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BARB HONCHAK RETAINS FLYWEIGHT TITLE AT INVICTA FIGHTING 7

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BARB HONCHAK RETAINS FLYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WITH UNANIMOUS DECISION OVER LESLIE SMITH  AT INVICTA FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIPS 7 

Lauren Murphy Wins Inaugural Invicta Fighting Championships

Bantamweight Title With TKO Of Miriam Nakamoto 

Honchak-Smith Wins “Fight Of The Night” & Nina Arsanoff Wins “KO Of The Night

KANSAS CITY, MO. (Dec. 7, 2013) – Barb Honchak won a hard-fought, unanimous decision victory to retain the Invicta FC Flyweight World Championship over challenger Leslie Smith in Saturday’s Invicta Fighting Championships 7 at the Ameristar Casino Hotel in Kansas City, Mo.

Honchak (9-2) and Smith (6-4-1) traded blows in the all-action bout, but it was Honchak’s technical striking and ability to take Smith to the ground and inflict damage that was the difference.  All three judges scored the bout 49-46.

“I knew Leslie would be tough,” said Honchak, who has won seven fights in a row.  “I wanted to take her down because that’s what I’ve been working on.

I thought we had a great striking battle.  I think we had one close round, but at least four of the rounds were mine:”

Smith didn’t disagree with the decision when asked about the judges’ scorecards at the post-fight press conference.

“Barb was the better fighter tonight,” Smith said.  “I feel like I never turned it on 100 percent.  It wasn’t a surprise to me at the end because I feel like I could have fought a much better fight.”

Lauren Murphy (8-0) won inaugural Invicta FC Bantamweight Championship via fourth round TKO when the previously unbeaten Miriam Nakamoto (2-1, 1 NC) had to stop fighting due to a knee injury.

Murphy and Nakamoto traded shots in the first two rounds before the undefeated Murphy turned the tide with a takedown toward the end of the third.  Nakamoto appeared to injure her knee during the takedown and struggled to get back up with Murphy repeatedly landing blows to close out the round.

Just :23 seconds into the fourth, Nakamoto slipped and instantly grabbed her right knee as she fell to the canvas in pain.  Referee Mike England immediately ended the bout.

“When I came back in the third I just wanted to keep it going the next couple of rounds,” Murphy said.  “I think she’s an amazing fighter and if she wants a rematch I’d be happy to do it.

“I saw her nose was bloodied and I could taste the blood in my mouth from when she hit me.  Nothing gets you more excited than two people beating the shit out of each other.”

Tecia Torres (3-0) put on a dominant performance to keep her undefeated record intact against Felice Herrig (9-5) with a unanimous decision (30-27 three times).  Herrig, who was making her highly-anticipated Invicta debut, was completely dominated by the shorter Torres, who showcased an impressive arsenal of strikes and kicks.

“What shocked me was total domination,” Torres said.  “I’ve always looked up to her so it was an honor to be in the same cage.  Everything just came together.  People think I’m one dimensional, but not tonight.

“I think I’m pretty close to the title, but I’m in no rush.”

In a battle of unbeatens, Joanne Calderwood (8-0) handed fellow strawweight contender Katja “Killer Bunny” Kankaanpaa (8-1-1) her first loss with a unanimous decision scored 29-28 by all three judges.

“I’ll just fight whoever is in front of me,” said Calderwood when asked if she deserves a shot at the Invicta Strawweight belt.  “That’s my job.  I’ll leave the rest up to them.”

Julia Budd (6-2) defeated fellow Canadian Charmaine Tweet (4-4) to remain undefeated in four bouts under the Invicta banner with convincing unanimous decision victory (30-27).

After the fight, Budd didn’t back down when asked by Invicta analyst Miesha Tate if she’d like to fight Invicta Featherweight World Champion Cris Cyborg Justino.

“I’m looking to be the best and looking to fight the best,” Budd said.  “Whoever they put in front of me I’m happy to fight.”

Vanessa Porto (16-6) kicked off the PPV telecast with a unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 twice) over Zoila Frausto Gurgel (12-4) in a three-round flyweight.

Tonya Evinger (12-6) closed out the free one-hour live viewing portion with a unanimous decision (29-28 three times) over Sarah D’ Alelio (7-5).  In the opening bout of the evening, flyweight Nina Ansaroff (6-4) scored a TKO (strikes) at 3:54 of the second round over Munah Holland (5-3).

About Invicta Fighting Championships:

Invicta is a world championship Mixed Martial Arts 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 and sports aficionado Janet Martin, 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 about Invicta or its events and fighters visit www.invictafc.com or follow on Twitter @InvictaFights.

About Integrated Sports Media:

North America’s leading distributor of International Pay-Per-View and Closed Circuit sports events has presented World Championship and world-class mixed martial arts shows featuring Fedor Emelianenko, Tim Sylvia, Bobby Lashley, Mirko Filipovic, Bob Sapp, Jeff Monson and Roy Nelson, in addition to World Championship and world-class boxing matches featuring Gennady Golovkin, Erik Morales, Vitali Klitschko, Ricky Hatton, Cristian Mijares, Evander Holyfield, Roy Jones, Jr., Tomasz Adamek, Paulie Malignaggi, Ivan Calderon, Rocky Martinez, Nicolai Valuev, Amir Khan, Marco Antonio Barrera, Arthur Abraham, David Haye, John Ruiz, Wilfredo Vasquez, Jr., Brian Viloria, Giovani Segura and Ruslan Chagaev.  In addition, Integrated Sports Media has distributed numerous International soccer matches featuring teams like Real Madrid, Club America of Mexico and the National Teams of Argentina, Honduras, El Salvador and the USA. For more information on upcoming Integrated Sports events visit www.integratedsportsnet.com or follow on Twitter @IntegratedPPV.

CONTACTS:

Doug Jacobs, Integrated Sports Media, 201.610.1500, doug@integratedsportsnet.com

Bob Trieger, Full Court Press, 978.664.4482, bobtfcp@hotmail.com

Mike Afromowitz, 917.566.8754, mikea@yourwitzend.com

Matt Donovan, Brener Zwikel & Associates, 352-262-3073, mattd@bzapr.com

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Miesha Tate Joins Invicta FC 7 as a commentator for this Saturday’s event

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KANSAS CITY, MO. (Dec. 2, 2013) – Women’s MMA superstar Miesha Tate will join the announcing team as guest analyst for this Saturday’s Invicta Fighting Championships 7, airing live on pay-per-view from Ameristar Casino Hotel in Kansas City, Mo.

Tate will call the nine-bout event featuring three world championship fights alongside play-by-play announcer Michael Schiavello and color analyst and Invicta veteran “King” Mo Lawal.  Schiavello, a long-time broadcaster, will call his first Invicta PPV telecast.

Tate, a former Strikeforce Women’s Bantamweight Champion, will face UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champ Ronda Rousey in a long-awaited rematch at UFC 168 later this month.

Invicta Fight Championships 7 is being distributed in North America by Integrated Sports Media for live viewing at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT on both cable and satellite pay-per-view via IN Demand, DISH, Avail-TVN in the United States, as well as Bell TV, Shaw PPV, SaskTel, TELUS, and MTS in Canada, for a suggested retail price of only $14.95.  In addition, viewers worldwide may purchase the show at www.invictafc.com and the Invicta Fighting Championship’s Facebook page.

Invicta is also offering a FREE one-hour live viewing in North America, starting at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, available via all aforementioned PPV carriers and The Fight Network in Canada.  Viewers worldwide may also watch the free bouts, featuring Sarah D’ Alelio (7-4) vs. Tonya Evinger (11-6) at bantamweight and Munah Holland (5-2) vs. Nina Arsanoff (5-4) at flyweight, via www.invictafc.com and Invicta Fighting Championship’s Facebook.

In Saturday’s  main event, Invicta FC flyweight (125 pounds) champion Barb Honchak (8-2) will defend her title against three-time “Fight of the Night” winnerLeslie “The Peacemaker” Smith (6-3-1).  In the  co-feature, Invicta FC strawweight (115 pounds) champion Carla “Cookie Monster” Esparza (9-2) will defend her belt against undefeated Brazilian superstar Claudia Gadelha (11-0).  In a third world title fight, the inaugural Invicta FC bantamweight (135 pounds) world championship title will be on the line, featuring knockout artist Lauren Murphy (7-0) against unbeaten rising star Miriam Nakamoto (2-0, 1 NC).

For additional information please visit www.IntegratedSportsnet.com or www.invictafc.com.

About Invicta Fighting Championships: Invicta is a world championship Mixed Martial Arts 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 and sports aficionado Janet Martin, 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 about Invicta or its events and fighters visit www.invictafc.com or follow on Twitter @InvictaFights.

About Integrated Sports Media: North America’s leading distributor of International Pay-Per-View and Closed Circuit sports events has presented World Championship and world-class mixed martial arts shows featuring Fedor Emelianenko, Tim Sylvia, Bobby Lashley, Mirko Filipovic, Bob Sapp, Jeff Monson and Roy Nelson, in addition to World Championship and world-class boxing matches featuring Gennady Golovkin, Erik Morales, Vitali Klitschko, Ricky Hatton, Cristian Mijares, Evander Holyfield, Roy Jones, Jr., Tomasz Adamek, Paulie Malignaggi, Ivan Calderon, Rocky Martinez, Nicolai Valuev, Amir Khan, Marco Antonio Barrera, Arthur Abraham, David Haye, John Ruiz, Wilfredo Vasquez, Jr., Brian Viloria, Giovani Segura and Ruslan Chagaev.  In addition, Integrated Sports Media has distributed numerous International soccer matches featuring teams like Real Madrid, Club America of Mexico and the National Teams of Argentina, Honduras, El Salvador and the USA. For more information on upcoming Integrated Sports events visit www.integratedsportsnet.com or follow on Twitter @IntegratedPPV.

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Esparza vs Gadelha potential women’s MMA war

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Esparza vs Gadelha potential women’s MMA war In Invicta Fighting Championships 7 co-feature World Championship Tripleheader Dec. 7 on Pay-Per-View

HOBOKEN, NJ (November 25, 2013) – Invicta FC strawweight (115 lbs.) champion Carla “Cookie Monster” Esparza (9-2) defends her belt against undefeated Brazilian superstar Claudia Gadelha (11-0) in one of three world title fights on Invicta Fighting Championships 7, airing live Saturday night, December 7 on pay-per-view from Ameristar Casino Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri.

The stacked, nine-bout event is headlined by a potential instant classic, showcasing Inficta FC flyweight champion Barb Honchak (8-2) and her challenger, three-time “Fight of the Night” winner Leslie “The Peacemaker” Smith (6-3-1).

Invicta Fight Championships 7 is being distributed in North American by Integrated Sports Media for live viewing at 9:00 p.m. ET – 6:00 p.m. PT on both cable and satellite pay-per-view via iN Demand, DISH, Avail-TVN in the United States, as well as Bell TV, Shaw PPV, SaskTel, TELUS, and MTS in Canada, for a suggested retail price of only $14.95. In addition, viewers worldwide may purchase the show at www.invictafc.com and the Invicta Fighting Championship’s Facebook page.

Esparza (9-2), fighting of Redondo Beach (CA), meets undefeated Brazilian superstar Gadelha (11-0) in the co-feature. She returns to the cage for the first time since sustaining a knee injury earlier this year during training. She is riding a four-right win streak into her showdown with Gadelha.

“Fighting on pay per view is very significant,” the 26-year-old Esparza said. “Invicta FC brings in fighters from all over the world, so it is great that their fans will be able to watch. I think that, once fans get a taste of Invicta, they will want to continue watching whether or not someone from their country is fighting.

“I think Claudia will come out hard right away. She has seven first-round finishes, which means she does not like to waste any time. I am expecting a very difficult first round. We both have an excellent ground game, so hopefully we can put on an entertaining, strategic ground-war if the fight happens to go there. She wants to get in there and get to work right away. I will go out there and leave it all in the cage. I am training very hard for this fight and I know she is too.”

Unbeaten since turning pro in 2008, Gadelha will make her second start under the Invicta FC banner having scored an impressive win by third round (3:58) TKO over JEWELS champion Ayaka Hamasaki last July.

“It is going to be a war,” the 24-year-old Gadelha agreed with her opponent. “We are both coming in top shape, ready to put on a great fight. This will be one to remember! Being on pay per view is huge for women’s MMA. I am really excited because we women train just as hard as male athletes in MMA. I feel we deserve this opportunity. It’ll be great for the world to be exposed to not just women’s MMA, but the Invicta Fighting Championships, as well.

“Carla was a wrestler, first, so I know that she likes to take the fight to the ground. I will be ready for anything she throws at me. It’s going to be an exciting fight.”
In the third world title fight, the inaugural Invicta FC bantamweight (135 pounds) world championship title will be on the line, featuring knockout artist Lauren Murphy (7-0) against unbeaten rising star Miriam Nakamoto (2-0, 1 NC).

Felice “Lil’ Bulldog” Herrig (9-4) makes her highly-anticipated Invicta FC debut versus unbeaten strawweight Tecia “The Tiny Tornado” Torres (3-0).

Also fighting on the undercard in a battle of unbeaten strawweights are Scotland’s Joanne Calderwood (7-0) vs. Finnish strawweight Katja “Killer Bunny” Kankaanpaa (8-0-1), as well as Canadian featherweight (145 lbs.) Julia “The Jewel” Budd (5-2) vs. fellow Canadian Charmaine “Not So Sweet” Tweet (4-3), flyweight Zoila Frausto Gurgel (12-3) vs. Vanessa Porto (15-6), bantamweight Kelly Kobold (18-3) vs. Tonya “Triple Threat” Evinger (11-6), plus flyweight Munah “The Perfect Storm” Holland (5-2) vs. Nina “The Strina” Ansaroff (5-4).

All fights and fighters are subject to change.

For additional information please visit www.IntegratedSportsnet.com or www.invictafc.com.

About Invicta Fighting Championships: Invicta is a world championship Mixed Martial Arts 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 and sports aficionado Janet Martin, 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 about Invicta or its events and fighters visit www.invictafc.com or follow on Twitter @InvictaFights.

About Integrated Sports Media: North America’s leading distributor of International Pay-Per-View and Closed Circuit sports events has presented World Championship and world-class mixed martial arts shows featuring Fedor Emelianenko, Tim Sylvia, Bobby Lashley, Mirko Filipovic, Bob Sapp, Jeff Monson and Roy Nelson, in addition to World Championship and world-class boxing matches featuring Gennady Golovkin, Erik Morales, Vitali Klitschko, Ricky Hatton, Cristian Mijares, Evander Holyfield, Roy Jones, Jr., Tomasz Adamek, Paulie Malignaggi, Ivan Calderon, Rocky Martinez, Nicolai Valuev, Amir Khan, Marco Antonio Barrera, Arthur Abraham, David Haye, John Ruiz, Wilfredo Vasquez, Jr., Brian Viloria, Giovani Segura and Ruslan Chagaev. In addition, Integrated Sports Media has distributed numerous International soccer matches featuring teams like Real Madrid, Club America of Mexico and the National Teams of Argentina, Honduras, El Salvador and the USA. For more information on upcoming Integrated Sports events visit www.integratedsportsnet.com or follow on Twitter @IntegratedPPV.

Matt Donovan
Brener Zwikel & Associates
(352) 262-3073
MattD@bzapr.com

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INVICTA FC unveils state of the art website featuring entire roster of athletes

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Invicta Fighting Championships unveiled their new website on Wednesday, November 6, as the company continues to look ahead to its upcoming card.

“We’re extremely excited about the website,” Invicta FC president Shannon Knapp said. “It’s a lot more state of the art. It’s got a lot more information about our athletes, and it’s more organized. It’s a website that educates fans, and it lets them get to know more about the athletes who compete under our banner. It has a more professional presentation. I see the competitors as athletes not fighters, and the site shows that.”

Shannon Knapp worked with APOCALYPSE MMA president Roger O’Brian to develop the site. The front page of the site sticks to Knapp’s vision of putting her athletes first by featuring every single one of them on a scrolling banner at the top. Visitors to the site can click on any of the pictured athletes, and they will be taken to the competitor’s bio complete with social media links so fans can follow the athletes.

“We wanted to capture Shannon Knapp’s vision,” Roger O’Brian said. “The new Invicta FC website is not only about Invicta FC, it’s about the athletes and represents those athletes in a manner which they deserve. The website is not only cleaner, easier to navigate and packed with new features, it’s of high-end quality. But it goes beyond that, by featuring the athletes front and center, the website honors the hard work, dedication and struggle these athletes go through in order to advance their careers and the sport of women’s MMA.” 

There’s also five stars on the right hand side of every page on the website. Each star represents the champion of one of Invicta’s weight classes. Readers will be able to view a picture of the current champion upon clicking on their specific star which also links to that champion’s bio page. For example, the top star is for atomweight world champion Michelle Waterson. Clicking on that star opens up Waterson’s featured image where readers can visit her profile page, learn about her career and even follow Waterson on her social media accounts.

Another key feature on the site for all the Invicta FC athletes, including the Phoenix Girls, is “Happy Birthday announcements.” When a certain athlete has a birthday, Invicta FC’s website will auto post a featured picture on the main page, wishing the athlete a happy birthday. This featured image will also be auto posted to Invicta FC’s official facebook fan page and Twitter where it then redirects fans to the athlete’s social media accounts.

The site features a blog where Invicta athletes can write about everything ranging from their training to their favorite hobbies. There is also a section where fans can learn about the Phoenix Girls through their individual bio pages, view their pictures, and follow them on social media. Additionally, there is an all-new media section with promotional videos and pictures, and soon the site will also launch the upgraded online store.

Finally, there is also a rather unique section on the site known as the athlete registration form. Any female athlete wishing to get Invicta’s attention can fill out the form, and it will go directly to Shannon Knapp. There are no hoops for them to jump through to get in touch with Knapp. All the athlete has to do is fill out the form. It provides prospective Invicta athletes with a direct link to the president of Invicta FC.

Overall, the website gives fans a much more personal view of Invicta and its athletes. It focuses on who these women are and what they are trying to accomplish in mixed martial arts. The site also signals that Invicta is moving forward with its mission to build up women’s mixed martial arts around the world. Be sure to check out InvictaFC.com to see what’s going on in the country’s premier women’s MMA organization.

 

Article written by Derek Ciapala

Derek Ciapala has been following MMA since the days when Ken Shamrock and Royce Gracie fought in the octagon. You can Follow Derek Ciapala on Twitter and Facebook for the latest in Sports News!

 

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INVICTA FC 7 COMING TO KANSAS CITY ON DECEMBER 7TH

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INVICTA FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIPS RETURNS DEC. 7! 

TICKETS ON SALE

FRIDAY, OCT. 18 FOR

WOMEN’S MMA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TRIPLEHEADER

IN KANSAS CITY

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Oct. 12, 2013) – Women’s world championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) promotion Invicta Fighting Championships will return to Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City with a stacked, nine-bout event featuring three world title fights, including a main event showdown between reigning flyweight champion Barb Honchak (8-2) of Bettendorf, Iowa and three-time “Fight of the Night” winner Leslie “The Peacemaker” Smith(6-3-1) of Pleasanton, Calif.

Tickets priced from $35, for the highly-anticipated return of Invicta FC women’s MMA action go on sale at 10 a.m. CT on Friday, Oct. 18, at TicketFly.com.

“We are excited about returning to the big stage in full force with another loaded card featuring a fantastic mix of world championship bouts and other world-class MMA action that will see a collection of the best women fighters on the planet face off against each other,” said Invicta FC President Shannon Knapp.

In the co-main event, Carla “Cookie Monster” Esparza (9-2) of Redondo Beach, Calif. will put her strawweight (115 pounds) championship on the line against surging, undefeated superstar Claudia Gadelha (11-0) of Mossoro, Rio Grande Do Norte Brazil.

In the first-ever Invicta FC bantamweight (135 pounds) world championship bout, hard-hitting KO artist Lauren Murphy (7-0) of Anchorage, Alaska will battle fellow unbeaten star Miriam Nakamoto (2-0, 1 NC) of Dublin, Calif.

The 34-year-old Honchak, a protégé of former world champion Pat Miletich, dominated Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Vanessa Porto to become the first Invicta FC 125 pound champion in history on July 13.  The victory was Honchak’s seventh straight.

Smith, a 31-year-old striking aficionado, has become a memorable face by engaging in all-out slugfests with her opponents on the five Invicta FC cards that she has appeared on.  On July 13, Smith, in her firsts start at flyweight after a healthy run at bantamweight, outgunned Jennifer Maia to earn a unanimous decision after three rounds of action.

The 26-year-old Esparza, a student of famed trainer Colin Oyama, will step in the cage for the first time since sustaining a knee injury in training earlier this year.  In her last effort at Invicta FC 4 on January 5, she notched her fourth consecutive win, a unanimous decision over “Rowdy” Bec Hyatt.

Gadelha has been unstoppable with her submission game and, lately, her striking, since turning pro in 2008.  The 24-year-old will make her second start under the Invicta FC banner after scoring a third round (3:58) TKO on JEWELS champion Ayaka Hamasaki with a barrage of punches on July 13.

Murphy has been perfect, thus far, in the Invicta FC cage, earning back-to-back unanimous decision victories over Kaitlin Young and Sarah “The Monster” D’Alelio on April 5 and July 13, respectively.  Prior to her Invicta FC debut, the 30-year-old had scored TKO finishes on all five her career opponents.

The 37-year-old Nakamoto, a seasoned Muay Thai champion extended her unblemished record at Invicta FC 6, scoring a thunderous first round (2:08) TKO on Duda Yankovich with a knee strike and series of punches.  The finish earned Nakamoto “KO of the Night” honors.

In other main card action, Felice “Lil’ Bulldog” Herrig (9-4) of Buffalo Grove, Illin. will make her highly-anticipated Invicta FC debut and put a four-fight win streak on the line in a strawweight matchup opposite unbeaten, fast-rising star Tecia “The Tiny Tornado” Torres (3-0) of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Another matchup of unbeaten rising stars will pit Joanne Calderwood (7-0) of Glasgow, Scotland against Katja “Killer Bunny” Kankaanpaa (8-0-1) of Seinajoki, Southern Ostrobothnia Finland at strawweight.

Heavy-handed powerhouse Julia “The Jewel” Budd (5-2) of Port Moody, British Columbia Canada will put a three-fight win streak on the line against submission ace Charmaine “Not So Sweet” Tweet (4-3) Regina, Saskatchewan Canada in a featherweight (145 pounds) scrap.

Porto (15-6) of Sao Paulo, Brazil will look to rebound from a defeat the hands of Honchak at the last Invicta FC event in July when she collides with fellow superstar Zoila Frausto Gurgel (12-3) of Cincinnati, Ohio at flyweight.  Porto has claimed 10 of her 15 professional career victories by way of submission while Gurgel has defeated a host of top rivals, including Jessica Aguilar and Megumi Fujii during her outstanding four plus year professional career.

Kelly Kobold (18-3) of Minneapolis, Minn. will make her long-awaited Invicta FC debut in a bantamweight tilt with fellow ferocious finisher Tonya “Triple Threat” Evinger (11-6) of Odessa, Mo.

In another meeting between two Invicta FC newcomers, hard-punching Munah “The Perfect Storm” Holland (5-2) of Elmwood Park, N.J. will face streaking Nina “The Strina” Ansaroff (5-4) of Fort Lauderdale at flyweight.

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COREY SMITH INTERVIEWS JULIANA CARNEIRO LIMA FOR INVICTA FC

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Juliana de Lima Carneiro, or as she is more popularly known, Ju Thai, looks to make the transition from feisty prospect to contender when she faces off against Finland’s Katja Kakaanpaa on April 5that Invicta FC 5.

Known primarily as a striker, Ju Thai is looking to show off a complete MMA repertoire while stamping her name in the minds of every Invicta FC fan. A perfect 5-0 record will be on the line as she debuts in the United States on April 5th.

Corey Smith: How did you enter into the world of MMA? What discipline did you first start training?

Ju Thai: I started to train Muay Thai 10 years ago, and then I started fighting professional Muay Thai 5 years ago. I have 10 fights and 9 wins. I transitioned to MMA and stated training all disciplines

CS: What is your favorite aspect of MMA to train? And what aspect takes more motivation?

JT: I love all aspects of MMA, there is not one aspect of training that takes more motivation for me. Everything I do in training is a piece of my pursuit of a dream come true, which is already becoming a reality!

CS: Until recently, Brazil did not have much of an amateur MMA circuit. Do you think amateur events help to build a high level MMA athlete?

JT: Yes, we have many amateur events in Brazil now. I think it is very important that the athlete has this experience before getting into the professional ranks.

CS: What stands out in the MMA community in Brazil? Are there other countries in South America where MMA is popular?

JT:  MMA is the fastest growing sport in the world, MMA is getting big in Chile, Peru and Argentina.

JT: Today MMA is popular everywhere in the world and we can not forget that it all started in Brazil. I am honored to have been born in the country which was the cradle of all that is happening with the sport today.

CS: Where do you train in Brazil? Is it difficult to find training partners in your weight class?

JT: I train in one of the largest schools in the world that is Gracie Barra. Our leader is the legendary Vinicius Draculino. I do my training in Muay Thai with the school’s world champion, Thai master Olímpio Cunha. I do my wrestling with the Brazilian national team coach and I train with the boys, and I have several sparring partners around 135 pounds.

CS: Most consider you to be primarily a striker. Do you consider yourself a striker? Or have you not had much need to showcase your ground game?

JT: My source is Muay Thai, but today I consider myself an MMA fighter. I feel comfortable in wrestling and Jiu Jitsu, so today I consider myself a complete fighter.

CS: How did the nickname “Ju Thai” come about?

JT: It was when I had a Muay Thai fight with a girl who had the same last name as mine. I was fighting in her city, so I needed to change my name and owner of the event decided to dub me Ju Thai. Since then people started calling me Ju Thai!

CS: This will be your first fight in the United States. What are you most looking forward to fighting in the US for the first time?

JT: I’m so excited, I will leave my name engraved in the head of everyone who is present that evening. It will be unforgettable for me to fight in front of America.

CS: This will also be your first fight under the Invicta banner, what has your experience been like with the company so far?

JT: I’m very happy to be in the biggest women’s promotion in the world! It is the dream of every girl who fights to be here. I feel like I deserve to be at this show because I have fought tough girls and always put on a good show. I want to thank my manager Chris Vender and leader Vinicius Draculino for getting me here!

CS: Your opponent on April 5th, Katja Kakaanpaa is also fighting in the US for the first time. Are there any concerns fighting in a foreign country?

JT: This is my job like any other, and I’m very focused and centered. I already went to Lebanon to fight, and I went through all the stress of a long journey. Unfortunately the fight did not occur because the girl was 7 pounds overweight, but I consider it a very important experience. I do not think this fight in America is going to influence my psychological state at all. It is very strong! As for my opponent I do not think of her, I just think of myself, I’m focused on me.

CS: What can the fans expect from you and your opponent at Invicta FC 5?

JT: It will be a very interesting fight, On my part you can expect a lot of aggressiveness and technique. You can be sure it will be a show! I’m training like never before, and I’ve never been as strong. Adding that to my will, my faith and my claws, you can expect a war.

CS: What is your mood like leading up to fight night?

JT: A happy girl, ready to do everything we have trained for 10 years!

CS: Do you have any superstitions or routines that you perform on fight day?

JT: On the day of the fight I’m 100% concentrated, and praying.

CS: When you aren’t in the gym or cage, what types of activities do you enjoy for fun?

JT: I like watching movies, cooking and being with my family. I also like to go hiking and finding waterfalls.

CS: Lastly, MMA is as much a team sport as it is an individual one. Who would you like to thank?

JT: I would like to thank my manager Chris Vender for believing in me. Vinicius Draculino, my coach at Gracie Barra. Uirapuru Marcelo. My coaches Joel Lage, Luiz Otavio. My Sports Psychologist Dante, and Breno Faria my doctor. My dietitian Karine Paratela, and my Physical Trainer, Bruno Formiga.

My teammates at GBBH, mainly to Bad Boy, Baiano Toninho, Josi, Hamster and Richard.

To my sponsors Banco BMG, Stratus, Choke Kimonos, Vida Natural  and Dr. Joseph Taverni. Thanks to all! Without you none of this would be happening in my life!

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Corey Smith interviews Vanessa Porto

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Corey Smith interviews Invicta FC 5’s Flyweight Title Challenger Vanessa Porto

A grizzled veteran hailing from Sao Paulo, Brazil, Vanessa Porto is veteran of twenty MMA fights. With a record of 15-5, the submission specialist has faced a who’s who of Women’s MMA, including Cris Cyborg, Amanda Nunes, Jennifer Maia, and Tara LaRosa.

Currently competing in Invicta’s 125lb division, and few fighters can match her experience or tenacity. Before facing off against Barb Honchak for the inaugural Invicta Flyweight title April 5th, Vanessa Porto sat down to answer a few questions for us.

Corey Smith: You started training in 2004 in Brazil. Did you have any martial arts background at that point? What were those first few weeks like?

Vanessa Porto: No I walked into the dojo for the first time with no experience but as soon as I started training I fell in love with it and I have never looked back. The first few weeks of training were life changing. I felt like I had so much to learn and there weren’t enough hours in the day to quench my thirst.

CS: You have said that you were hooked on MMA after your first fight against Carina Damm. What drew you to MMA and what was it about MMA that made you “hooked” as you said?

VP:  The competition and the adrenaline of going into a cage with another human being that is trying to hurt you. MMA has so many disciplines you never stop learning. It is like an endless book. It changes your life in many different and positive ways.

CS: For most of your career you fought in your native Brazil. What are the major differences between a Brazilian MMA match and an American match?

VP: In Brazil the shows are smaller and less organized. Invicta is a whole other level so it’s not fair to judge them against the shows in Brazil. Invicta beats any other show in Brazil or America.  In Brazil you fight more for pride than to build your career, so a lot of fighters including myself have taken fights that you wouldn’t see put together in America. I took the Cyborg fight being outweighed by 18lbs. No athletic commission in America would allow that fight. Only in Brazil!

CS: Many of your opponents at the beginning of your career have gone on to become major names in the world of Women’s MMA, none more so than Cris “Cyborg” Santos. You took that fight on one day’s notice. How much did you know about her going into that fight? What did you learn from that fight?

VP:  I knew that she was out of Chute Boxe, who at the time were the number one team in Brazil. All killers. I still accepted the fight because I was very anxious to compete again. I learned a lot about myself from that fight. I wasn’t intimidated by her like a lot of other fighters have been. I came out to finish her and I almost did. I never gave up throughout the fight and kept fighting to the last bell. I learned that I can be pushed to the brink and keep fighting. It gave me a lot of confidence throughout my career knowing that I did well against Cyborg, especially after she became the baddest women on the planet.

CS: Back to the quality of your opponents early in your career, do you think that it helped your career to face such talented women so early?

VP:  It’s hard to say, I come from a different era where we just fought whoever was put in front of us. But it is good to build your career up at a slower pace like they do now. Being thrown into the fire early made me better at a faster pace because of the level of fighters I fought early on. I had to get better quick, so I trained nonstop and dedicated my life to this.

CS: When you weren’t able to secure an MMA fight, you fought in BJJ tournaments and took boxing matches. How much did that aid in your development rather than simply continuing to train in the gym?

VP:  It helps a lot. It might not be MMA, but it is live competition and its still striking and grappling. I always wanted to stay active so when the MMA fights dried up, then I had to do other things to stay sharp. You are still looking across from someone that wants to hurt you!

CS: You are a member of The MMA University in New Jersey. Are you training there full time, or are you still mainly training down in Brazil?

VP:  I’m still living and training in Brazil, but I fly in early before the fight to train at The MMA University. My husband Perdo Iglezia is my head coach, and he trains me in Brazil and New Jersey. My manager Chris Vender owns The MMA University so that is why we end up in New Jesrsey. They have very good coaches with a lot of MMA experience. They are a very good team to train with.

CS: When you aren’t training, what type of things do you enjoy doing? What helps you unwind after a long day of training camp?

VP:  I like mountain biking and spending a lot of time outside in nature. But training is a large chunk of my life. I like to wind down after a long day of training by reading a book or getting on the Internet.

CS: The MMA University also manages your career full time, a situation that you have not always had in the past. What does their management do for your career?

VP:  It has been great. Once I signed with The MMA University they gave me the support that I needed for a long time. I had prior management in America, but they couldn’t get me any fights in America so I was stuck for 3 years fighting only in Brazil. Once my contract was up with that management company, I contacted Amanda Nunes. I spoke to her about her manager Chris because he had done a really good job with her career. I ended up signing with Chris and MMAU and I was fighting at Invicta II four months later. He has helped me with everything I need and that is what I need to be champion of the world

CS: Most fighters say that the weight cut is the hardest part about being a fighter. Aside from that, what would you say is the hardest aspect of being a fighter?

VP:  Just the training camp where your whole life gets put into one big schedule. From eating to sleeping to training, everything you do is put into a schedule!

CS: A common theme among the athletes of Invicta FC has been gratitude for being able to fight on a regular schedule. What does fighting for Invicta FC mean for you?

VP:  It has been amazing to have a home where you know you are going to fight on a regular basis, and earn a paycheck on a regular basis. I feel blessed to be with the Invicta from their beginning and I know when I look back 10 years from now this will be a very special time in my career and for WMMA.

CS: Your first bout under the Invicta banner, at Invicta 2 you fought at 135lbs, and then at Invicta 3, your bout was scheduled for 125 pounds. After weigh-ins, it was changed to a catch-weight bout at 127. What did you learn from that first weight cut, and why do you feel you will be more successful at 125?

VP:  At Invicta 2 there were 13 other 135lbers fighting on the card and I was the smallest one there. My manager decided to move me to 125lbs after seeing this and knowing that I didn’t have to cut weight to get to 135lbs. I fought at 131lbs in Brazil, so it was only 6 more lbs. With his precise weight cutting process it was a perfect weight cut when I dropped to 125lbs at Invicta 3. I felt a lot stronger and faster at 125lbs. My opponent Tara LaRosa was unable to make 125lbs and was stuck at 127lbs, but I took the fight anyway. I was going to fight her no matter how much she weighed. I had something to prove.

CS: You are scheduled to fight Barb Honchak for the inaugural Invicta FC Flyweight title. What type of challenge do you think Honchak presents? Have you been able to see much video of her past fights?

VP:  Barb is an awesome fighter and that is why she is fighting for the belt. She is a very complete fighter and a very dangerous opponent. I have watched video, but she continues to improve so she will be the best Barb Honchak yet.

CS: What would winning the Invicta Flyweight title mean to you and your career?

VP:  I have won titles before, but never a World title. Everything I worked and sacrificed for all these years will finally pay off. It will be a great accomplishment and something that I have dreamed about for a long time. I have paid a lot of dues fighting since 2004 and I want to create my place in WMMA history.

CS: Finally, MMA is equally a team sport as it is an individual sport. Who would you like to thank?

VP:  My husband Pedro, My manager Chris, Shannon Knapp and Janet Martin, Combatives Gear, Tussle, Dr Taverni, Dr Haley and all my sponsors and fans. April 5th is the best card in Women’s MMA history and I hope to be victorious and prove I’m the best 125lber in the world.

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Hamasaki vs Jasminka Cive Added To Invicta FC 2

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Jewels Lightweight Queen Champion Ayaka Hamasaki will make her U.S. debut against Austria’s Jasminka Cive at Invicta Fighting Championships 2 on July 28th in Kansas City, Kansas. MMARising.com learned of the bout’s possibility this past week. GroundandPound.de confirmed the fight today.

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Hamasaki is coming off of a dominant first-round submission victory over Japanese legend Yuka “Vale Tudo Queen” Tsuji in May. The Megumi Fujii protégé is one of the sport’s premier female fighters. Cive has yet to go the distance in her career and most recently scored a TKO victory in March.

Hamasaki (7-0-0) and Cive (5-0-0) sport similar records on paper, but Hamasaki brings a significant experience advantage into the fight and has faced a much higher level of opposition. She became the first Jewels champion with two victories in one night at Jewels: “11th Ring” in late 2010 and has since made successful title defences against South Korean standout Seo Hee Ham in a December rematch and Tsuji this past month. The judo black belt is known for her strong ground game, but her striking skills are among the best of any competitor on the Jewels roster; a fact that was evident in Hamasaki’s first fight with Ham in 2010 when she outstruck the kickboxing veteran.  Read Full Story

Credit: MMARISING.com

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TICKETS FOR INVICTA FC 2: MCMANN VS. BASZLER ON SALE FRIDAY

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KANSAS CITY, Kan. (May 29, 2012) – Tickets for the highly-anticipated, star-studded sophomore Invicta Fighting Championships all-women’s Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event featuring a bantamweight (135 pounds) main event showdown between 2004 Olympic Wrestling Silver Medalist and undefeated MMA star Sara McMann (5-0) of Gaffney, SC. and battle-tested submission wizard Shayna “The Queen of Spades” Baszler (14-6) of Sioux Falls, SD., go on sale Fri., June 1.

In the bantamweight (135 pounds) co-main event of the 13-bout fight card that will take place at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan. on Sat., July 28, Japanese Jiu-Jitsu black belt and Cesar Gracie-protégé Alexis Davis(11-5) of Colborne, Ontario Canada will take on former Smackgirl Champion Hitomi “Girlfight Monster” Akano (18-9) of Tokyo, Japan.

Priced from $25, tickets will be available for purchase at Memorial Hall box office (913) 549-4853), online at Ticketmaster.com and InvictaFC.com and by phone at (800) 745-3000.

“With our second event, we are bringing in top competitors from all over the world in order to deliver a card stacked, from top to bottom, with some of the best matchups in the entire women’s field of MMA fighters,” said Invicta Fighting Championships President and Co-Founder Shannon Knapp.

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In other main card action, U.S. Marine and rising bantamweight star Liz “Girl-rilla” Carmouche (6-2) of San Diego, Calif. will square off with St. Louis Park, Minnesota’s Kaitlin Young (7-5-1), who earned “Fight of the Night” honors at the inaugural Invicta event on April 28.

Hard-hitting KO artist Amanda Nunes (6-2) of Salvador, Bahia Brazil will make her Invicta debut against sensational finisher Milana Dudieva (8-1) of Vladikavkaz, North Ossetia Russia in a bantamweight battle.

Kelly Kobold (18-3-1) of St. Paul, Minn. will face off with streaking submission expert Vanessa Porto (14-4) of Sao Paulo, Brazil at bantamweight.

American prospects Barb “Little Warrior” Honchak (5-2) of East Moline, Ill. and undefeated Bethany Marshall (4-0) of Newport News, Va. will meet in a super flyweight (125 pounds) matchup.

Julia “The Jewel” Budd (2-2) of Port Moody, British Columbia Canada will face Elina Nilsson (2-2) of Gothenburg, Sweden at featherweight (145 pounds).

In the opening main card bout, Jiu-Jitsu champion and former high school wrestling star Carla Esparza (6-2) of Redondo Beach, Calif. will square off with Sarah “White Tiger” Schneider (6-5) of Kansas City, Mo. in a flyweight (115 pounds) tilt.

Sara McMann vs. Shayna Baszler

McMann, the first Americn woman in history to earn a silver medal in women’s wrestling, began competing on the mats when she was 14 years old.  At 31 years of age, McMann, who holds a Masters Degree in Mental Helath Counseling from Gardner-Webb University, has quickly become a force in the sport of MMA after debuting with a first-round submission (rear-naked choke) victory over Christina Marks on May 28, 2011 and reeling off four more consecutive wins since.

Like McMann, the 31-year-old Baszler, a protégé of former UFC Heavyweight Champion and PRIDE Fighting Championships superstar Josh Barnett, is a fearsome competitor on the ground who has earned the respect of the fight world by earning 13 of her 14 victories with submissions, including her patented hold that she dubbed the “shwing.”  Baszler is riding a four-fight win streak.

 Alexis Davis vs. Hitomi Akano

Davis is looking to return to the win column after a majority decision defeat to former Strikeforce champion Sarah Kaufman on March 3 snapped a three-fight win streak.  The 27-year-old holds a brown belt under Gracie and has been ranked as high as No. 11 in the pound-for-pound women’s MMA rankings.

The 37-year-old Akano is a Judo stylist who has earned 14 of her 18 career conquests by way of submission.  She became the second middleweight champion in history for the now-defunct Japanese promotion Smackgirl by forcing Molly Helsel to tap out from an armbar in the second round of their matchup on Sept. 15, 2006.  Akano is also looking to rebound from a unanimous decision defeat at the hands of McMann in her last start on Jan. 21.

Liz Carmouche vs. Kaitlin Young

Fresh off her spectacular first-round (1:58) TKO (punches) victory over Ashleigh Curry at the inaugural Invicta event, the 28-year-old Carmouche will look for her second straight win in the cage.  Born in Lafayette, La., Carmouche was raised in Okinawa, Japan before returning to The United States and joining the military.  She did three tours of duty in The Middle East over the course of a five-year stint with the Marine Corps.

The 26-year-old Young brought the fans at Memorial Hall to their feet at the first Invicta event by engaging in an all-out, non-stop slugfest with Leslie Smith that was declared a draw after the close of three rounds.  Young’s superior striking skills stem from her extensive training in Muay Thai kickboxing as well as Tae Kwon Do, which she took up at age 14 and eventually earned a black belt in.

Amanda Nunes vs. Milana Dudieva

The 23-year-old Nunes grabbed the attention of a national audience in The United States for the first time on Jan. 7, 2011 when she scored a brutal KO (punches) on Budd just 14 seconds into their Strikeforce Challengers series matchup, live on Showtime.  All six of Nunes’ professional victories have come by way of KO, four of them inside of the first round.

Dudieva has also earned a reputation for finishing her opponents, claiming three of her eight career wins by way of KO and four of them by way of submission.  Her Invicta debut will also mark her first start in The United States.

Kelly Kobold vs. Vanessa Porto

Kobold is a 10-year veteran of the sport, who went unbeaten in her first 18 starts as a professional.  After suffering three consecutive losses between 2007 and 2008, the 29-year-old took a three-year hiatus from competition and made a successful return to action on April 15, 2011, submitting Pipi Taylor with an armbar in the first round (2:05) of their matchup in Owatonna, Minn.

The 28-year-old Porto will enter the bout on a four-fight win streak.  Her latest effort saw Porto score a one punch KO on Luana Teixeira just 41 seconds into their matchup on March 10.  Porto has earned 10 of her 14 career wins by way of submission.

 Barb Honchak vs. Bethany Marshall

Honchak is a 32-year-old student of UFC veteran Steve Berger.  She will enter the Invicta cage for the first time on a four-fight win streak that began with a unanimous decision victory over seasoned Muay Thai striker Felice Herrig on Jan. 14, 2011.

Marshall is a 24-year-old Muay Thai and submission grappling stylist who has claimed three of her four professional victories to date by way of submission.  In her last start on March 25, 2011, she submitted Stacy Grant with a toe hold in the second stanza (1:49) of their matchup in Norfolk, Va.

 Julia Budd vs. Elina Nilsson

Budd is a 28-year-old lifelong athlete as well as a burgeoning fitness model and trainer who began her prize fighting career in the sport of Muay Thai where she chalked up several notable wins, including one over superstar Gina Carano, before transitioning to MMA.  She is a student of former UFC competitor and world-ranked Shooto fighter, Lance Gibson.

After suffering back-to-back losses in her first two professional bouts, Nilsson has since reeled off two straight victories – a unanimous decision over Melissa Lan on March 27, 2010 and a second round TKO (punches) on Danielle West on May 7, 2011.

 Carla Esparza vs. Sarah Schneider

The 24-year-old Esparza is a former No. 2 ranked NCAA wrestler and Pan-American Championships Jiu-Jitsu tournament winner who has gained recognition for being one of the top wrestlers in women’s MMA.  She is trained by fight guru Colin Oyama.

Also a standout grappler, the 31-year-old Schneider has notched five of her six career professional wins by way of submission.  She earned her second straight win by forcing Sally Krumdiack to tap out from an armbar in the first round (3:01) of their matchup at the first Invicta event.

The Invicta event will kick off with a five-bout preliminary card.  In an atomweight (105 pounds) matchup, Angelica Chavez (4-1) of Albuquerque, N.M. will face Kikuyo Ishikawa (7-3) of Gushikawa, Okinawa Japan.

In a bantamweight matchup between two undefeated future stars, Sarah Moras (2-0) of Kelowna, British Columbia Canada will face Raquel Pennington (1-0) of Colorado Springs, Colo.

After compiling a 5-2 record under amateur status, 25-year-old Jessamyn “The Gun” Duke (0-0) will make her much-anticipated professional debut against unbeaten 30-year-old Suzie Montero (1-0) of Pompano Beach, Fla. at bantamweight.

One-half of the 26-year-old twin MMA fighter duo, Jocelyn “Lights Out” Lybarger (0-0) of Phoenix, Ariz. will make debut under professional status opposite Cheryl Chan (0-0) of Surrey, British Columbia Canada at super flyweight.

Jessica Philippus (0-0) of Marshall, Mo. will battle Liz McCarthy (0-0) of Tigard, Ore. at atomweight.

All bouts have been approved by the Kansas State Athletic Commission.

About Invicta Fighting Championships:

Invicta Fighting Championships is a world championship 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 and sports aficionado Janet Martin, Invicta is committed to pioneering the future growth of women’s MMA by promoting the best possible matchups between female competitors and identifying and developing future superstars of the sport.