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Sharon Jacobson Latest Addition to Invicta FC Flyweight Roster

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Kansas City, Mo. — The flyweight division continues to expand as Invicta Fighting Championships has signed another 125-pound fighter.

Sharon Jacobson is the newest athlete to sign with the promotion. The 31-year-old is a former U.S. Nationals wrestling champion and Army Combatives veteran. She will enter the promotion on the heels of a dominant, 44-second TKO win in July.

A California native that attended Valhalla High School, Jacobson moved to Colorado Springs, Colo., in pursuit of Olympic glory. Her desire for competition led the wrestling stalwart to mixed martial arts. In her two-fight professional career she has competed against the likes of current Invicta contender DeAnna Bennett.

“I’ve been waiting for this for a long time,” said Jacobson. “I’m proud to be a part of Invicta. It’s a good milestone for me.

“I’m here and I’m ready to fight.”

Jacobson is expected to make her Invicta debut in early 2015.

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. For more information, visit InvictaFC.com, follow Invicta on Twitter (@InvictaFights) and like Invicta on Facebook (Facebook.com/InvictaFights).

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Brazil’s Mariana Morais Joins Invicta FC Flyweight Ranks

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Kansas City, Mo. — The flyweight division of Invicta Fighting Championships has received another boost.

Brazilian Mariana Morais has signed a contract to compete in the Invicta cage. The 19-year-old fighter from São Paulo has amassed an 8-2 professional record while primarily competing in her native country. She holds the rank of blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and trains under the tutelage of Gilliard “Paraná” at PRVT in Curitiba.

Morais will join the already stacked 125-pound weight class riding a four-fight winning streak. Five of her eight career wins have come via submission. Among her past opponents is current Invicta combatant Jennifer Maia.

“Signing with Invicta is something that all female fighters look forward to,” said Morais. “Invicta is the pinnacle of female MMA and the main outlet for female talent growth in the sport. This is my chance to show that I’m ready to fight among the best fighters in the world.

“I have all the respect in the world for all [the fighters], but I’m coming in to leave my stamp on the division.”

Morais will make her Invicta debut in early 2015.

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. For more information, visit InvictaFC.com, follow Invicta on Twitter (@InvictaFights) and like Invicta on Facebook (Facebook.com/InvictaFights).

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2014 Invicta FC Fan’s Choice Awards

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Now that 2014 is in the books, it’s time to reflect on some of the great fights and performances that took place inside the Invicta cage over the last year.

Over the last week, we asked you, the fans, to help determine winners in five categories: Fighter of the Year, Fight of the Year, Knockout of the Year, Submission of the Year and Upset of the Year.

The votes have been tallied and your voices have been heard. Let’s take a look at the winners.

Upset of the Year

Brazil’s Herica Tiburcio scored the year’s biggest upset in December. The 22-year-old shocked the MMA world with her third-round submission win over Michelle Waterson at Invicta FC 10 to capture the Invicta atomweight title.

Tiburcio edged out red-hot bantamweight Tonya Evinger, who spoiled the 135-pound debut of Brazilian Ediane Gomes at Invicta FC 8 with a first-round armbar finish.

Submission of the Year

The year’s top submission award went to Mexican bantamweight Irene Aldana. The hard-hitting fighter battered opponent Peggy Morgan from the opening bell of their Invicta FC 8 contest, setting up the fight-finishing rear-naked choke.

Aldana’s dominant performance beat out newly crowned strawweight champion Katja Kankaanpää’s d’arce choke finish of Stephanie Eggink.

Knockout of the Year

There was little debate as to which fighter earned the nod for knockout of the year. Mexico’s Alexa Grasso joined her Lobo Gym teammate Irene Aldana, taking the first of three awards, for her violent finish of Alida Gray at Invicta FC 10.

Grasso’s big victory topped DeAnna Bennett’s win over Michelle Ould from Invicta FC 8.

Fight of the Year

Alexa Grasso’s win over Alida Gray was enough to secure the knockout of the year award, but it was her hard-fought Invicta debut against a very game Ashley Cummins at Invicta FC 8 that was voted as the fight of the year.

Cummins pushed the undefeated Mexican fighter for the full 15 minutes, but when it was all said and done, Grasso walked away with the decision win. The back-and-forth battle bested another strawweight war between Karolina Kowalkiewicz and Mizuki Inoue for the honor.

Fighter of the Year

There were many deserving candidates for this year’s fighter of the year award. From champions Herica Tiburcio and Katja Kankaanpää to the resurgent Tonya Evinger and Roxanne Modafferi, all the nominees made a strong case inside the Invicta cage in 2014.

Yet, once again, it was unbeaten strawweight Alexa Grasso who earned your votes as the fighter of the year. The 21-year-old Mexican fighter moved her record to 6-0 with wins over Ashley Cummins and Alida Gray in her two bouts in the Invicta cage.

Thanks to all of you that voted! Remember you can go back and re-live all of the year’s action on UFC Fight Pass.