Posts

Invicta FC 21 Fight Card Complete with Addition of Three Fights

Kansas City, Mo. — The lineup for Invicta Fighting Championships 21 is complete.

Joining the previously announced five bouts will be three additional match-ups.

Flyweight Andrea Lee (4-2) will welcome Jenny Liou (6-4) back to the Invicta cage. Lee will be making her fifth appearance with the promotion, while Liou will compete at 125 pounds after two previous bouts at strawweight under the Invicta banner.

Also at flyweight, Hawaii’s Rachael Ostovich (3-2) will take on newcomer Christine Ferea (0-0). The 25-year-old Ostovich will look to build off her win at Invicta FC 17 over Ariel Beck. Ferea will make her professional MMA debut after compiling an amateur MMA record of 3-1. “Misfit” also has professional Muay Thai experience with the Las Vegas-based Lion Fight promotion.

Finally, strawweight Amy Montenegro (7-2) will fight for the third time in the Invicta cage against veteran Celine Haga (10-13). Montenegro has won four of her last five, with the lone loss coming via split decision against current UFC fighter Jamie Moyle at Invicta FC 13. Norway’s Haga rides the momentum of nine wins in her last 11 bouts, including four straight first-round submission victories.

Invicta FC 21 will take place Saturday, Jan. 14 from the historic Scottish Rite Temple in Kansas City, Mo. The event will air live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass. The night’s main event will feature a featherweight clash between Megan Anderson (7-2) and Charmaine Tweet (9-5).

The complete fight card for Invicta FC 21 can be found below:

Featherweight: Megan Anderson (7-2) vs. Charmaine Tweet (9-5)
Strawweight: DeAnna Bennett (8-2) vs. Jodie Esquibel (5-2)
Bantamweight: Pannie Kianzad (8-1) vs. Raquel Pa’aluhi (5-5)
Bantamweight: Sijara Eubanks (2-1) vs. Aspen Ladd (4-0)
Flyweight: Andrea Lee (4-2) vs. Jenny Liou (6-4)
Flyweight: Heather Hardy (0-0) vs. Brieta Carpenter (0-0)
Strawweight: Amy Montenegro (7-2) vs. Celine Haga (10-13)
Flyweight: Rachael Ostovich (3-2) vs. Christine Ferea (0-0)

Tickets for Invicta FC 21 can be purchased via Ticketfly.com.


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.

Andrea Lee: Striving For Greatness

“I want to be a G.O.A.T.”

Without context — or at least an explanation of the acronym — you might think flyweight Andrea Lee has been punched in the head one too many times. But that’s not the case.

The 26-year-old Texas native is a determined fighter who wants nothing more than to achieve greatness in combat sports. Lee’s start in martial arts came while she was working as a waitress in a sports bar. It’s a far cry from where she is today.

“I didn’t expect to go this far,” explained Lee. “At first, I just wanted to do it as a hobby and learn to defend myself.

“But I learned to fight. And that was something I wanted to do as a kid. I started competing and fell in love with it. [Now] I want to be remembered as the greatest of all time.

“I’m a pretty competitive person, so it made me want to keep going.”

Keep going, she has. Lee was a natural in both the ring and the cage. With only a few years of training, she captured two Louisiana Golden Gloves titles. In 2013, she claimed the National Golden Gloves championship. However, her success in the boxing ring wasn’t enough to keep her away from MMA.

“We were thinking of going to the Olympics, which is why I was mainly focused on boxing at first, but we decided that MMA was our best route,” declared the fighter. “Women’s MMA was taking off and boxing was kind of dying.

“Plus, I was more attached to MMA from the beginning anyway.”

Despite a preference for the cage, Lee continued to develop her skills while competing in boxing, Muay Thai and kickboxing. Along the way, she married her coach, Donny Aaron. The pair’s relationship created an interesting dynamic to her training.

“Donny… he pushed me. It’s probably the toughest part of training. It’s more personal. When he’s getting on me about something or going harder on me than anybody else, sometimes he gets under my skin. I get angry ’cause he’s yelling at me to do something; I get frustrated,” revealed Lee candidly.

“It’s not easy to be married to your coach. The coaching never ends. It’s really hard for us to find any time for husband and wife. When we go home, he’s talking to me about things I did at the gym, in my fight… or he’s talking to me about what I’m eating, taking my protein shakes, taking my supplements. It’s constant, nonstop.”

The relentless coaching from Aaron, a former kickboxer, has turned Lee from a novice into a decorated combatant in every aspect of combat sports. And although the pair’s coach-student relationship is a huge part of their day-to-day life, they do their best to focus on something more important: their daughter, Ainslee.

“It’s amazing, but it’s not easy,” said Lee of raising her daughter. “I have a really great family, both mine and Donny’s. She’ll hang out at the gym while we train in the morning. Then they’ll pick her up after work and take care of her.

“They make it easy for us to train. It’s difficult because I’m always training and I want to have some mother-daughter time. I don’t always get that. I make a lot of sacrifices, but I make up for it too. Whenever I’m on my off days and we’re home, I’ll play with her, even when I’m tired.”

With both parents thriving in combat sports, it wouldn’t be surprising if Ainslee followed in their footsteps. But according to Lee, it may not be that straightforward.

“I would embrace it. I’d love it, if that’s something she wants to do. It’s definitely something that Donny wants her to do. He would like to push her into it, but I think the more that he pushes, she’s like, ‘I don’t want to do it.’

“If she sees other kids getting into it, she’ll be more apt to do it. Anything he wants her to do, she’s going to rebel,” Lee joked.

While her daughter’s future may still be up in the air, Lee’s is more clear. After a lightning-fast TKO win in her professional debut that saw her kick off her opponent’s finger, Lee was signed by Invicta Fighting Championships. “KGB” impressed in her promotional debut, edging out Shannon Sinn. Just a month later, Lee was called upon for a big step up in competition against Roxanne Modafferi at Invicta FC 10.

“I’m still happy about that fight. I don’t regret it at all,” said Lee of her first professional defeat. “It was a huge leap for me in my career. Being able to compete against Roxanne, it was an honor. The only way to get better is to compete at a high level. She’s on that level.”

Lee fell short on the scorecards in Houston against Modafferi, but the Louisiana-based fighter proved she’s much more than a striker by pushing the veteran for a full three rounds.

“It was a tough fight. I was able to give her a run for her money,” recalled Lee. “I ended up losing a split decision, so somebody thought I won the fight. There were a lot of things in my jiu-jitsu that I had been training and working on that I was able to apply in that fight. I found myself in good positions considering the level she’s on, so I was very happy about that.”

With so many accolades in the striking arts, Lee’s performance against Modafferi showcased glimpses of a different side of her fight game: her self-proclaimed “underrated” ground game. But, unfortunately for Lee, there was something amiss in the cage that night that kept her from proving just how skilled she really is.

“You know, I’m not making excuses, but I don’t feel like I was completely there that night,” she declared. “The performance against Roxanne, I didn’t really get to display anything against her.

“I’m not the type of person that will back out of a fight, especially the day of the fight or two days before. I ruptured my eardrum leading up to that fight. I knew going into the fight, it was going to be tough for me. She was already a tough opponent and being sick was going to make it even tougher. I wasn’t in the right state of mind. I wasn’t able to defend things that I should have been defending. I am better than that.”

Lee will have an opportunity to prove it on Sept. 12 in Kansas City, Mo., when she takes on Hawaii’s Rachael Ostovich at Invicta FC 14. The two fighters have fought on the same card in the past, but Lee has no problem setting aside their existing relationship to get back in the win column.

“Her and her family are so nice. It’s going to suck having to punch each other in the face,” Lee said with a laugh. “But at the end of the day, we’re going to be friends. Whatever happens, happens.”

A win against Ostovich would help Lee rebuild the momentum she needs to be considered for 125-pound title contention, as well as for her long-term goal of being the best in the sport.

“I still think I’m on the right track. Just a couple more fights,” said Lee. “Obviously, I have one with Rachael Ostovich. Then probably two or three more after that. If I continue to excel, impress and win, I think I’ll have the opportunity to be next in line.”

Being the greatest of all time may still be years away, but it’s clear that Lee has a plan to get there. Now her job is to go out and execute in the Invicta cage.


Andrea would like to thank: her sponsors: Carbonation Toy, Classic Sound, Martial Arts Life and Amber Sports. Also her head coach, Donny Aaron, all of her coaches and training partners from Karate Mafia and Elite Combat Academy, and the girls that came in for this camp: Sharon Jacobson, Amanda Bobby Cooper and Jinh Yu Frey.

Andrea Lee Replaces Vanessa Porto at Invicta FC 10

Kansas City, Mo. – After being notified of an unforeseen delay in visa processing, Invicta Fighting Championships today announced that flyweight title contender Vanessa Porto (17-6) will no longer face veteran Roxanne Modafferi (16-11) at Invicta FC 10 on Dec. 5.

Rather than waiting for the visa issue to be resolved, Invicta FC officials have tapped rising prospect Andrea Lee (2-0) to replace Porto. Lee, the 2013 Women’s National Golden Gloves Champion, impressed in her Invicta debut, a victory over Shannon Sinn at Invicta FC 9 in November.

Porto is expected to return to the Invicta cage in early 2015 at Invicta FC 11.

Invicta FC 10 streams live on UFCFIGHTPASS.com from the Arena Theatre in Houston on Friday, Dec. 5 and is headlined by Invicta FC atomweight champion Michelle Waterson (12-3) taking on Brazilian challenger Herica Tiburcio (8-2). In the co-headline bout, red-hot bantamweight contender Tonya Evinger (14-5), coming off a first-round submission of Ediane Gomes, meets Belgium’s Cindy Dandois (5-1).

Tickets for Invicta FC 10 are on sale now and can be purchased at the venue box office, via charge-by-phone by calling 713-772-5900 or online at arenahouston.com.

For more information, visit InvictaFC.com.


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).

Press Contact:
Eric Jackman
718.354.9024
eric@jacktaylorpr.com
or press@invictafc.com

Fighting Words: Andrea K. Lee

Relentlessly pursuing her goal of winning a world title in MMA, Invicta newcomer Andrea Lee steps into the cage November 1st at Invicta FC 9.

Squaring off against fellow newcomer Shannon Sinn, Lee is determined to continue her ascent to the top of the MMA mountain.

 

 

Corey Smith: As a waitress at a popular sports restaurant, you were exposed to MMA on a regular basis, which eventually led to trying out the sport yourself. What aspect of mixed martial arts did you first attempt?

Andrea K. Lee: My first area of interest when I began training was boxing. I wanted to compete as quickly as possible so I just focused on one thing in order to get myself ready to compete. I trained for only six months before I had my first boxing match.

 

 

CS: You entered into and won the Louisiana Golden Gloves tournament. What was the experience like?

AKL: My first Boxing match was at the 2010 Louisiana State Golden Gloves Championships.  I advanced to the finals to face a girl who had about 10 fights and years of training experience.

AKL: She caught me with my feet together and dropped me with a straight right hand in the first round. I wasn’t hurt, but embarrassed. After I took my standing 8, I came out like a woman possessed and knocked her out in round 2.

AKL: I ended up winning the state Golden Gloves tournament twice, but I also won the Women’s National Golden Gloves tournament in Dania Beach, Fl, by beating state Golden gloves champions from all over the U.S. No doubt that experience was my proudest moment in boxing.

 

 

CS: Along with the Golden Gloves title, you won multiple Muay Thai titles. Aside from obvious rule differences, what are the main differences between boxing and Muay Thai?

AKL: Shortly after my first boxing match I also began to train in Muay Thai and absolutely fell in love with it. I am a certified Kru Muay and have won national and international Muay Thai titles in the three largest sanctioning bodies in the United States.

AKL: I am also the first fighter to win the Muay Thai Triple Crown by winning the WKA, TBA and IKF titles in the same year.  I left Amateur Muay Thai competition undefeated, a three time world champion and two time North American champion and I was the No 1 ranked Featherweight in the world.

AKL: I enjoy the sport of boxing, but it is so overly officiated its hard for me to feel as though I’m in a “fight” when I’m boxing.  In Muay Thai you get to fight. Clinch, Knee, kick, Dirty box, elbow, Sweep, etc. I feel Muay Thai does a much better job at preparing you for MMA.

 

 

CS: Your training schedule attracted attention even in your amateur career. What does a typical training day look like for you?

AKL: My training schedule is hard for a lot of people to believe. Most people think I’m full of it until they come stay with me to train and then they become believers. I train Tuesday – Friday in two separate 5 1/2 hr blocks.

AKL: Training blocks are separated by a three hour lunch and nap/recovery session.  Saturday and Sunday I train one 4 1/2 hour session. My strength and conditioning are done before my training begins in a dungeon that we like to call “The Penitentiary” lol.

AKL: You have to be an animal to survive an hour in that room with Donny.  I train each individual discipline with equal tenacity.  Nothing is left out of my regimen. Boxing, wrestling, Muay Thai, BJJ, Judo and even Kyokushin Karate, all with world class coaches in each respective discipline.

 

 

CS: You most recently fought September 19th, roughly six weeks before your Invicta FC debut November 1st. Are you at all concerned about the quick turnaround?

AKL:  The fight only lasted 10 seconds. Somehow I managed to kick her index finger off. Yes, off.  Not quite sure how that happened but it was bizarre to say the least.

AKL:  I took a close look at her finger while the doctor was looking at it and it was only on by a small piece of skin.  The doctor quickly stopped it.

AKL: I was pretty disappointed it ended that way, but I obviously didn’t take any damage in 10 seconds so a quick turnaround fight is exactly what I need.

 

 

CS: Your opponent at Invicta FC 9 on November 1st, Shannon Sinn, brings a similar level of professional experience in the ring with her. What do you believe is the key to your matchup?

AKL: I know Shannon is a really solid fighter and I’m certain I’ll get to showcase more of my skill set in that fight.  I believe that Shannon and I are well matched.  I think her stand up skills are good but honestly I don’t think its on my level.

AKL: I know I have the most under rated ground game in WMMA, so I think it’ll be interesting wherever the fight goes. I’d like to stand and bang with her, but at the same time I enjoy a good ground scrap so I’m not going to rely on one skill set.

 

 

CS: What is your mood on fight night? Do you have any routines or superstitions that you have to perform?

AKL: My coach says I’m the only fighter he’s ever seen who can nap before a fight. I think I just lack nervousness and that allows me to stay completely relaxed and not get caught up in the moment.

 

 

CS: Who generally accompanies you to the cage? What type of feedback and coaching do you prefer from your corners?

AKL: My husband is my head coach and he and I really connect while he is wrapping my hands.  Some fighters like music while they are getting wrapped but for me I like to listen to his calming voice go over game plan again and again.

AKL: He is the main voice in my corner and I do a pretty good job of listening most of the time. Lol.  One thing that drives me nuts is when coaches lie to their fighters between rounds.  If I lost the round I want to know.

AKL:  If I’m getting hit with something over and over I want to know why and how to fix it. Donny is the most brutally honest corner man in the world.

AKL: Guys in the gym make jokes about it all the time. “Way to stick your chin straight up in the air Dumb***” or “That was absolutely the worst round I’ve ever seen in my life” are things I’ve heard him say, not necessarily to me. If he doesn’t say much you know you’re winning. Lol.

 

 

CS: Aside from fight preparation, how much MMA do you watch purely for enjoyment?

AKL: We watch a lot of MMA but not necessarily for entertainment. Donny will turn a UFC PPV fight into a coaching session.  But I think that as fighters that’s how we should watch the sport, not for entertainment but for preparation.

 

 

CS: Outside of the gym and MMA, what types of activities do you enjoy for fun? What helps you to relax?

AKL: I am a full-time fighter. I get one rest day per week. I diet and train with equal discipline. When I’m not in the gym I like to spend my rest day with my daughter.  We are too busy for hobbies so a day by the pool or lake is as much relax time as I get.

AKL: I have sacrificed a lot to get here, friendships, family time, recreation and vacations. I am a woman possessed with a dream and a goal and I won’t slow down until I have accomplished all I set out to do and that is to win world titles.

 

 

CS: Lastly, MMA takes a team to succeed alone inside the cage. Who would you like to thank?

AKL: My journey in this sport would not be possible without unbelievable people and sponsors who have supported me both emotionally and financially.

AKL: Article 15 Clothing, Champion Nutrition, Amber Sports, Martial Arts Life, X-ion-X, Larkin Development, Classic Stone, The Howells at Cash Time, Derek Eason, Michael and Susie McGehee.

AKL: All of my wonderful coaches and training partners at Karate Mafia, Elite Combat, Relson Gracie BJJ and The Dement Bros. Old School Boxing.

AKL: Also to all of the many friends, who have helped along the way, you know who you are and I love you all.

 

Invicta FC 9 takes place November 1st live from the  RiverCenter in Davenport, Iowa.

Tickets are on sale via the Ticketmaster link below.

The full card will air live via UFC Fight PassClick below to subscribe to UFC FightPass.

 

 

 

 

ticketmasterlogo

 

 

UFC-Fight-Pass