Featherweight Marina Shafir Signs with Invicta FC

Kansas City, Mo. — There’s a new arrival in the Invicta FC 145-pound weight class as decorated judoka Marina Shafir has signed with the promotion.

The Moldova native, who trains alongside UFC bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey, began competing in MMA in 2012 following a lengthy career in judo. She rattled off five straight, first-round armbar finishes as an amateur before turning pro in 2014.

As a professional, the California-based fighter has earned a first-round finish over Chandra Engel and has locked horns with current Invicta fighter Amanda Bell.

Training out of Glendale Fighting Club, the 27-year-old is expected to make her promotional debut in 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).

Invicta FC 12 Loses Cassie Rodish vs. Stephanie Skinner

Kansas City, Mo. – The fight card for Invicta FC 12 has undergone a last-minute change.

Atomweight Stephanie Skinner (4-5) has suffered an injury in training and her bout against Cassie Rodish (5-4) has been pulled from the event. The match-up was to serve as Skinner’s promotional debut, while Rodish was slated to return to the Invicta cage for the first time since 2013.

Invicta FC 12 takes place Friday, April 24, from the Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo. The event will stream live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass. In the night’s main event, strawweight champion Katja Kankaanpää (10-1-1) will look to defend her title for the first time against unbeaten Brazilian Livia Renata Souza (7-0).

The updated fight card for Invicta FC 12 can be found below:

Strawweight Title: Katja Kankaanpää (10-1-1) vs. Livia Renata Souza (7-0)
Flyweight: Roxanne Modafferi (17-11) vs. Vanessa Porto (17-6)
Featherweight: Amanda Bell (3-2) vs. Faith Van Duin (4-1)
Bantamweight: Ediane Gomes (10-3) vs. Raquel Pa’aluhi (4-4)
Featherweight: Peggy Morgan (3-2) vs. Latoya Walker (4-0)
Strawweight: Lacey Schuckman (10-8) vs. Jenny Liou (3-1)
Strawweight: Delaney Owen (3-1) vs. Sharon Jacobson (2-1)
Flyweight: Shannon Sinn (1-2) vs. Maureen Riordon (0-1)
Bantamweight: Gina Begley (0-0) vs. Sijara Eubanks (0-0)


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).