After an exciting night of fights, the fighters will weigh-in on their wins.
Tonya Evinger wins in dominate fashion over Pannie Kianzad, DeAnna Bennett gets a controversial Judges decision, and Roxanne Modafferi rebounds and looks to be back on the title hunt.
You can watch the post fight presser below.
With Alexa Grasso out due to injury, a new main event has been announced for InvictaFC 14.
Tonya Evinger will make her first title defense against former Cage Warriors champion Pannie Kianzad at the promotion’s 14th offering Saturday, September 12 in Kansas City, MO. The full card was announced Monday.
Evinger (16-5) won the title with a TKO win over Irene Aldana last month and extender her win streak to seven. Undefeated Kianzad (8-0) won her promotional debut on the same card, getting the unanimous decision over Jessy Rose Clark.
The two other matches announced at the InvictaFC 13 presser are still on with former strawweight champion Katja Kankaanpaa taking on the undefeated DeAnna Bennett. Kankaanpaa (10-2-1) lost the belt to Livia Souza this past April after winning the belt in 2014. Bennett (7-0) is coming off an unanimous decision win in her strawweight debut.
The other previously announced match could steal the show, as Hawaii’s Rachael Ostovich (21) takes on Louisiana’s Andrea Lee (2-1). Both fighters impressed fans in their promotional debuts. Lee is coming off a decision loss to Roxanne Modafferi, while Ostovich is coming off a split decision win over Evva Johnson.
Speaking of Modafferi, she returns to action as she faces promotional newcomer Mariana Morais. Coming off a loss to title contender Vanessa Porto, Modafferi is looking to get back in the title hunt. Brazil’s Morais is on a five fight win streak with six of her total wins by submission.
The other flyweight bout set for the card is Aspen Ladd battling Amanda Bobby Cooper. Ladd won her pro debut with a first round TKO over Ana Carolina Vidal in February. Cooper was supposed to make her Invicta debut last year but an injury sidelined her. Cooper won her pro debut, defeating Brittany Dugas by submission.
Undefeated Jamie Moyle looks to continue her climb up the strawweight ranks taking on wrestling expert Sharon Jacobson. Both are coming off decisions wins and won their past three fights.
The third strawweight match on the card sees JJ Aldrich looking to get back on the winning track taking on IMMAF 2014 amateur tournament winner Daniela Kortmann. Aldrich lost to Moyle last year, but won her promotionbal debut over Delaney Owens. German’s Kortmann turned pro shortly after winning the IMMAF strawweight title and will be the first tournament champion to compete in Invicta.
Cindy Dandois looks to get her first win in Invicta taking on Australia’s Megan Anderson in her promotional debut. Dandois, a training partner of Miesha Tate, has a notable win over Marloes Coenen. Anderson has won four straight with back to back submission wins.
In the lone atomweight fight on the card, Jinh Yu Frey and Liz McCarthy look to get back in the title hunt. McCarthy is coming off a split decision loss to Amber Brown, while Frye is coming off a submission win over Cassie Robb.
Rounding out the card in a battle of lightweights, Rachel Wiley will make her pro debut against Tuff-n-uff tournament winner Felicia Spencer .
Wiley went 6-2 as an amateur, with her only loss being by a close split decision. Spenser went 5-1 as an amateur and earned her Invicta by winning a tournament at Tuff-n-uff.
All the fight will stream on UFC Fight Pass September 12th.
Complete card:
Bantamweight Title: Tonya Evinger (16-5) vs. Pannie Kianzad (8-0)
Strawweight: Katja Kankaanpaa (10-2-1) vs. DeAnna Bennett (7-0)
Flyweight: Roxanne Modafferi (17-12) vs. Mariana Morais (9-2)
Flyweight: Rachael Ostovich (2-1) vs. Andrea Lee (2-1)
Featherweight: Cindy Dandois (5-2) vs. Megan Anderson (4-1)
Strawweight: Jamie Moyle (3-0) vs. Sharon Jacobson (3-1)
Atomweight: Jinh Yu Frey (3-1) vs. Liz McCarthy (2-1)
Strawweight: J.J. Aldrich (1-1) vs. Daniela Kortmann (1-0)
Flyweight: Aspen Ladd (1-0) vs. Amanda Bobby Cooper (1-0)
Lightweight: Rachel Wiley (0-0) vs. Felicia Spencer (0-0)
Sixteen athletes will hit the scales Thursday as InvictaFC has it’s 12th offering Friday.
The main event see strawweight champion Katja Kankaanpää in her first title defense against undefeated submission specialist Livia Renata Souza. The co-main event sees Roxanne Modafferi rematch Vanessa Porto in a flyweight title eliminator.
The weigh-ins start at 4 p.m. central Kansas City time.
Another title eliminator bout will be featured on the InvictaFC 12 card in Kansas City April 24.
In a rematch of their 2008 fight, Roxanne Modafferi will take on Vanessa Porto. Combat Sports broke the news Friday night, and we have confirmed through sources as well.
Modafferi (17-11) has won back to back flyweight fights at Invicta and has looked stronger and better since her move to Syndicate MMA in Vegas. Porto (17-6) has also won back to back fights. Both have notable wins over Tara LaRosa.
Modafferi defeated Porto in their first outing by a third round TKO to win the Fatal Femmes bantamweight title. The winner of this match will most likely get a rematch with flyweight champion Barb Honchak.
The match joins Faith Van Duin versus Amanda Bell, and the strawweight title match between champion Katja Kankaanpää and undefeated Brazilian Livia Renata Souza.
The card will stream on UFC Fight Pass April 24.
The pioneers of WMMA are coming to UFC Fight Pass.
The UFC streaming and video archive network announced a deal with Hook’n’Shoot Saturday, which includes the promotion’s 19 years of events, 75 in all, and over 500 matches.
Hook’n’Shoot was the first US promotion to have a sanction women’s MMA bout in 2001 and followed up with 2002’s “Revolution”, the first sanctioned all female MMA event in the country.
The promotion was the start of many of the first generation WMMA fighters, including Megumi Fujii, Tara LaRosa, Julie Kedzie, Miesha Tate, and Roxanne Modafferi. The old school MMA matches will be able to be seen by a new generation of WMMA fans.
According to Hook’n’Shoot owner Jeff Osbourne, we should expect live events from the promotion to stream on Fight Pass in the upcoming future. UFC’s Chief Content Officer Marshall Zelaznik made note that matchmaker Joe Silva requested Hook’n’Shoot to be added to the network.
Also announced are King of the Cage (long time supporter of WMMA), XFO (known for their matches with Felice Herrig), and Pancrase (Rin Nakai’s home promotion beforce signing to the UFC).
Zelaznik explained it would take time to get the fights on the digital network to make sure the quality was up to par, but stated the promotions did a great job preserving their content.
He stated they would start with “the most important matches and events first” and work their way down.
InvictaFC will have it’s tenth card Friday night in Houston, Texas, which will stream on UFC Fight Pass starting at 6 p.m. pst/9 p.m. est. Few promotions could say they have that kind of streak being on a major platform.
The last card of the year has eight fights. Two bouts scrapped due to some unforeseen circumstances. Irene Aldana had came down with a case of bronchitis and had to drop off the card. Meanwhile, the Texas Commission nixed a fight between Charmaine Tweet and Faith Van Duin after Tweet was requested to take additional tests due to her age and she had failed one of them. It is not known what test it was.
With that in mind, the eight fights Friday are some of the closest to be booked by the promotion.
All photos courtesy Esther Lin/InvictaFC
Rachael Ostovich (126) vs Evva Johnson (125)
The Fighters:
Rachael Ostovich (1-1): The Hawaiian star has looked impressive, coming off an armbar win over Misha Nassiri.
Evva Johnson (1-0): A staple of the Ohio River Valley MMA scene, Kentucky’s Johnson has been a submission machine in most of her fights.
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The Storyline:
Ostovich is looking to continue what has been a strong run of Hawaiian based female fighters making an impact on the mainland. Johnson will be dropping down to flyweight in hopes to work her way through what has been InvictaFC’s marquee division.
Both are looking to be impressive in their debuts.
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What to expect:
Ostovich doesn’t only have a solid striking game but has a wrestling and judo background. Johnson’s BJJ could be problematic to Ostovich if the fight goes to the ground as Johnson could work submissions off her back.
Jinh Yu Frey (106.25)* vs Cassie Robb (105)
The Fighters:
Jinh Yu Frey (2-1): Frey is coming off a razor thin loss to Jodie Esquibel. The kickboxer has racked up some nasty knockouts over her career.
Cassie Robb (0-2): After a relatively successful amateur career, Robb is seeking her first pro win.
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The Storyline:
Robb was expected to fight in 2013 at InvictaFC 7 but due to her opponent vastly missing weight, the commission nixed the fight. She was promised by Shannon Knapp a match on a future card, and that promise was fulfilled.
Frey’s loss was somewhat controversial in some people’s eyes and is looking to get back in the win column. She is the homestate fighter in the match.
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What to expect:
Frey’s striking is pretty vicious once she gets going, so it’s important for Robb to control the pace. Robb’s striking has improved the past year, and can hang in the pockets with Frey, but only for so long. For Robb to have a chance, she needs to take it to the ground.
*Frey missed weight and decided not to cut the extra 0.25 pounds. Will forfeit 25% of her purse to Robb
Alexa Grasso (115.25) vs Alida Gray (115)
The Fighters:
Alexa Grasso (5-0): The Mexican fighter looked impressive in her InvictaFC debut. The striker is one of the rising stars in the strawweight dvision.
Alida Gray (4-1): Her only loss being to the #1 strawweight on the planet, Gray has had a Knockout of the Year Award.
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The Storyline:
Grasso and her teammate Irene Aldana have put Mexico on the map in terms of a new WMMA hotspot. She is looking to work her way into the InvictaFC strawweight title mix with a win.
Gray is also looking to get into the title hunt, and recover after a heartbreaking loss to WSOF champion Jessica Aguilar.
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What to expect:
If this stays standing, it will be a war. Both have the possibility for getting the knockout. The edge on the ground goes to Grasso, who is a grappling champion in Mexico.
Andria Wawro (147)** vs Peggy Morgan (145)
The Fighters:
Andria Wawro (3-1): On the cusp of the top 10 in the feathweight division, Warwo has back to back wins.
Peggy Morgan (2-2): The TUF 18 vet is returning to featherweight after an unsuccessful run at bantamweight.
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The Storyline:
We dubbed this “The Battle of the Red Heads”. Warwo is looking to make her mark in her InvictaFC debut and work her way into title contention. Morgan is looking for redemption after a heartbreaking loss in her InvictaFC debut.
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What to expect:
Warwo has an experience edge coming in and has been on a roll. Morgan’s drop to 135 made her looked drained and tired. The question will be if Morgan will be stronger and faster at 145 and if Warwo will be a little more drained after trying to cut some more pounds after her first weigh-in.
**Warwo missed weight on the first try at 149. Weighed in at 147 on second try. Will forfeit 25% of her purse.
DeAnna Bennett vs Jennifer Maia (125)
The Fighters:
DeAnna Bennett (5-0): The Utah fighter has finished in 4 of her five pro wins. She is coming off a TKO over Michelle Ould in both their InvictaFC debuts.
Jennifer Maia (9-3-1): The InvictaFC vet is coming off back to back wins in her home country of Brazil.
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The Storyline:
The decision on who will face flyweight champion Barb Honchak next will depend on how this fight and the Modafferi versus Lee fight pans out. #3 ranked Maia has been on the cusp of title contention and needs a win to move forward. Bennett has moved to the #4 spot and will look to make her run for the belt.
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What to expect:
Maia has found difficulty finishing opponents, but has edged out wins in the judges’ eyes. Bennett is stepping up in competition, but has proved to be a finisher. If it goes the distance, the edge goes to Maia, but Bennett could shock the world with a finish once again.
Roxanne Modafferi vs Andrea Lee (125)
The Fighters:
Roxanne Modafferi (16-11): The 11 year vet of the sport snapped a six fight win streak at InvictaFC 7.
Andrea Lee (2-0): The rising star of the flyweight division has been impressive in the first two pro wins.
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The Storyline:
With Vanessa Porto out due to injury, Lee is stepping up in competition for the match. An accomplished striker, a win would move her into the top 10 of the flyweights.
Modafferi has seen a renaissance in her career, with her new striking skills that has made her a more well rounded fighter. A win her will get here one step closer to a rematch with Honchak.
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What to expect:
Although Modafferi’s striking has improved, Lee has had more experience outside MMA and is at a higher level. Modafferi has more experience on the ground, but Lee has a blue belt in BJJ and a brown in judo. If it does goes to the ground it will be an interesting chess match with the patient Modafferi and the more aggressive Lee.
We will see if Modafferi’s overall experience advantage will win the day or if Lee prove to be the next superstar in the flyweight division.
Tonya Evinger vs Cindy Dandois (135)
The Fighters:
Tonya Evinger (14-5): Winner for 5 straight, Evinger’s submission over Ediane Gomes at InvictaFC 8 has made her a contender for the vacant bantamweight strap.
Cindy Dandois (5-1): After a three year absence from action, Dandois is looking to be impressive in her comeback.
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The Storyline:
Evinger’s win streak and no non-sense attitude has made her one of the top stars in the promotion. On the cusp of gold, a win over Dandois would solidify her status.
Dandois will be dropping to 135 for the first time and is coming back after a long absence. She had been training with Miesha Tate off and on over the past year.
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What to expect:
Evinger has seemed to be more focus her past couple of fights after being inconsistent a few years ago. The question mark will be Dandois as she may have changed as a fighter with two years of training and not fighting. Will cage rust effect Dandois or will we see a new star in the making?
Michelle Waterson vs Herica Tiburcio – 105 title
The Fighters:
Michelle Waterson (12-3):The InvictaFC champion has taken the mantle of being the go-top star of the promotion.
Herica Tiburcio (8-2): The Brazilian stand out has 6 of eight wins by submission.
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The Storyline:
Waterson is in need of challengers and with Ayaka Hamasaki set to fight New Years Eve and Seo Hee Ham moving to the UFC, Tiburcio gets the call to get the title shot in her second match at 105.
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What to expect:
This is a huge step up for Tiburcio. Waterson’s striking was on a whole other level in her fight with Yasuko Tamada. Tiburcio strength is in her ground game. If the fight goes past three rounds, there is a big question mark on Tiburcio conditioning.
After a visa issue has sidetracked Vanessa Porto from getting into the country, Andrea Lee will replace the title contender against Roxanne Modafferi at InvictaFC December 5.
Lee (2-0) made an impressive debut over Shannon Sinn at InvictaFC 9, displaying creative yet accurate striking. The multi-sport combat athlete is looking to make it to the top 10 with a win.
This will be a huge step up for Lee as veteran Roxanne Modafferi (16-11) has taken on a who’s who in the sport. Modafferi’s striking has developed since leaving Japan and making her home at Syndicate MMA. Her ground game has always been a solid part of her game. A win would solidify her title contendership.
InvictaFC 5 will stream on UFC Fight Pass December 5.
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