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Invicta FC 13 Official for Las Vegas on July 9

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Kansas City, Mo. — Invicta Fighting Championships is headed to Las Vegas with a championship tripleheader.

The promotion will make its first trip to Nevada on Thursday, July 9, as part of International Fight Week. The event takes place from The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan and will stream live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass.

Headlining the event will be a featherweight title fight between champion Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino (13-1, 1 NC) and New Zealand’s Faith Van Duin (5-1). Cyborg successfully defended her 145-pound title at Invicta FC 11, stopping Canadian Charmaine Tweet in 46 seconds. The win marked the Brazilian’s third straight finish inside the Invicta cage. Van Duin made her promotional debut at Invicta FC 12 in April and submitted Amanda Bell in the second round with a schoolyard choke.

In the night’s co-main event, a new bantamweight champion will be crowned as Tonya Evinger (15-5) locks horns with Mexico’s Irene Aldana (5-1). Evinger enters the title affair riding a six-fight winning streak, including three straight in the Invicta cage. Aldana, meanwhile, has scored back-to-back first-round stoppages over Peggy Morgan and Colleen Schneider under the Invicta banner.

Also slated for the July event is an atomweight title fight between Brazilian champion Herica Tiburcio (9-2) and Japan’s Ayaka Hamasaki (11-1). The pair were originally expected to meet at Invicta FC 9 last fall, but when that fell through, Tiburcio submitted Michelle Waterson at Invicta FC 1o to capture the 105-pound strap.

The full seven-fight card for Invicta FC 13 can be found below:

Featherweight Title: Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino (13-1, 1 NC) vs. Faith Van Duin (5-1)
Bantamweight Title: Tonya Evinger (15-5) vs. Irene Aldana (5-1)
Atomweight Title: Herica Tiburcio (9-2) vs. Ayaka Hamasaki (11-1)
Bantamweight: Pannie Kianzad (7-0) vs. Jessica-Rose Clark (5-1)
Atomweight: Amber Brown (4-1) vs. Catherine Costigan (5-0)
Strawweight: Amy Montenegro (6-1) vs. Jamie Moyle (2-0)
Featherweight: Marina Shafir (1-1) vs. Amber Leibrock (0-0)

Tickets for Invicta FC 13 will be available through Ticketmaster.

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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Daria Ibragimova Joins Invicta FC

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Kansas City, Mo. — Invicta Fighting Championships has added Russian Daria Ibragimova (9-1) to its roster.

The 30-year-old fighter enters the promotion riding a seven-fight winning streak. Seven of her nine career victories have come via submission and six of her wins have come inside the first round. She was last in action in March, submitting Anastasia Plisenkova in less than 30 seconds.

“I am very happy in signing with Invicta FC,” said Ibragimova. “This is a new stage in my career. Great opportunities for self-realization as a fighter in the best women’s promotion of the world!”

Ibragimova is an International Master of Sports in sumo, as well as a Master of Sports in wrestling. She began training in MMA in 2009.

“I can promise that my fights are always spectacular and brutal!,” declared the Russian fighter.

Look for Ibragimova to make her Invicta debut as a bantamweight in the near future.

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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Simona Soukupova Returns to Invicta FC

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Kansas City, Mo. — Atomweight Simona Soukupova (5-3-1) is returning to Invicta FC.

It’s been two years since Soukupova bested Cassie Rodish at Invicta FC 5 via guillotine choke. In the interim, she’s gone on to battle strawweight contender Karolina Kowalkiewicz and stop Iman Darabi by TKO.

“I am super excited to re-sign with Invicta!,” said the fighter. “Since I fought last time for Invicta, I wished to be back. To fight for Invicta means to fight the world’s best female fighters of my weight category. That is what I want and train for.”

Fighting out of Ronin MMA and Fight Zone London, the Czech-born fighter is ready to showcase her evolving skill set.

“Since my last fight for Invicta, I have improved my game and I consider myself to be a well-rounded fighter now,” declared Soukupova.

Look for Soukupova’s return to the Invicta cage in the near future.

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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Australia’s Megan Anderson Latest Addition to Invicta FC Featherweight Division

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Kansas City, Mo. — Invicta Fighting Championships has added a new face.

Joining the promotion will be Australian featherweight Megan Anderson (4-1).

“I’m very excited to be joining the Invicta roster,” said the fighter. “Invicta FC is a very respected and well-renowned organization and they are one of the front runners in the growth and rise of women in mixed martial arts. Being signed to an international promotion such as Invicta, it’s the ultimate dream for anyone in mixed martial arts. I’m very excited to be able to show them what this Aussie can do.”

Anderson becomes the fifth Australian fighter to sign with the promotion, joining former strawweight title challenger Bec Rawlings, atomweight Alex Chambers, featherweight Fiona Muxlow and recently signed bantamweight Jessica-Rose Clark.

“I’m very honored and proud to be representing my country in the Invicta cage,” said Anderson. “We may be far away from the action, but we certainly bring it every time we step into that cage.”

Training out of Empire Martial Arts, Anderson hails from Gold Coast, Australia. She currently rides a four-fight winning streak that includes back-to-back submission finishes.

“I go in there to get the job done in the most ruthless and brutal way possible!,” declared Anderson. “The only thing I’ve got to say to the other women in the division is you’ve all officially been put on notice.”

Look for Anderson’s promotional debut to take place later 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).

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Brazil’s Claudia Rey Added to Invicta FC Roster

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Kansas City, Mo. — Invicta Fighting Championships has inked undefeated Brazilian Claudia Rey (6-0) to its roster.

Rey, who hails from Balneario Camboriu, Santa Catarina, Brazil, has finished all six of her professional outings, including a nine-second knockout over Natali Alves. Five of her six wins have come inside the first round.

“I am super excited. I always wanted to fight for Invicta and now I can do it,” said the fighter. “I always give it all in my fights and always look for the KO. I will bring it to the Invicta cage for sure!”

A product of Astra Fight Team, Rey will be debuting for the promotion as a flyweight. Although she’s yet to step foot in the Invicta cage, she’s already got a message for the rest of the women in the 125-pound division.

“Run to the mountains, Claudia Rey is coming after each one of you!,” she declared.

Look for Rey’s promotional debut later 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).

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Hannah Rogers Becomes Latest Fighter to Join Invicta FC Roster

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Kansas City, Mo. — Invicta Fighting Championships has signed Tennessee featherweight Hannah Rogers to its roster.

The 23-year-old, dubbed “Little Hands,” is unbeaten as an amateur and will make her pro debut inside the Invicta FC cage.

“I am extremely excited about the opportunity to fight for Invicta FC,” said Rogers. “This opportunity means the world to me because Invicta FC has been established as the largest and most prominent promotion to support all weight classes of women’s MMA.

“Invicta FC is packed full of talented and accomplished fighters, but I am excited to show that I am not afraid to fight these other extremely talented women.”

A product of the Nashville MMA, Rogers has been competing for four years and holds the rank of blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. She’s ready to make her mark on the promotion beginning in 2015.

“I work hard, and I am coming to fight,” declared Rogers before offering a message to her future opponents. “Don’t sell me short because I am new to this venue. You better believe that I am ready to fight, so bring your ‘A’ game!”

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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Invicta FC 12 Results: Livia Renata Souza Submits Katja Kankaanpää to Claim Strawweight Title

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Kansas City, Mo. – Invicta Fighting Championships returned to the Municipal Auditorium on Friday, April 24 for Invicta FC 12: Kankaanpää vs. Souza. The event streamed live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass.

A new champion was crowned in the strawweight division as Brazil’s Livia Renata Souza submitted Finland’s Katja Kankaanpää in the fourth round. Souza attacked the champion from the opening bell, taking the fight to the ground and taking Kankaanpää’s back. Kankaanpää showed heart and defended rear-naked choke attempts. The momentum swung toward Kankaanpää as the fight progressed. She used a smothering top game in the middle frames, delivering short shots and keeping Souza from mounting offense. In round four, Souza again found herself on her back, but she slapped on a triangle choke and Kankaanpää was forced to tap and relinquish her belt.

Brazilian Vanessa Porto exacted revenge on Roxanne Modafferi, claiming a decision win in the pair’s rematch. Porto used her leg kicks to slow Modafferi’s movement and mixed in takedowns in each of the first two rounds. Modafferi countered with flurries, bloodying the nose of Porto. A right hand from Porto clipped Modafferi in round two, but she survived and pushed hard in the third round. Modafferi’s efforts were not enough as Porto took the fight on the judges’ scorecards.

New Zealand’s Faith Van Duin earned a big win in her Invicta debut, submitting Amanda Bell in the second round with a schoolyard choke. Van Duin put Bell on the mat early in the fight and threatened with an armbar. Bell escaped and reversed the position, dropping big hammerfists on the Kiwi. In the second round, Van Duin caught a kick and took Bell down again. She locked onto Bell’s neck and coerced a tap.

Raquel Pa’aluhi continued her march up the bantamweight ladder, edging Brazilian Ediane Gomes by unanimous decision. The Hawaiian scored with right hands and a big throw in the opening stanza, but Gomes countered with a heel hook attempt. In round two, Pa’aluhi hurt Gomes badly with a body shot and flurried hard for a finish. Gomes managed to recover and put together a strong final round. It wasn’t enough; however, as Pa’aluhi took home the victory on the scorecards.

Featherweight Latoya Walker remained unbeaten, edging Peggy Morgan by unanimous decision. Morgan used her reach to keep Walker at bay early, but Walker found her range and connected repeatedly with her overhand right. She rocked Morgan badly in round two, but could not find the finish. Morgan’s face wore the damage from Walker’s heavy shots as the fight went the distance.

Lacey Schuckman returned to the Invicta cage and needed less than two minutes to score a TKO win over Jenny Liou. Schuckman was aggressive early with her strikes, wobbling Liou with a flurry. She was patient with her follow-up punches, battering Liou against the cage and forcing the stoppage.

In her Invicta debut, strawweight Sharon Jacobson used a mix of aggressive striking and powerful wrestling to defeat a scrappy Delaney Owen. Jacobson overpowered Owen early, but Owen showed resolve and clipped Jacobson with a heavy shot that damaged her right eye. Jacobson went to her wrestling game and was able to claim a sweep on the scorecards.

Former training partners Shannon Sinn and Maureen Riordon went to war, with Sinn claiming the unanimous decision win. The two flyweights traded heavy shots from the opening bell, with Sinn landing more frequently. Riordon never stopped marching forward, but Sinn’s combinations and clinch work were the difference on the scorecards.

In a battle of promotional newcomers, Sijara Eubanks used her grappling prowess to set up a finish with her hands, handing Gina Begley a first-round TKO loss. Begley scored early on the feet, but once Eubanks took the fight to the mat, Eubanks delivered heavy shots and forced the referee to intervene.

OFFICIAL RESULTS

Livia Renata Souza def. Katja Kankaanpää by submission (triangle choke). Round 4, 3:58 – for strawweight title
Vanessa Porto def. Roxanne Modafferi by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Faith Van Duin def. Amanda Bell by submission (schoolyard choke). Round 2, 0:38
Raquel Pa’aluhi def. Ediane Gomes by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Latoya Walker def. Peggy Morgan by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Lacey Schuckman def. Jenny Liou by TKO (strikes). Round 1, 1:53
Sharon Jacobson def. Delaney Owen by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Shannon Sinn def. Maureen Riordon by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Sijara Eubanks def. Gina Begley by TKO (strikes). Round 1, 4:59

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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Invicta FC 12: Kankaanpää vs. Souza Official Weigh-in Results

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Kansas City, Mo. – On Thursday, April 23, Invicta Fighting Championships hosted the weigh-ins for Invicta FC 12: Kankaanpää vs. Souza, which 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).

Below are the results of the event’s weigh-ins which were held at the Aladdin Hotel.

Strawweight Title: Katja Kankaanpää (114.6) vs. Livia Renata Souza (113.9)
Flyweight: Roxanne Modafferi (125.7) vs. Vanessa Porto (126.5)*
Featherweight: Amanda Bell (146) vs. Faith Van Duin (145.6)
Bantamweight: Ediane Gomes (134.8) vs. Raquel Pa’aluhi (135.9)+
Featherweight: Peggy Morgan (145.7) vs. Latoya Walker (146.5)^
Strawweight: Lacey Schuckman (114.8) vs. Jenny Liou (118.2)#
Strawweight: Delaney Owen (114) vs. Sharon Jacobson (115.6)
Flyweight: Shannon Sinn (125.3) vs. Maureen Riordon (125.5)
Bantamweight: Gina Begley (135.5) vs. Sijara Eubanks (135)

* Porto weighed in at 128.6 on her first attempt and was fined 25 percent of her purse
+ Pa’aluhi weighed in at 136.1 on her first attempt and was fined 15 percent of her purse
^ Walker weighed in at 146.6 on her first attempt and was fined 25 percent of her purse
# Liou elected not to weigh-in again and was fined 25 percent of her purse

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Featherweight Marina Shafir Signs with Invicta FC

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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).

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Invicta FC 12 Loses Cassie Rodish vs. Stephanie Skinner

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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).