card.
Speculation is the event will take place March 6th in Vegas, but the UFC isn’t on the docket for the NSCA meeting next week. That could change.
In the mean time, Ronda Rousey will be keeping herself busy until she is fully healed.
After her first heartbreaking loss, Rousey will try to not only cheer herself up but make people laugh January 23rd on NBC, becoming the first MMA fighter to host Saturday Night Live. Rousey will also be in the upcoming Sports Illsutrated Swimsuit Issue and filming a few movies.
Ashlee Evans-Smith is off suspension and will return to the UFC to take on Marion Reneau at UFC Pittsburgh February 21. Reneau lost a decision to eventual champion Holly Holm in her last outing, while Smith lost her debut to Raquel Pennington.
The match joins Sarah Moras versus Lauren Murphy on the card, which will air n Fox Sports 1.
Bellator has added a female bout to their January 29th event in Fresno, California.
Ilima-Lei Macfarlane will take on promotional debuter Amber Tackett on the undercard in a flyweight bout.
MacFarlane (2-0) is coming off a split decision win over Maria Rios in her Bellator debut. Tackett (1-1) recently return to action this past October, defeating Corina Herrera by decision.
The match will stream on Spike.com January 29th.
Two bantamweight prospect will duke it out in February as well. England Kerry Hughes will face Ireland’s Sinead Kavanagh at BAMMA 24 in Dublin, Ireland.
Hughes (2-1) is coming off a year’s absence after a TKO win over Amanda Kelly.
Knockout specialist Kavanagh (1-0) was a finalist int eh IMMAF world tournament last year and won her pro debut in 17 seconds.
Catherine Costigan is expected to also fight on the show.
The match will be streamed and we will have details in the next few weeks on how to watch.
After an eight year absence from MMA, atomweight Hisae Watanabe will return to action.
The shootbox and kickboxing legend will face Korea’s Ye Ji Lee at World Series of Fight’s Global Championship card in Tokyo, Japan February 7th.
Watanabe (19-6) started her MMA career in 2002 and announced her “retirement” from MMA in 2007, although she has fought two exhibition bouts in 2010 and 2012. She fought in shootboxing and kickboxing until 2010 before taking a break to start a family.
The 16 year old Lee is coming off her first pro loss in MMA but was able to hold her own in her debut.
No word on if this will be streamed.
Two matches to look out for this weekend:
Two of the top flyweight prospects, Katlyn Chookagian (5-0) and Isabelly Varela (7-0), will square off for the initial CFFC flyweight title in Atlantic City, New Jersey Saturday. The match will air on CBS Sports Net at a future date, but GoFightLive will stream the event live for $17.
Jamie Colleen will defend her King of the Cage pro 115 title against Calie Cutler in Carlton, Minnesota. The match will air on MAv TV at a future date.
Watch our twitter @WombatSports for up to the minute results.
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