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Flyweights Pearl Gonzalez and Brogan Sanchez Now Headline Invicta FC 37

Kansas City, Mo. โ€“ Invicta FC 37 has a new headliner.

Atomweight champion Jinh Yu Frey (8-4) has been forced out of her scheduled title defense against No. 1 contender Ashley Cummins (7-4) due to injury. The bout will be rescheduled for Invicta FC 39.

Stepping into the main event spotlight will be the flyweight contest betweenย Pearl Gonzalez (9-4) and Brogan “Killer Bee” Sanchez (6-0).ย The Chicago native Gonzalez is aย UFC veteran and former flyweight title challenger. Guam’s Sanchez โ€” formerly Walker โ€” has opened her career with six straight victories, including two straight inside the Invicta cage.

In addition to the new headliner, a bantamweight bout has joined the fight card as Florida’s Megan “Killa” Cawley (0-1) returns to the Invicta cage against newcomer “Hurricane” Hope Chase (1-1) of Pennsylvania.

Invicta FC 37 takes place Friday, Oct. 4, from Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan. The event will stream live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass beginning at 7 p.m. CT. Tickets for the event can be purchased now throughย Eventbrite.

The updated Invicta FC 37 fight card can be found below:

Flyweight:ย Pearl Gonzalez vs. Brogan Sanchez
Flyweight:ย Mariya Agapova vs. Marilia Santos
Strawweight: Kay Hansen vs. Nicolle Caliari
Atomweight: Shino VanHoose vs. Lindsey VanZandt
Atomweight:ย Linda Mihalec vs. Marisa Messer-Belenchia
Bantamweight:ย Megan Cawley vs. Hope Chase
Flyweight:ย Jordan Kaaze vs. Claire Johnson


About Invicta FC:

Invicta Fighting Championships is a world championship, all-pro mixed martial artsย (MMA) fight series dedicated to providing female athletes with a major platform toย hone their skills on a consistent basis. Founded in 2012 by longtime MMA executiveย Shannon Knapp, Invicta is committed to pioneering the future growth of womenโ€™sย MMA by promoting the best possible match-ups between female competitors andย identifying and developing future superstars of the sport.ย Followย Invicta on Twitter (@InvictaFights), Facebook (Facebook.com/InvictaFights), and Instagramย (@InvictaFC) for all the latest information.

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Jinh Yu Frey vs. Ashley Cummins Title Clash Headlines Invicta FC 37 Fight Card

Kansas City, Mo. โ€“ The lineup for Invicta FC 37 has been finalized.

The event, which takes place Friday, Oct. 4, from Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan., will be headlined by an atomweight title clash between current championย Jinh Yu Frey (8-4) and challenger Ashley “Smashley” Cummins (7-4). The pair met previously at Invicta FC 24 in 2017 with the Texas-based Frey taking a decision victory in the three-round affair. Frey would go on to capture the 105-pound title against Finland’s Minna Grusander and defend the belt in a rematch at Invicta FC 33. Cummins has won two straight since her prior meeting with Frey, most recently defeating Brazil’s Jรฉssica Delboni at Invicta FC 32.

In the night’s co-main event, UFC veteran and former flyweight title challenger Pearl Gonzalez (9-4) takes on unbeaten Brogan “Killer Bee” Walker-Sanchez (6-0) of Guam. The Chicago native Gonzalez will look to rebound after coming up short against current champion Vanessa Porto in her last outing. Walker-Sanchez will be making her third appearance in the Invicta cage and aims to build off her decision win over recent Phoenix Series tournament winner Miranda Maverick.

The card will also feature a pair of Contender Series veterans as Kazakhstan’s Mariya Agapova (7-1) makes a quick turnaround following her first-round submission win over Alexa Conners at Phoenix Series 2 to battle Brazilian Marilia Santos (10-3). Fresh off a win in a Phoenix Series tournament reserve bout, California’s Kay Hansen (4-3) returns to welcome 22-year-old Brazilian Nicolle Caliari (4-1) to the Invicta cage. Veterans atomweights meet when Idaho’s Shino VanHoose (6-5) takes on New York’s Lindsey “Damsel” VanZandt (6-2). Newcomers Linda “F109” Mihalec (1-0) of Kentucky and Marisa “Spider Monkey” Messer-Belenchia (3-0) of Connecticut collide, also at 105 pounds. Finally, in a match-up of debuting flyweights, Minnesota’s Jordan “KamiKaaze” Kaaze (0-0) faces Colorado’s Claire Johnson (0-0).

The Invicta FC 37 fight card can be found below:

Atomweight Title: Jinh Yu Frey vs. Ashley Cummins
Flyweight:ย Pearl Gonzalez vs. Brogan Walker-Sanchez
Flyweight:ย Mariya Agapova vs. Marilia Santos
Strawweight: Kay Hansen vs. Nicolle Caliari
Atomweight: Shino VanHoose vs. Lindsey VanZandt
Atomweight:ย Linda Mihalec vs. Marisa Messer-Belenchia
Flyweight:ย Jordan Kaaze vs. Claire Johnson

Invicta FC 37 will stream live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass beginning at 7 p.m. CT. Tickets for the event can be purchased now throughย Eventbrite.


About Invicta FC:

Invicta Fighting Championships is a world championship, all-pro mixed martial artsย (MMA) fight series dedicated to providing female athletes with a major platform toย hone their skills on a consistent basis. Founded in 2012 by longtime MMA executiveย Shannon Knapp, Invicta is committed to pioneering the future growth of womenโ€™sย MMA by promoting the best possible match-ups between female competitors andย identifying and developing future superstars of the sport.ย Followย Invicta on Twitter (@InvictaFights), Facebook (Facebook.com/InvictaFights), and Instagramย (@InvictaFC) for all the latest information.

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Phoenix Series 2 Results: Maverick Submits Bennett to Capture Tournament Crown

Kansas City, Kan.ย โ€” On Friday, Sept. 6,ย Invicta Fighting Championships hosted its second Phoenix Series tournamentย from Memorial Hall. The event aired exclusively on UFC Fight Pass.

The tournament final featured a rematch between Miranda Maverick and DeAnna Bennett. Bennett pressed forward on the feet in the opening stanza as Maverick looked to counter. After trading leg kicks, Maverick scored with a front kick to Bennettโ€™s midsection. The fighters opened up with their hands as the round progressed, with Maverick landing a heavy counter in the pocket. Bennett sought a takedown late in the round, but Maverick stayed on her feet. The second frame featured a number of flurries from both fighters, but each was able to evade significant damage. Bennett changed levels for a takedown, but Maverick reversed it and took her to the ground briefly. Bennett quickly worked back to her feet and finished the round in the top position. In the fightโ€™s final round, Maverick secured a single leg along the fence and tripped Bennett to the ground. As Bennett worked to stand, Maverick transitioned to her back. Bennett was able to defend numerous choke attempts, but as the round came closer to an end, Maverick was able to get her arm under the chin. The tap from Bennett came with less than two minutes left as Maverick took home the tournament championship and exacted revenge for her previous defeat to Bennett.

The nightโ€™s co-main event pitted Kazakhstanโ€™s Mariya Agapova against Invicta veteran Alexa Conners. After trading body kicks, Agapova started to open up with combinations. A superwoman punch prompted Conners to shoot for a takedown, but she could not get Agapova to the ground. A heavy kick to the liver stunned Conners and Agapova followed with a massive right hand. Smelling blood, Agapova pounced on Conners, taking her back. She applied a rear-naked choke and Conners submitted.

In non-tournament action, Josee Storts impressed in her Invicta debut, submitting fellow newcomer Helen Lucero in the fightโ€™s first round. Storts went straight to work, pushing Lucero to the fence and bringing her to the ground. She gained mount and began battering Lucero. Lucero swept to top position, but Storts used an armbar attempt to regain mount. The 21-year-old set up a topside triangle choke attempt. Lucero spun to top position, but the choke was sunk in and Storts unleashed a barrage of elbows to split open Luceroโ€™s forehead. Lucero was forced to tap, handing Storts her second career victory.

DeAnna Bennett earned the second spot in the tournament final with a submission win over Brazilian Daiana Torquato. Torquato jumped on Bennettโ€™s back right away and then transitioned for a standing arm-triangle choke. Bennett remained calm and escaped the submission attempt. She pushed Torquato to the fence before scoring with a powerful double-leg takedown. Bennett took the back of Torquato and secured both hooks. She patiently got her arm under Torquatoโ€™s chin and coerced the tap.

In the tournament semifinals, Miranda Maverick clashed with Shanna Young. The pair stayed at range initially. Young caught Maverick with a heavy left hand, forcing the tournamentโ€™s youngest fighter to shoot. She latched onto a single and dragged Young to the ground. Young tried to use the fence to work back to her feet, but gave up her back in the process. Maverick capitalized, taking Youngโ€™s back. She flattened her out and applied a fight-finishing rear-naked choke to punch her ticket to the final.

The second tournament reserve bout featured Invicta staple Kay Hansen against unbeaten Venezuelan prospect Carolina Jimenez. Hansen was quick to look for a takedown and took the fight to the canvas. Jimenez showcased her grappling prowess, sweeping to the top position. The pair traded positions repeatedly, with Hansen slowly taking control of the contest. In the fightโ€™s final minute, Hansen took the back of Jimenez and worked for a rear-naked choke. The finish did not come, but Hansen exited the cage with the clear-cut win.

In the nightโ€™s first tournament reserve bout, Kansas native Chantel Coates walked home with a split decision over newcomer Flore Hani. Coates cracked Hani with a right hand, prompting the French Polynesian fighter to shoot. Coates timed it perfectly, catching Hani with a flush head kick on the entry. Hani was able to survive and bring the fight to the ground. Coates worked back to her feet and the pair spent the rest of the bout in the clinch. The back-and-forth action was like a chess match and two of the judges scored the bout in favor of Coates.

The final quarterfinal fight was a clash of styles as Tennesseeโ€™s Shanna Young edged out Finlandโ€™s Maiju Suotama. Suotama wasted little time closing the distance after blocking a head kick attempt from Young. Suotama was able to change levels and get Young to the ground. She was able to smother Young with her control, but Young did not panic and was able to work to top position. Once on top, Young unleashed a barrage of punches. That onslaught was the difference as Young moved on to the semifinal round.

Missouri native Miranda Maverick picked up her second win over Victoria Leonardo to move onto the tournament semifinals. Leonardo was relentless with her pressure, forcing Maverick to her back foot. Maverick was patient at range, scoring with counters. Maverick initiated the clinch and looked to bring the fight to the mat. Leonardo was able to separate, but Maverickโ€™s ability to control the distance was enough to convince the judges to hand her the victory.

Veteran DeAnna Bennett edged out Liz Tracy in a back-and-forth battle in the second quarterfinal bout. Tracy closed the distance early, but Bennett muscled her to the mat for a moment. After jostling for position in the clinch, Tracy earned the fightโ€™s first takedown. It was short-lived as Bennett worked back to the feet. Bennett opened up with her striking late and cracked Tracy with multiple shots. She followed it with a late takedown to earn the unanimous decision nod and her spot in the semifinals.

The quarterfinal action kicked off with a match-up between UFC veteran Milana Dudieva and Brazilian newcomer Daiana Torquato. Torquato was aggressive early, pinning her Russian foe against the cage. From the clinch, Torquato scored with short knees and elbows. Dudieva looked to use her judo, but Torquato was wise to it and kept the fight upright. Torquatoโ€™s pressure proved to be the difference on the scorecards as two of the judges at cageside awarded her the decision and a spot in the semifinals.

OFFICIALย RESULTS
Miranda Maverick def. DeAnna Bennett by submission (rear-naked choke). Round 3, 3:38 โ€“ flyweight tournament final
Mariya Agapova def. Alexa Conners by submission (rear-naked choke). Round 1, 3:03
Josee Storts def. Helen Lucero by submission (triangle-armbar). Round 1, 4:21
DeAnna Bennett def. Daiana Torquato by submission (rear-naked choke). Round 1, 3:34 โ€“ flyweight tournament semifinal
Miranda Maverick def. Shanna Young by submission (rear-naked choke). Round 1, 2:35 โ€“ flyweight tournament semifinal
Kay Hansen def. Carolina Jimenez by unanimous decision (10-9 x3) โ€“ flyweight tournament reserve bout
Chantel Coates def. Flore Hani by split decision (10-9, 9-10, 10-9) โ€“ flyweight tournament reserve bout
Shanna Young def. Maiju Suotama by unanimous decision (10-9 x3) โ€“ flyweight tournament quarterfinal
Miranda Maverick def.ย Victoria Leonardo by unanimous decision (10-9 x3) โ€“ flyweight tournament quarterfinal
DeAnna Bennett def. Liz Tracy by unanimous decision (10-9 x3) โ€“ flyweight tournament quarterfinal
Daiana Torquato def. Milana Dudieva by split decision (10-9, 9-10, 10-9) โ€“ flyweight tournament quarterfinal


About Invicta FC:

Invicta Fighting Championships is a world championship, all-pro mixed martial artsย (MMA) fight series dedicated to providing female athletes with a major platform toย hone their skills on a consistent basis. Founded in 2012 by longtime MMA executiveย Shannon Knapp, Invicta is committed to pioneering the future growth of womenโ€™sย MMA by promoting the best possible match-ups between female competitors andย identifying and developing future superstars of the sport.ย Followย Invicta on Twitterย (@InvictaFights), Facebook (Facebook.com/InvictaFights), and Instagramย (@InvictaFC) for all the latest information.

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Phoenix Series 2 Official Weigh-in and Tournament Draw Results

Kansas City, Kan.ย โ€” On Thursday, Sept. 5, Invicta Fighting Championships hosted the weigh-ins for its Phoenix Series 2 tournament. The eventย takes placeย from from Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan., on Friday, Sept. 6, with the entire card streaming live on UFC Fight Pass beginning at 7 p.m. CT.

Theย one-night, eight-woman tournament will take place in the flyweight division.ย The single-elimination tournament will feature one-round fights in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds, with the tournament final being a three-round affair to determine the tournament champion.

The tournament participants were matched up during a random draw during the event’s weigh-ins.

In the first quarterfinal bout, UFC veteranย Milana Dudieva meets Brazilian newcomerย Daiana Torquato. The second match-up pits UFC veteran and former strawweight title challenger DeAnna Bennett against veteran Liz Tracy. In the third pairing, the red-hot Victoria Leonardo looks to avenge her only career defeat against submission ace Miranda Maverick. Finally, Contender Series veteran Shanna Young meets Strikeforce veteranย Maiju Suotama.

The quarterfinal fighters will have incentive to finish their fights for multiple reasons. First, each finish will earn the winning fighter a monetary bonus, but more importantly, the fastest finisher in the quarterfinal round will have the luxury of picking their opponent for the semifinals based on the remaining three combatants. If there are no finishes in the quarterfinals, the semifinal match-ups will again be determined by random draw.

Below are the results of the event’s weigh-ins.

Flyweight Co-Main Event:ย Alexa Conners (125.8) vs. Mariya Agapova (125.7)
Flyweight Bout:ย Josee Storts (125.9) vs. Helen Lucero (125.1)
Flyweight Reserve Bout No. 2:ย Kay Hansen (125.5)ย vs. Carolina Jimenez (124.5)
Flyweight Reserve Bout No. 1:ย Chantel Coates (129)* vs. Flore Hani (124.7)
Flyweight Tournament Quarterfinal: Maiju Suotama (123.6) vs. Shanna Young (126)
Flyweight Tournament Quarterfinal: Miranda Maverick (125.9) vs. Victoria Leonardo (126)
Flyweight Tournament Quarterfinal: DeAnna Bennett (125.8) vs. Liz Tracy (125.7)
Flyweight Tournament Quarterfinal: Daiana Torquato (125.4) vs. Milana Dudieva (125.9)

* – Coates was fined 25 percent of her fight purse for missing weight and is no longer eligible to step in as an injury replacement in the tournament.


About Invicta FC:

Invicta Fighting Championships is a world championship, all-pro mixed martial artsย (MMA) fight series dedicated to providing female athletes with a major platform toย hone their skills on a consistent basis. Founded in 2012 by longtime MMA executiveย Shannon Knapp, Invicta is committed to pioneering the future growth of womenโ€™sย MMA by promoting the best possible match-ups between female competitors andย identifying and developing future superstars of the sport.ย Followย Invicta on Twitter (@InvictaFights), Facebook (Facebook.com/InvictaFights), and Instagramย (@InvictaFC) for all the latest information.

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Phoenix Series 2: Get to Know the Fighters Competing for Tournament Glory

After an incredible first tournament in May that saw Brianna Van Buren crowned the Invicta strawweight champion, the Phoenix Series is back for its second tournament. With it comes eight flyweights all set to compete on Sept. 6 in a one-night, single-elimination tournament at the Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan.

The competition will follow the same rules as the first installment of the series and similar to that event back in May, it features a mix of top competitors including Invicta veterans, exciting prospects and newcomers to the Invicta FC cage.

Without further ado, itโ€™s time to meet the eight women involved in the return of the Phoenix Series:

DeAnna Bennett (10-5-1):

The first of three fighters who step into this tournament after competing in a four-woman title contender tournament earlier in the year, Bennett is no stranger to being at the top of her division in Invicta. Bennett challenged Livia Renata Souza back in 2016 for the Invicta FC strawweight championship, coming up short on that occasion.

After beginning her career 8-0, Bennett has been a top contender in the sport for many years. She will be going into the tournament in search of a title shot after just missing out on one when she lost a very close decision to Karina Rodriguez in her last fight.

Milana Dudieva (12-8):

Dudieva is the second fighter in the tournament who comes in after competing in the four-woman tournament earlier this year, losing her initial fight โ€” a โ€œFight of the Nightโ€ performance โ€” to Karina Rodriguez who went on to beat Bennett in the final and win the tournament.

She comes into Sept. 6 as the woman with the most fights in the competition and an impressive record of 12 wins with 10 coming via stoppage. Dudieva has experience fighting in the UFC and against some of the biggest names in the sport such as former UFC champion Jessica Andrade. Her experience and strong Judo background make her a tough match-up for any of the other seven women.

Miranda Maverick (5-2):

The third and final woman who competed in the flyweight tournament earlier in the year is Maverick. She comes in as the youngest of the eight women at 22 years old but is showing promising signs as a prospect in the sport.

Maverick lost her fight in the four-woman tournament to DeAnna Bennett but held her own against her the whole fight showing that despite only being seven fights into her professional career, she is ready to take on the very best in Invicta. Whilst studying and aiming for a PhD in psychology, she has picked up a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and earned four of her five wins via submission.

Shanna Young (6-2):

Stepping into the competition to replace the injured Cheri Muraski doesnโ€™t mean that Young isnโ€™t prepared for this tournament. Fighting on Dana Whiteโ€™s Contender Series in August, Young will be hoping to capitalize on this quick turn around and make the most out of the opportunity.

This will be Youngโ€™s second time in the Invicta cage following a split decision loss to Lisa Spangler at Invicta FC 31, a fight which was in contention for โ€œFight of the Year.โ€ A black belt in Karate, Young has finished four of her six wins and is a skillful distance striker.

Liz Tracy (5-3):

โ€œThe Titanโ€ Tracy comes into the second tournament of the Phoenix Series with confidence in her own abilities. Bringing strong wrestling fundamentals and high-level training at 10th Planet Portland, Tracy has showed that she has the ability to neutralize her opponents with her technique.

Stepping into the cage for the first time in 2019, Tracyโ€™s last fight at Invicta FC 32 was voted the best โ€œFight of the Yearโ€ in 2018 by the fans. Her performance against Stephanie Geltmacher showed that Tracy is not just a grappler and that she can and will stand and trade punches with anyone standing across the cage from her.

Victoria Leonardo (6-1):

Making a short turnaround after a โ€œFight of the Nightโ€ performance at Invicta FC 36 that extended her winning streak to four straight, Louisianaโ€™s Leonardo will be out to prove sheโ€™s a contender at 125 pounds.

The 29-year-old will make her fourth Invicta appearance and looks to add to her resume that includes four submission finishes. She has tangled with fellow tournament competitor Miranda Maverick and holds wins over Stephanie Geltmacher and Jamie Milanowski under the Invicta banner.

Daiana Torquato (9-3):

The first of two fighters in the tournament who will be stepping into the Invicta cage for the first time, Torquato is bringing lots of momentum with her into the tournament.

Following seven straight wins in her native Brazil, Torquato is a black belt in Muay Thai and has a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. She trains out of Thai Brasil Floripa alongside the UFCโ€™s Marina Rodriguez and will be ready to test her striking skills against whoever she is matched up against.

Maiju Suotama (8-4):

The final entrant in the eight-woman flyweight tournament is Finnish grappling specialist Maiju Suotama. An ADCC European champion and a NAGA expert champion, Suotamaโ€™s grappling accomplishments speak for themselves.

With all but one of her professional wins coming via finish โ€” with five TKOs and two submissions โ€” Suotama rounds out the eight competitors as an exciting finisher and a former Strikeforce fighter.


This piece is a special contribution from Kyle Dimond, a journalism major in Gloucester, England. You can follow Kyle on Twitter.