InvictaFC, Author at Invicta Fighting Championships

Through the Ashes: Jinh Yu Frey

February 4, 2020

Kansas City, Mo. – Invicta Fighting Championships today released the newest episode of “Through the Ashes,” a documentary series produced by the promotion and presented by Victory Beef.

Each episode of the series chronicles the martial arts journey of a single Invicta athlete, including never-before-told stories of overcoming adversity inside and outside the cage.

This episode features atomweight champion Jinh Yu Frey. The Texas fighter talks about her drive to improve with every fight, as well as pushing her limits on a daily basis. The titleholder will defend her belt against Ashley Cummins at Invicta FC 39 on Friday, Feb. 7.

“Whether I win or lose, two or three days later, I’m back in the gym. I feel determined and I want to get better.”

Watch the full episode of ‘Through the Ashes’ below:

Invicta FC 39 streams live and exclusively via UFC Fight Pass at 7 p.m. CT. Tickets for the event can be purchased now through Eventbrite.

“Through the Ashes” was directed and edited by Cynthia Vance. It features cinematography by Cynthia Vance and Enkrypt Los Angeles, as well as additional footage from E. Casey Leydon and Ruben Rodriguez

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.

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

September 5, 2019

by InvictaFC Previews

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, it’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 — a “Fight of the Night” performance — 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 doesn’t mean that Young isn’t prepared for this tournament. Fighting on Dana White’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 Young’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 “Fight of the Year.” A black belt in Karate, Young has finished four of her six wins and is a skillful distance striker.

Liz Tracy (5-3):

“The Titan” 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, Tracy’s last fight at Invicta FC 32 was voted the best “Fight of the Year” 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 “Fight of the Night” performance at Invicta FC 36 that extended her winning streak to four straight, Louisiana’s Leonardo will be out to prove she’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 UFC’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, Suotama’s grappling accomplishments speak for themselves.

With all but one of her professional wins coming via finish — with five TKOs and two submissions — 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.

Invicta FC Partners with Zebra Athletics

August 13, 2019

by InvictaFC News

Kansas City, Mo. – Invicta FC, the world’s largest all-women’s mixed martial arts organization. announced today a new sponsorship and equipment agreement with Zebra Athletics, the world’s leading outfitter of martial arts and MMA training facilities.

The multi-year agreement between the two organizations formalizes Zebra Athletics as the official equipment partner of Invicta FC. Zebra has created a new, custom 28-foot octagonal cage for the promotion featuring Zebra’s premium flooring. Additionally, Zebra will be outfitting the locker room warm-up areas at every Invicta event with 1.5-inch Zebra Mats, striking bags and other training gear.

“Invicta FC is a perfect fit for our partner program at Zebra Athletics,” stated Zebra President, Kyle Fisher. “Zebra has always, and will always, be committed to growing women’s combat sports, so being able to partner with one of MMA’s leading organizations, with the deepest roster of women on the planet, allows us to double down on that commitment. Shannon Knapp is a pioneer in the sport, and someone for whom I have a great deal of respect and admiration, so it’s truly an honor to now consider her and her organization a part of the Zebra family.”

Invicta FC President Shannon Knapp added, “When evaluating partners, it’s important that their culture and values align with Invicta’s, and Zebra Athletics matches them to a ‘T’. We’ve worked with the Zebra team on a number of projects over the years and have always appreciated not only the quality of their products but their support for and commitment to growing women’s MMA. I’m excited to expand our partnership with Zebra further and for our athletes to begin competing on the best equipment in the industry.”

Zebra cages and equipment debuted for the organization at Invicta FC 36 on Friday, Aug. 9 in Kansas City, Kan.

About Invicta FC:

Invicta Fighting Championships 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 (Facebook.com/InvictaFights), and Instagram (@InvictaFC) for all the latest information.

About Zebra Athletics:
With more than 20 years outfitting gyms and studios, Zebra Athletics is the world’s leading outfitter of training facilities. Zebra was the first flooring company to bring high-end MMA Mats, Martial Arts Mats, and other flooring options to the Martial Arts disciplines. Zebra has since expanded its products to include those suited for the Tactical Combative, Yoga and Ninja Obstacle Course training disciplines. Zebra has sold over 750,000 mats worldwide and is the official equipment partner of Invicta FC. Thousands of BJJ, Traditional Martial Arts, and MMA Championships have been won on Zebra Athletics’ equipment. For all the latest Zebra news, follow on Twitter (@ZebraMats), Facebook (Facebook.com/zebramats) and Instagram (@ZebraMats).

Phoenix Series: Get to Know the Fighters Competing for Strawweight Gold

May 1, 2019

by InvictaFC Previews

With the first installment of the Invicta FC Phoenix Series on the horizon, eight of the strawweight divisions finest are preparing for battle on May 3.

With the eight competitors being randomly matched up ahead of the event, in one night we will find out who is the winner of the tournament and new strawweight champion. The action will take place from Kansas City’s Memorial Hall.

The very first tournament of the series features a mix of former title challengers, UFC veterans and staples of the strawweight division in Invicta FC.

Let’s take take a deeper look at the eight women involved in the dawn of a new chapter for the promotion.

MIZUKI (13-5):

Japan’s MIZUKI has been a well-known face in women’s MMA for some time and a true veteran of the Invicta cage. She has fought seven times under the Invicta banner fighting the likes of UFC veterans Bec Rawlings and Karolina Kowalkiewicz.

In her last fight, MIZUKI defeated Viviane Pereira at Invicta FC 32. Pereira is also an ex-UFC fighter, competing four times in the promotion. MIZUKI also challenged for the strawweight title last year, coming up short to then-champion Virna Jandiroba and losing via split decision. MIZUKI’s experience and quality anywhere the fight goes makes her a favorite going into the tournament.

Janaisa Morandin (10-2):

Brazil’s Janaisa Morandin has made a big impact in her short time as a professional fighter. Still only 24 years old, Morandin is the most recent person to challenge former titleholder Virna Jandiroba for the strawweight belt.

She lost the fight due to an arm-triangle submission in the second round but this was only her third fight in Invicta. With six of her ten wins coming via finish, Morandin will be looking to beat her opponent quickly, giving her a bonus and the advantage of getting to pick her opponent in the semifinals.

Danielle Taylor (10-4):

Making her second appearance in Invicta, Danielle Taylor showed her class in her debut beating the undefeated Montserrat Ruiz at Invicta FC 33.

Competing against the likes of Weili Zhang and defeating former Invicta champion Jessica Penne during her UFC run, Taylor has shown she can compete at the highest level. Her dominant debut put the division on notice and now Taylor is ready to separate herself from the rest.

Juliana Lima (9-5):

With seven fights in the UFC, Brazil’s Juliana Lima is ready for everything you can throw at her. She has stood across the cage from the likes of Joanna Jędrzejczyk, Tecia Torres and Carla Esparza. During her time in the UFC she picked up wins over Nina Ansaroff, Ericka Almeida and JJ Aldrich.

She is returning to Invicta for the first time since 2013. At the age of 37, Lima may be the most experienced woman in the tournament which could help her progress into the later stages.

Kailin Curran (4-6):

The last of the UFC veterans in the tournament, Kailin Curran entered the UFC at 3-0 in her pro career. Curran has not fought since the end of 2017 and will be looking to make a big impact on her return which will also be her debut in Invicta.

Curran has a history of being in entertaining fights and won a “Fight of the Night” bonus for her UFC debut against Paige VanZant in 2014.

Brianna Van Buren (5-2):

After a great performance in her second Invicta appearance, Brianna Van Buren comes into the tournament with plenty of momentum behind her.

“Tha Bull” defeated ex-UFC fighter Jamie Moyle in her previous fight and asked for the winner of the co-main event of the evening which was won by Danielle Taylor. Van Buren is a fast and creative striker that will be able to go toe-to-toe with any of the women in the tournament when in striking range.

Sharon Jacobson (5-4):

Sharon Jacobson is a staple of the strawweight division in Invicta. She has five previous fights in the division with three wins, all via unanimous decision.

A veteran of the U.S. Army, Jacobson uses her determination and athletic ability to take opponents down and nullify their offense. Her grappling abilities make her a dangerous match up for anyone in the tournament.

Sunna Davíðsdóttir (3-0):

Despite having the least experience on the surface, Sunna Davíðsdóttir’s three wins have all come in Invicta FC. Debuting at Invicta FC 19 in 2016, she has picked up unanimous decision wins over Ashley Greenway, Mallory Martin and Kelly D’Angelo.

Davíðsdóttir is solid wherever the fight takes place. Her last fight was at Invicta 24 in 2017. With this break in action, she’ll be eager to show off what she has been working on whilst training at Mjolinir in her home country of Iceland.

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

Through the Ashes: Ashley Cummins

November 15, 2018

by InvictaFC Interviews

Shawnee, Okla. – Invicta Fighting Championships today released the newest episode of “Through the Ashes,” a documentary series produced by the promotion and presented by Victory Beef.

Each episode of the series chronicles the martial arts journey of a single Invicta athlete, including never-before-told stories of overcoming adversity inside and outside the cage.

This episode features atomweight and full-time police officer Ashley “Smashley” Cummins. The Missouri native, who now resides in San Diego, is excited to show a newfound drive in her upcoming bout against Jessica Delboni at Invicta FC 32. Learn about her journey from being a lifelong athlete and martial artist to balancing two very challenging careers.

“I want to represent my new gym and my new police department. I’m really hungry for this win and to show people what I’m capable of in the atomweight division.”

Watch the full episode of ‘Through the Ashes’ below:

Invicta FC 32 streams live and exclusively via UFC Fight Pass at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on Friday, Nov. 16.

‘Through the Ashes’ was directed and edited by Cynthia Vance. It features cinematography by Cynthia Vance and Mark Johnston, as well as additional footage from E. Casey Leydon, Ruben Rodriguez and Scott Hirano.

About Invicta FC:

Through the Ashes: Felicia Spencer

July 19, 2018

by InvictaFC Interviews

Kansas City, Mo. – Invicta Fighting Championships today released the second episode of “Through the Ashes,” a documentary series produced by the promotion and presented by Victory Beef.

Each episode of the series chronicles the martial arts journey of a single Invicta athlete, including never-before-told stories of overcoming adversity inside and outside the cage.

Episode two features undefeated featherweight Felicia Spencer. The native Canadian, who now resides in Florida, has spent her entire professional career inside the Invicta cage, racking up four wins along the way. The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt squares off with Ukrainian Helena Kolesnyk in the co-main event of Invicta FC 30.

Spencer is a lifelong martial artist, growing up with taekwondo and BJJ. She balances a full plate as an algebra teacher, a BJJ professor and professional fighter. Despite the heavy workload, Spencer has a simple outlook toward the sport, “I just want to have fun and be remembered for doing that.”

Watch the full episode of ‘Through the Ashes’ below:

Invicta FC 30 streams live and exclusively via UFC Fight Pass at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on Saturday, July 21.

About Invicta FC:

Amanda Nunes Joins Invicta FC Athlete Development Team

January 11, 2018

by InvictaFC News

Kansas City, Mo. – Invicta Fighting Championships today announced the addition of current UFC women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes to its athlete development team.

Nunes will join a team tasked with further solidifying the deepest roster in women’s MMA. The agreement’s core responsibilities will include assisting with the matchmaking process to create compelling fight cards and identifying the champions of tomorrow, specifically scouting talent in Brazil and the southeastern United States.

“I’ve known and worked with Amanda for a long time, going all the way back to our Strikeforce days,” said Invicta FC President Knapp. “She was already part of the Invicta family, but now it’s official; now it’s on paper.

“I can’t think of a better ambassador for the sport and our organization.”

After nearly a decade in the sport – including stints with Strikeforce, Invicta FC, and the UFC – Nunes captured gold in 2016, defeating Miesha Tate at UFC 200 to become UFC women’s bantamweight champion. Her career resume features wins over many of MMA’s best including Tate, Ronda Rousey, Valentina Shevchenko, Sara McMann, Germaine de Randamie, Vanessa Porto, Shayna Baszler, and Julia Budd.

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“I’ve been very fortunate throughout my career to fight for the best organizations in the world,” said Nunes. “In my new position, I hope to be able to use my experience as a fighter and a champion to help groom the next generation. I’m honored to be a part of their journey at Invicta.”

The appointment is effective immediately. In her first official duty, “The Lioness” will be front and center tomorrow, overseeing the athletes of Invicta FC 27 as they weigh in and square off.

She’ll also be in the house this Saturday, Saturday, Jan. 13, when Invicta returns to Scottish Rite Temple for Invicta FC 27, headlined by returning veteran Sarah Kaufman (18-4, 1 NC) taking on former Cage Warriors bantamweight champion Pannie “Banzai” Kianzad (8-2).

Invicta FC 27 streams live and exclusively via UFC Fight Pass at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on Saturday, Jan. 13.

Tickets for Invicta FC 27, priced at $50, $35, or $25, are on sale now via Ticketfly.com.

About Invicta FC:

Invicta FC 24: Sunna Rannveig Davíðsdóttir Photo Journal

July 15, 2017

by InvictaFC Interviews

[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” admin_preview_bg=”] On Saturday, July 15, Invicta Fighting Championships will host Invicta FC 24: Dudieva vs. Borella. The event takes place from Scottish Rite Temple on Saturday, July 15, and streams live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass beginning at 8 p.m. ET.

The event features the third Invicta appearance for undefeated Icelandic strawweight Sunna Rannveig Davíðsdóttir. The undefeated fighter invited the promotion’s media team to observe and document her weight-cutting process for her upcoming bout against Kelly D’Angelo.

Below is a photo gallery shot by Scott Hirano of Invicta Fighting Championships that showcases everything from Davíðsdóttir’s epsom salt bath to her stepping on the scales to make weight.

“Sunna Davidsdottir describes her fight week weight cut day as the most relaxing time of the week. Immersed in the sounds of Sigur Ros, surrounded by caring and attentive teammates, Sunna’s weight-shedding process is one that she describes as soothing and meditative. In a few hours time her goal is to relax, sweat and achieve the required weight to fight the next day. Her teammates, monitoring the progress closely and speaking only when necessary, leave Sunna to the sounds of her thoughtful music and her quiet appreciation of the experience.” – Scott Hirano, Invicta Photographer

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Episode 11: Invicta FC 18 – Grasso vs. Esquibel

June 30, 2016

by InvictaFC Radio

Welcome to the latest episode of Invicta FC Radio.

On this episode, Invicta FC matchmaker Julie Kedzie hosted fellow matchmaker Kaitlin Young and Invicta FC Presdient Shannon Knapp to discuss Invicta FC 18: Grasso vs. Esquibel. The event takes place on Friday, July 29 from the historic Scottish Rite Temple in Kansas City, Mo., and streams live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass.

During the episode Knapp announced two new bouts for the fight card, completing the lineup with nine fights.

At bantamweight, rising star Aspen Ladd (3-0) of California meets Nevada’s Jessica Hoy (1-0), while Texas prospect Tessa Simpson (4-1) welcomes Simona Soukupova (5-3-1) back to the Invicta cage in an atomweight affair.

For all the details and more, listen to the entire episode below.

Invicta FC 16: A Deeper Look

February 28, 2016

by InvictaFC News

Invicta FC returns to Las Vegas on March 11 with a very exciting fight card. The two headlining bouts will crown an atomweight and interim flyweight champion.

The main event will be a bout to remember, as the current champion, Ayaka Hamasaki, will look to defend her belt and improve to 13-1 against prospect Amber Brown.

Hamasaki is one of the top female fighters on the planet. Having only one setback in her career against Claudia Gadelha, she has been dominant. Hamasaki holds notable wins over Herica Tiburcio, Emi Fujino and Lacey Schuckman.

Amber “The Bully” Brown (6-1) is unbeaten in Invicta FC, and has finished the majority of her opponents. Most recently, she submitted Shino VanHoose in the first round at Invicta FC 15 to become the top contender for the champion. In addition, she has defeated Catherine Costigan and Liz McCarthy all under the Invicta banner.

The co-main event is a rematch for the interim Invicta FC flyweight championship, as the current champion Barb Honchak needed some time off. Fighting for the belt will be Brazilians Vanessa Porto and Jennifer Maia.

Porto and Maia fought previously back in 2011 in Brazil. Porto won the match in the second round by an arm lock to become Maia’s first professional loss.

Porto is a veteran of 24 professional fights, with a combined record of 18-6. She earned the title shot after defeating Zoila Frausto and Roxanne Modafferi. Her last loss was in 2013 against Honchak by decision. In her career spanning back to 2005, she has fought some of the best; Carina Damm, Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino, Tonya Evinger, Amanda Nunes and more.

Maia (12-4-1) has gone 1-2 in Invicta FC, holding a win over the aforementioned Frausto. She lost to title contender DeAnna Bennett in her last fight in Invicta. She has won her last three fights, two by TKO.

The next fight on the main card is a strawweight bout between Alexa Grasso and Stephanie Eggink.

Grasso is unbeaten as a professional mixed martial artist, holding a record of 7-0 (3-0 in Invicta). In her last fight against Mizuki Inoue, she was awarded fight of the night. She has also defeated Alida Gray and Ashley Cummins in Invicta.

Eggink (4-2) looks to get her first Invicta win. She made her debut for the organization in 2014, and lost to then-champion Katja Kankaanpaa by submission. Prior to joining Invicta FC, Eggink was the XFC strawweight champion, which she earned after submitting Angela Magana. She has defeated Brianna Van Buren and Heather Clark.

UFC veteran, Jessamyn Duke, will look to get back on the winning track against Invicta FC title contender Irene Aldana. Duke started her professional career in Invicta, finishing Suzie Montero and Marciea Allen. She appeared on The Ultimate Fighter and fought Peggy Morgan in her UFC debut. Duke won by decision, but is in the midst of a three-fight skid.

Aldana defeated Morgan and Colleen Schneider by a rear-naked choke in the Invicta cage, earning her a shot at the champion Tonya Evinger in July of 2015. She lost to the champion by TKO in the fourth round. This will be another tough test for the explosive prospect.

The main card is stacked, but the prelims will have a lot of exciting match ups as well. Strikeforce veteran Roxanne Modafferi will take on contender DeAnna Bennett, Jinh Yu Frey will fight former champion Herica Tiburcio, Sarah D’Alelio will fight fan favorite Andrea Lee, Kelly McGill will fight rising star Amberlynn Orr, and Sarah Click will fight Ashley Greenway.

The fights will be available to watch on UFC Fight Pass beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET, or you can catch them live at the Trinidad Pavilion at the Tropicana Las Vegas.

This article was authored by guest writer, Matthew Pearlman. You can find more of his work at TeensOnSports.com.