Video: Christy Martin at the IWBHOF Ceremony

Before Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano, there was Christy Martin.

The former boxing world champion broke through into pop culture in the 90’s having been the first female fighter to fight on a major pay-per-view card. It was also the start of audiences accepting women as fighters that has been growing ever since.

Watch Olympic Gold medalist Claressa Shields vs. Franchon Crews Pro Debuts Here at 7 p.m. est/4 p.m st

Only months after winning her second Olympic gold medal, Claressa Shields is ready to spark a revolution in the pro ranks.

The successful world amateur champion will hit the ring in las Vegas as a part of the Kovalev versus Ward undercard live in Las Vegas Saturday night.

The popular boxer will face a familiar foe in fellow Team USA vet and nation amateur champion Franchon Crews, who will also make her pro debut. Sheilds handed her a loss in their only other outing, and Crews looks to avenge it.

The stream starts at 7 p.m. est/4 p.m. est and you can watch it below.

Watercooler: Boxing’s Hardy to Invicta; Schneider to Bellator

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.

Beautiful Brawlers Announces All Pro Boxing Card for December

With the news of women’s boxing getting a boost in 2017, one of the first event to feature amateur and pro female boxers will help kick start it in 2016.

Beautiful Brawlers announce an all pro female boxing show at the Pacifica Cages in Pacifica, California December 3rd. It will be the first of a four card series with the promotion. The December 3rd card will feature a five fight card.

Women’s Boxing Gets its Platform as Taylor and Shields Turn Pro

Two Olympic Gold Medalists will turn pro starting in November.

Claressa Shields will make her pro debut in Las Vegas November 19th on the preliminary card of the Andre Ward-Sergey Kovalev fight card.

Olympic Boxing Recap: Shields and Adams Repeat; Mossely Takes Gold

Sheilds

Flint, Michigan’s Claressa Shields continues her dominance as the best amateur female boxer at 75kg. She became the first US boxer male or female to repeat as a gold medalist as she defeated Netherlands’s  Nouchka Fontijn Sunday in an unanimous decision in the 75kg finals at the 2016 Olympic Games. At age 21, we won’t be surprised if she tries for the trifecta in 2020 in Tokyo.

Women’s Olympic Combat Coverage 2016

365 women from across the planet are heading to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to represent their countries in hand to hand combat sports in the Games of the XXXI Olympiad. Among the returning athletes are 13 gold medalists looking to repeat their success.

Team USA is stacked with talent with Boxing Gold Medalist Claressa Shields (see above) and Judo Gold Medlaist Kayla Harrison leading the way.

Wrestling will also introduce two more weight categories this year.

All Team USA female combat sports except Taekwondo will be broadcast on NBCSN (usually on tape delays and only featured matches). All sports will stream live on the NBC Sports app and NBCOlympics.com.

Action starts August 6th with the Judo’s 48kg championship.

USA Women’s Olympic Combat Sports Teams Official

The four major hand to hand combat sports sees some familiar and new faces to the Olympic teams.

Judo was the last to see their team Monday as we awaited the May rankings to be announced. Two medalists from London will return to the grand stage as gold medalist Kayla Harrison (78 kg) and bronze medalist Marti Malloy (57 kg) earned their tickets to Rio. Joining them will be Olympic newcomer Angelica Delgado (52 kg).

Lynn Le Updates us on Society Nine as it Makes its World TV debut

Over two years ago, Lynn Le had a vision: to make female fight gear that actual fit and was more reliable.

Le soon began her journey giving creation to Society Nine, a company that will change the combat sports world as a whole. Her kickstarter found huge support, garnered her some awards, and got needed funding to get started.

It wasn’t easy though. Pressure to deliver a completed and well working product is a monumental task. Le and the company had to deal with delays due to find more appropriate vendors for materials, dealing with factories that need to manufacture the products just right, and finally getting the gear in the hands of the individuals who paid good money for a high quality product. Society Nine was able to pull through the hurdles and deliver their product as promised.

“Fight Valley” to Premier at the Artemis Film Festival

After the dust settles in the match between UFC champion Holly Holm and Miesha Tate,  you can see them on the big screen in Los Angeles.

The Artemis Film Festival announced this week “Fight Valley”will make its world premier April 23rd in Los Angeles during their second annual event.

Dern & Cordeiro Win ADCC Women’s Titles

Under 60kg Medlaists

It was a day of upsets and close matches as new ADCC World Champions where crowned.

Highlighting what was a spectacular year was Mackenzie Dern, who faced 2013 champion Michelle Nicolini in a hard fought match in the finals. They ended the match ties, but a penalty point for Nicolini sealed the win for Dern who wins her first under 60kg ADCC World title. This was the first time an American has won the title.

Dern defeated Beatriz Mesquita by points in the semi-finals. Nicolini defeated Tammy Musucemi in the other under 60kg semi-final.

Musucemi would get the rear naked choke over Mesquita to take the bronze.

Ana Laura Cordeiro became the new 2015 over 60kg champ defeating Jessica Oliveira by points in the finals.

2013 champion Gracia got upset in the semi-finals, losing to Oliveira. Garcia would gain the bronze via referee’s decision over Amanda Santana.

Here are the complete results:

Under 60kg

Finals

• Mackenzie Dern def. Michelle Nicolini via points, 4-4 (1 penalty for Nicolini)

Bronze Medal Match

• Tammy Musucemi def. Beatriz Mesquita via rear naked choke

Semi-finals

• Michelle Nicolini def. Tammy Musucemi
• Mackenzie Dern def. Beatriz Mesquita via points

Over 60kg

Finals

• Ana Laura Cordeiro def. Jessica Oliveira via points

Bronze medal match

• Gabi Garcia def. Amanda Santana via referee decision

Semi-finals

• Jessica Oliveira def. Gabi Garcia via referee decision
• Ana Laura Cordeiro def. Amanda Santana via points

Shea vs. Avila to Hit Major US Boxing PPV

Shea

Moseley Productions has stepped up and given women’s fight fans what they have always wanted.

The boxing promotion announced Sunday that Maureen Shea will face IBF World super bantamweight champion Yulihan Alejandra Luna Avila on pay-per-view August 29th. The match will be on the undercard of the Shane Mosley versus Ricardo Mayorga event.

It has been nearly a decade since a women’s boxing bout was on a US ppv. Mosely credited Ronda Rousey for pushing them to put the match on the televised ppv portion.

Maureen Shea was a great choice to kick off what could be a revolution in the sport. Shea (24-2) won her past 10 bouts, with half of her wins by TKO or KO. The current IBA super bantamweight champ helped Hillary Swank train for the movie “Million Dollar Baby” and was featured in the documentary “Fight Like a Girl”.

She will have her hands full with Mexico’s Avila (12-2) who won the IBF World super bantamweight title this past November. Avila has yet to be stopped in the distance.

The match will hopefully spur more promotions to feature female bouts on their televised cards.