KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Travel restrictions and visa issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic have impacted the fight card for Invicta FC 44: A New Era, which takes place Friday, Aug. 27.
Flyweight Mara Romero Borella (11-9) of Italy and Brazilian atomweight Monique Adriane (4-2) have been forced out of their respective match-ups.
Stepping in for Borella opposite Guam’s Brogan “Killer Bee” Sanchez (6-2) will be returning Invicta veteran Emilee King (5-5). The Tennessee fighter made her pro debut at Invicta FC 26 in 2017. She has gone on to compete in Bellator MMA and has won four of her last six bouts.
Adriane’s spot will be filled by Marisa “Spider Monkey” Messer-Belenchia (3-1). The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt will be facing the very fighter she replaced at June’s Phoenix Tournament 4 event, Canada’s “Queen of the North” Katie Saull (3-4).
The event takes place from Memorial Hall in Kansas City and is headlined by two title fights. In the headliner, top contenders Emily “Gordinha” Ducote (9-6) and “Dynamite” Danielle Taylor (11-5) square off for strawweight gold. The second half of the title doubleheader features Lisa “Battle Angel” Verzosa (6-1) against Phoenix Tournament winner Taneisha “Triple Threat” Tennant (3-1) with the bantamweight title up for grabs.
The main card will be distributed on pay-per-view via traditional cable and satellite carriers beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Digital customers around the world can pre-order the event immediately from FITE for $19.99 in the United States, $14.99 in Canada and $9.99 in the rest of the world.
Prior to the main card, the Invicta FC 44 Prelims will be broadcast in the U.S. on AXS TV and streamed for free worldwide on Invicta FC’s YouTube channel beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
Tickets to the event are on sale now through Eventbrite.
Invicta FC 44: A New Era (updated)
Strawweight Title: Emily Ducote vs. Danielle Taylor
Bantamweight Title: Lisa Verzosa vs. Taneisha Tennant
Flyweight: Brogan Sanchez vs. Emilee King
Strawweight: Jodie Esquibel vs. Liz Tracy
Bantamweight: Serena DeJesus vs. Lauren Mueller
Invicta FC 44 Prelims (updated)
Flyweight: Caitlin Sammons vs. Helen Peralta
Atomweight: Katie Saull vs. Marisa Messer-Belenchia
Atomweight: Katie Perez vs. Natalie Salcedo
Featherweight: Kayla Yontef vs. Carlene Chandler
About Invicta FC:
Invicta Fighting Championships (invictafc.com) is a world championship, all-pro mixed martial arts (MMA) fight series dedicated to providing female athletes with a major platform to hone their skills on a consistent basis. Founded in 2012 by longtime MMA executive Shannon Knapp, Invicta is committed to pioneering the future growth of women’s MMA by promoting the best possible match-ups between female competitors and identifying and developing future superstars of the sport. Follow Invicta on Twitter (@InvictaFights), Facebook (InvictaFights) and Instagram (@InvictaFC) for all the latest information.
About Anthem Sports & Entertainment, Inc.
Anthem Sports & Entertainment Inc. is a globally integrated multi-platform media company with offices and studios in Los Angeles, Denver, Nashville, New York, Kansas City and Toronto. Anthem’s portfolio includes AXS TV, a leading music, entertainment and lifestyle television channel and digital media company; Fight Network, the world’s premier combat sports channel; IMPACT Wrestling, one of the world’s leading wrestling organizations specializing in original programming and live events; Invicta Fighting Championships, the world’s premier all-women mixed martial arts promotion; Game+, the leader in Esports and gaming content; GameTV, the home of game shows and competition-based reality series; and HDNet Movies, which features theatrically released films and documentaries. Anthem also has a significant ownership interest in Pursuit Channel, one of the top outdoor channels in the U.S.