DENVER — The fight card for Invicta FC 52: Machado vs. McCormack is now complete with the addition of two strawweight contests. The bouts join the previously announced match-ups, which take place Wednesday, March 15 from Reelworks Denver.
Two-time atomweight title challenger Minna “Brutsku” Grusander (6-4) of Finland moves to the 115-pound division to take on undefeated Irish athlete Shauna “Mama B” Bannon (4-0). Grusander will step into the Invicta cage for the first time since 2018, when she pushed then-champion Jinh Yu Frey to the limit on two occasions. Bannon, meanwhile, made a successful promotional debut in September and will aim to keep her perfect record intact.
Also in the strawweight division, red-hot prospect Fatima “The Archangel” Kline (3-0) looks to continue her ascension through the ranks when she welcomes Russian judoka Natalia “Kuzya” Kuziutina (1-0) to the organization. New York’s Kline showcased her well-rounded attack in January, besting Ultimate Fighter veteran Laura Gallardo on the scorecards. American Top Team’s Kuziutina earned an Olympic bronze medal in 2016, but has recently turned her attention toward mixed martial arts.
Additionally, bantamweight Alexa Conners has been forced from her clash with undefeated Mexican Montserrat “Monster” Rendon (5-0). Stepping in for Conners will be Rendon’s countrywoman, Maria “Leona” Favela (4-2), who makes her third Invicta appearance. Finally, veteran Amber Leibrock is out of her match-up with Ramona Pascual (6-5), who now faces Dutch newcomer Kaylee Vos (2-2).
Invicta FC 52: Machado vs. McCormack is headlined by the first title defense for strawweight champion Valesca “Tina Black” Machado (12-3), who collides with Ireland’s Danni “Mac” McCormack (6-2). The event will be overseen by the Colorado Combative Sports Commission and will feature open scoring. It kicks off at 9 p.m. ET/7 p.m. MT, and airs live on Invicta’s official YouTube Channel and Facebook Page, AXS TV in the U.S., Fight Network in Canada, Fox Sports in Mexico, Globo’s Combate in Brazil, DirecTV across Latin America, Viaplay and Match TV in Europe and Star Times across Africa. Tickets to the event are on sale now through Eventbrite.
The complete fight card can be found below:
Strawweight Title: Valesca Machado vs. Danni McCormack
Strawweight: Karolina Wójcik vs. Ediana Silva
Strawweight: Minna Grusander vs. Shauna Bannon
Bantamweight: Montserrat Rendon vs. Maria Favela
Featherweight: Ramona Pascual vs. Kaylee Vos
Strawweight: Fatima Kline vs. Natalia Kuziutina
Strawweight: Sayury Cañon vs. Amanda Macioce
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 global multi-platform media company with offices and studios in Los Angeles, Denver, Nashville, New York, Kansas City, Cleveland and Toronto. Anthem’s portfolio includes AXS TV, a leading music, entertainment and lifestyle television channel and digital media company; global film distribution company Gravitas Ventures; 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.