Janay Harding talks Striking Cross-training and Growth as a Fighter

(Photo Courtesy Bellator)

The Bellator featherweight division is still developing, and needs new title contenders.

Australia’s Janay Harding  is looking to get over .500 and get back on the winning track when she faces Irish striker Sinead Kavanagh Friday night in Uncasville, Connecticut. The match will stream on Bellator.com.

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Future Stars: Autumn Gordon

It is becoming more and more common that girls are coming from the BJJ realm to wrestling and finding success.

In only a few years, Autumn Gordon has become one of the top girls in wrestling, having taken home the 2017 Junior Folkstyle National championship and became a qualifier for the US Senior World Team Trials. Not to mention she has been invited to train at the  U.S. Olympic Training Center. This after she won a IBJJF title.

The teenager signed to the University of the Cumberlands wrestling team and a possible run at the 2020 Olympics isn’t out of the question.

Future Star – Yanida Driscoll

Girls competing in combat sports isn’t only in the United States.

Europe continues to see more and more girls looking to make fighting a career. Great Britain’s Yanida Driscoll is no exception. The 11 year old has already won titles in kickboxing not only locally but in Europe. Her latest being WFMC British Ring Kickboxing Champion.

Training at Impact Karate just north of London, she is a black belt under Grant Nicholls.

DeAnna Bennett on Tuff-n-uff Bout; Getting Title Opportunities

Photo Courtesy – Dave Mandel/InvictaFC

DeAnna Bennett has had a rough few years, but she is back on track.

A solid camp behind her and a win at Invicta, she looks to continue her way to a title by defeating Kelly Kobold at Tuff-n-uff’s first all pro MMA event September  14th in Las Vegas.

We talked to Bennett about her return to the cage, the flyweight title picture, and finding a new training home.

InvictaFC 31 Primer

Photos courtesy: Dave Mandel, Invicta FC

Invicta has been busy in 2018, and six weeks after their last card, they are ready to once again bring the action to Kansas City.

The 31st event will feature Virna Jandiroba’s first defense of her strawweight title as she takes on the 10-1  Janaisa Morandin.

The co-main event sees Pearl Gonzalez wanting to make her argument for a flyweight title shot against Daiane Firmino.

For the first time in the promotion’s history, there will be one fight that will be streamed on facebook as Helen Peralta and Kay Hansen will kick ff the card. The fight will also stream on Fight Pass.

Only one person missed weight. Mallory Martin tipped the scales at 117 pounds, which is 2 pounds over the strawweight limit. She will be fined 25% of her purse.

The strawweight title match is official with both Jandiroba and Morandin coming in under 115 pounds.

The rest of the card will stream on UFC Fight Pass Saturday night starting at 7 p.m. central time.

Here is the breakdown of the fights and the weigh-ins results.

TUF 28 Coverage – Primer and Results

The women are back again for Ultimate Fighter 28, this time fighting at 145 pounds.

Over 40 women tried out with 8 entering the house with some familiar names and some new fighters looking to upset and become stars overnight.

The teams were selected by the coaches – Robert Whittaker and Kelvin Gastelum. The finalists will fight at Pearl Theatre in Las Vegas November 30th.

The show broadcasts Wednesdays on Fox Sports 1.

Here is a breakdown of the teams.

Future Stars – Destiny Moreno

Out of Fight Solutions HQ in Long Beach, California, 13 year old Destiny Moreno is already making waves in Californian combat community.

Having won multiple titles in jiu-jitsu (IBJJF Kids international Champion, SJJIF Worlds Champion, and Jiu Jitsu World League Champion just to name a few), she is round out her game in Muay Thai, winning the USMTO MuayThai West Coast Championship.

She is trained under Chute Boxe legend Gerson Schilipacke and Bjj Coach Jorge Azevedo. 

Future Stars: Layla Newton

Out of New Jersey, Layla Newton is getting a huge head start.

The 11 year old already has 7 NAGA titles under her with one in kickboxing. dhe has been training out of Team Taino martial arts with Eddy Torres, Yasmeen Salhani, Taylor Samarco and Rell Jefferson for the past 4 year.

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Wombat Sports: What got you interested in getting involved in combat sports?

Layla Newton: I got interested in combat sports by watching the ufc with my dad. I saw Ronda Rousey fighting and I said to my dad girls can do this??? He said girls can do anything they want.

First Half Stats in the Womens’ Divisions Part 5: Featherweight and Higher Breakdown

Photo courtesy Dave Mandel, Invicta FC

Note: Any fights that were at above 136 for our purposes are considered featherweight. Any fights 142-144 were rounded up to 145. Any fights 137-139 were rounded up to 140 pounds.

The division that has gotten the most flack the past year has been featherweight. While Cyborg Justino has ruled to roost and yet to find a solid challenger, the future maybe looking up.

First Half Stats in the Womens’ Divisions Part 5: Bantamweight Breakdown

Photo courtesy Dave Mandel, Invicta FC

Note: Any fights that were at above 126 for our purposes are considered bantamweight. Any fights 132-144 were rounded up to 135. Any fights 127-129 were rounded up to 130 pounds.

For years, the women’s bantamweight division has been the premier weight class. Things have drastically changed.

First Half Stats in the Womens’ Divisions Part 5: Flyweight Breakdown

Continuing with the weight classes is the quickest growing divisions – flyweight.

Note: Any fights that were above 116 for our purposes are considered flyweight. Any fights 121-124 were rounded up to 125. Any fights 117-119 were rounded up to 120 pounds.

First Half Stats in the Womens’ Divisions Part 4: Strawweight Breakdown

Photo courtesy Dave Mandel, Invicta FC

Continuing with out look at the weight classes, we come to one of the most popular – strawweight.

Note: Any fights that were at above 106 for our purposes are considered strawweight. This includes Rizin’s 108 division. Any fights 112-114 were rounded up to 115. Any fights 107-109 were rounded up to 110 pounds.

There were 192 total fights at the scheduled 115 pound limit (111 pro and 81 amateur).  Fights at a catchweights accounted for 8 fights (4 pro and 4 amateur). The strawweight counted for 29% of all combined fights both amateur and pro and is the most in all divisions.