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Invicta FC 44 ‘A New Era’ Results: Ducote Scores Highlight-Reel Knockout, Tennant Dominates

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — On Friday, Aug. 27, Invicta Fighting Championships returned to pay-per-view, hosting Invicta FC 44: A New Era. The night’s main card aired on FITE following a preliminary-card on AXS TV and Invicta FC’s YouTube channel.

In the night’s headliner, Emily Ducote captured strawweight gold by scoring one of the greatest knockouts in Invicta history. She started the bout against UFC veteran Danielle Taylor by taking the center of the cage. She flicked her lead head kick repeatedly, keeping Taylor from advancing. Ducote wasted no motion, as she used feints to set up openings. Midway through the round, she unleashed a vicious overhand right that caught Taylor clean. A stunned Taylor froze in place while Ducote followed with a left head kick that put Taylor out for good. Ducote celebrated wildly as the belt was wrapped around her waist.

The new queen of the bantamweight division is Phoenix Tournament 3 winner Taneisha Tennant. She used clean striking to get the better of Lisa Verzosa over five hard-fought rounds. The first round featured a lot of range-finding strikes from both fighters. They exchanged low kicks and jabs to get a read on one another. Tennant fired multiple spinning heel kicks to Verzosa’s midsection. Verzosa switched stances often to keep Tennant from getting rhythm. Round two started much like the first, but Tennant began to settle in as the round progressed. Her jab frequently found its mark and Verzosa’s nose began to bleed. Late in the round, a combination from Tennant hurt Verzosa badly. She crashed to canvas but the round expired before Tennant could find the finish. Tennant again used her boxing to frustrate Verzosa in round three. Verzosa did connect with counter shots, but Tennant was able to stay at the end of the strikes. A flurry from Tennant stunned Verzosa late in the round and the fighters traded punches in the pocket. Verzosa initiated the clinch to recover. Tennant looked for another spinning attack in round four and it allowed Verzosa to close the distance and clinch. They traded short knees before separating. Verzosa landed a body shot, but Tennant responded with a combination as the frame ended. Down on the scorecards, Verzosa pressed the action in round five. She waded into range throwing punches, but absorbed heavy counters from Tennant. Verzosa powered into the clinch midway through the round. Tennant calmly worked free and held her range with kicks and jabs. There was no doubt on the scorecards as Tennant claimed the belt.

Guam’s Brogan Sanchez got back in the win column, submitting Emilee King in the first round. Sanchez quickly took the fight to the ground and moved to side control. King countered with a buggy choke from the bottom. Sanchez dropped knees to the body and then an illegal knee to King’s head. The referee deducted a point from Sanchez and restarted the fight in the choke position. Sanchez worked out of the choke attempt and passed to mount. She dropped massive elbows and punches that hurt King. Sanchez slapped on a rear-naked choke and forced the tap from a battered King.

Oregon’s Liz Tracy welcomed strawweight Jodie Esquibel back to the promotion on the night’s main card. Esquibel went straight to work with her boxing, prompting Tracy to fire front kicks to keep her out of range. Esquibel caught a kick and cracked Tracy with a right hand. The speed of Esquibel allowed her to repeatedly land her lead hook and frustrate Tracy. In round two, Tracy chewed up the lead leg of Esquibel with low kicks. Esquibel’s nose trickled blood from counter shots from Tracy. Tracy was relentless coming forward. Her front kicks and counter punches found their mark over and over as Esquibel wore more damage as the round progressed. Round three was a chess match on the feet as Tracy’s pressure and front kicks kept Esquibel from getting into the pocket. Tracy put it on Esquibel late. Esquibel answered with a late takedown at the horn, but the judges rendered a split decision in favor of Tracy.

The main card opened with a memorable bantamweight match-up between Serena DeJesus and UFC veteran Lauren Mueller. DeJesus delivered a heavy kick to the liver of Mueller in the fight’s opening seconds and applied pressure. Mueller stayed on the outside and looked to counter. After trading in the pocket, DeJesus cracked Mueller with a massive left hand that dropped her. DeJesus followed her to the ground and went to work. She passed to mount and took the back as the round expired. Round two was very competitive. Mueller landed a power right hand that slowed the forward advance of DeJesus for a moment. DeJesus went back to her body kick and powered into the clinch. She controlled Mueller with underhooks. There was a sense of urgency from Mueller to start the last frame. She landed a slick combination, but it did not slow the advance of DeJesus. Mueller threw with more volume late in the fight and DeJesus responded with shots of her own. They exchanged until the final bell, with DeJesus edging out the split decision.

In the preliminary headliner, flyweights Helen Peralta and Caitlin Sammons engaged in a grueling, 15-minute bout. Peralta marched forward early, looking to land a power shot. Sammons did well to evade, but she was forced to deal with the advance of Peralta throughout. The pair exchanged heavy shots, but neither fighter went down. The fight found the clinch and they jostled for position while landing short knees. In round two, Peralta connected with a heavy right hand and then a big head kick. Sammons stayed upright, but Peralta used her strength to control the clinch. It was more of the same in the final stanza as Peralta kept Sammons from mounting offense by scoring with knees in the clinch. The judges were all in agreement, as Peralta swept their scorecards.

Atomweight Marisa Messer-Belenchia clashed with Canada’s Katie Saull in a back-and-forth battle. The boxing of Saull scored early and often in round one. She popped her jab repeatedly to turn Messer-Belenchia’s face red. She used her reach to frustrate Messer-Belenchia throughout the round. In round two, Messer-Belenchia powered into the clinch and forced Saull to work with her back to the cage. She wasn’t able to bring the fight to the ground, but the clinch work prevented Saull from mounting offense. The final round saw Messer-Belenchia work hard for a takedown, only for Saull to reverse the position and gain top position. After a triangle and armbar attempt from Messer-Belenchia, Saull opted to return to her feet. The fight’s final round was a war of attrition. Messer-Belenchia came forward with pressure, looking to close the distance. Saull did her best to score at range. The judges were split in their verdict, with Messer-Belenchia eking out the victory.

Making her pro debut, atomweight Natalie Salcedo put on an absolute show against Phoenix Tournament veteran Katie Perez. Salcedo started fast with punches, then stuffed a takedown attempt. Perez pulled guard and Salcedo went to work from the top with strikes. Perez powered to top position, but was quickly forced to defend a triangle choke from Salcedo. The newcomer was relentless with her transitions. It was more of the same in round two as Perez looked to take the fight to the ground and Salcedo was able to control her on the mat. Salcedo again attacked with a triangle from her back and peppered Perez with elbows. Round three was a showcase for the scrambling ability of Salcedo, as she was a step ahead of Perez on the mat. She worked hard for a finish, but ultimately the fight was sent to the judges. All three rewarded Salcedo for her efforts.

The action kicked off with newcomers Kayla Yontef and Carlene Chandler in the featherweight division. Yontef quickly powered Chandler to the mat and began dropping heavy strikes. Chandler worked back to her feet, but Yontef wasted little time putting back on the ground. Chandler attacked with a kimura, but ended up mounted and absorbed even more punishment. Yontef was relentless from the top, battering Chandler with heavy shots. Chandler scored with her hands to start round two, but it was short-lived as Yontef put her on the canvas once more. She moved to mount and then took Chandler’s back. From there, she rained punches and elbows until the referee intervened to save Chandler from further punishment.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
Emily Ducote def. Danielle Taylor by knockout (punch, head kick). Round 1, 2:51 – for strawweight title
Taneisha Tennant def. Lisa Verzosa by unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 49-46) – for bantamweight title
Brogan Sanchez def. Emilee King by submission (rear-naked choke). Round 1, 4:28
Liz Tracy def. Jodie Esquibel by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
Serena DeJesus def. Lauren Mueller by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
Helen Peralta def. Caitlin Sammons by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Marisa Messer-Belenchia def. Katie Saull by split decision (27-30, 29-28, 29-28)
Natalie Salcedo def. Katie Perez by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-27)
Kayla Yontef def. Carlene Chandler by TKO (strikes). Round 2, 3:13


About Invicta FC:
Invicta Fighting Championships (invictafc.com) 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 (InvictaFights) and Instagram (@InvictaFC) for all the latest information.

About Anthem Sports & Entertainment, Inc.
Anthem Sports & Entertainment Inc. is a globally integrated multi-platform media company with offices and studios in Los Angeles, Denver, Nashville, New York, Kansas City and Toronto. Anthem’s portfolio includes AXS TV, a leading music, entertainment and lifestyle television channel and digital media company; Fight Network, the world’s premier combat sports channel; IMPACT Wrestling, one of the world’s leading wrestling organizations specializing in original programming and live events; Invicta Fighting Championships, the world’s premier all-women mixed martial arts promotion;  Game+, the leader in Esports and gaming content; GameTV, the home of game shows and competition-based reality series; and HDNet Movies, which features theatrically released films and documentaries. Anthem also has a significant ownership interest in Pursuit Channel, one of the top outdoor channels in the U.S.

Invicta FC 44: A New Era Official Weigh-in Results

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – On Thursday, Aug. 26, Invicta Fighting Championships hosted the weigh-ins for Invicta FC 44: A New Era. The event takes place Friday, Aug. 27. It airs live on pay-per-view via traditional cable and satellite carriers beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Digital customers around the world can order the event from FITE.

Prior to the main card, the Invicta FC 44 Prelims will be broadcast in the U.S. on AXS TV and streamed for free worldwide on Invicta FC’s YouTube channel beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

The event takes place from Memorial Hall in Kansas City and is headlined by two title fights. In the headliner, top contenders Emily “Gordinha” Ducote (9-6) and “Dynamite” Danielle Taylor (11-5) square off for strawweight gold. The second half of the title doubleheader features Lisa “Battle Angel” Verzosa (6-1) against Phoenix Tournament winner Taneisha “Triple Threat” Tennant (3-1) with the bantamweight title up for grabs.

Tickets to the event can be purchased through Eventbrite.

Below are the results of the event’s weigh-ins:

Invicta FC 44: A New Era 

Strawweight Title: Emily Ducote (114.4) vs. Danielle Taylor (114.6)
Bantamweight Title: Lisa Verzosa (134.6) vs. Taneisha Tennant (134.7)
Flyweight: Brogan Sanchez (125.8) vs. Emilee King (124.6)
Strawweight: Jodie Esquibel (116) vs. Liz Tracy (117.2)*
Bantamweight: Serena DeJesus (136) vs. Lauren Mueller (135.8)

Invicta FC 44 Prelims

Flyweight: Caitlin Sammons (124.9) vs. Helen Peralta (125.2)
Atomweight: Katie Saull (105.7) vs. Marisa Messer-Belenchia (105.7)
Atomweight: Katie Perez (105.1) vs. Natalie Salcedo (105.9)
Featherweight: Kayla Yontef (145.5) vs. Carlene Chandler (145.8)

* – Tracy missed the strawweight limit of 116 pounds and was fined 25 percent of her fight purse


About Invicta FC:
Invicta Fighting Championships (invictafc.com) 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 (InvictaFights) and Instagram (@InvictaFC) for all the latest information.

About Anthem Sports & Entertainment, Inc.
Anthem Sports & Entertainment Inc. is a globally integrated multi-platform media company with offices and studios in Los Angeles, Denver, Nashville, New York, Kansas City and Toronto. Anthem’s portfolio includes AXS TV, a leading music, entertainment and lifestyle television channel and digital media company; Fight Network, the world’s premier combat sports channel; IMPACT Wrestling, one of the world’s leading wrestling organizations specializing in original programming and live events; Invicta Fighting Championships, the world’s premier all-women mixed martial arts promotion;  Game+, the leader in Esports and gaming content; GameTV, the home of game shows and competition-based reality series; and HDNet Movies, which features theatrically released films and documentaries. Anthem also has a significant ownership interest in Pursuit Channel, one of the top outdoor channels in the U.S.

Invicta FC 44: A New Era Hits Pay-Per-View on Aug. 27 with Two Title Fights

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Invicta Fighting Championships will host a historic night of women’s mixed martial arts action for Friday, Aug. 27. The world’s premier combat sports organization for women returns to pay-per-view for the first time in eight years for Invicta FC 44: A New Era. The event will take place from Memorial Hall in Kansas City and is headlined by two championship match-ups.

A new Invicta FC strawweight champion will be crowned as top contenders Emily “Gordinha” Ducote (9-6) and “Dynamite” Danielle Taylor (11-5) square off for the 115-pound belt. The second half of Invicta FC 44’s double main event will see Lisa “Battle Angel” Verzosa (6-1) take on Phoenix Tournament winner Taneisha “Triple Threat” Tennant (3-1) to decide the new queen of Invicta’s bantamweight division.

Beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on Friday, Aug. 27, Invicta FC 44: A New Era will be distributed on pay-per-view via traditional cable and satellite carriers. Digital customers around the world can pre-order the event immediately from FITE for $19.99 in the United States, $14.99 in Canada and $9.99 in the rest of the world.

The live Invicta FC 44 Prelims will be broadcast in the U.S. on AXS TV and streamed for free worldwide on Invicta FC’s YouTube channel beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. Both platforms will also premiere a special Countdown to Invicta FC 44 documentary the week before the live event.

Invicta FC President Shannon Knapp said, “I’m excited for our athletes to showcase their skills on pay-per-view again. These title fights feature some of the most talented women in mixed martial arts and I can’t wait to watch these amazing match-ups.”

Haunted by two near misses in challenges for the Bellator MMA and Invicta crowns in the past, Oklahoma strawweight Ducote is determined to become a world champion in her third opportunity.

She said, “It’s my time to show off everything I’ve been working on. Danielle’s tough. We’ve both fought the best and this is a good match-up – but I will walk through whatever I need to walk through to get this championship.”

Meanwhile Taylor, who has beaten contenders including Jessica Aguilar, Jessica Penne and Seo Hee Ham, responded, “At the end of day she has never faced my speed and power. I believe I can stop everything she throws at me then put her out. They will announce me as the new Invicta strawweight champion.”

Portland, Oregon-based bantamweight Verzosa has spent the majority of her professional career under the Invicta banner, earning her fifth promotional win over Raquel Canuto in her last outing. The lone loss of her career came in a heartbreaking split decision in her previous Invicta title challenge in 2020, and “Battle Angel” is determined to go one better on Aug. 27.

“I’m super excited to have another title shot and prove to myself I can be champion,” expressed the 25-year-old. “Nobody has the heart that I do — that’s why I win.”

Having earned her title shot by beating three opponents one night, New York’s Tennant is equally confident. “My style of fighting will have her looking like an amateur. She’s never been hit like I hit before.”

Also featured on the five-fight main card will be a flyweight bout between Guam’s Brogan “Killer Bee” Sanchez (6-2) and UFC veteran Mara Romero Borella (11-9) of Italy, strawweight Jodie Esquibel (6-6) returns to the promotion following a four-fight run in the UFC to face off with fellow firefighter Kelly “Wildfire” D’Angelo (4-4), and Phoenix Tournament veteran Serena “The Southpaw Outlaw” DeJesus (3-2) meets another Octagon alum in Californian Lauren “Princess Tiger” Mueller (5-3).

Prior to the pay-per-view card, the Invicta FC 44 Prelims will be headlined by a flyweight clash featuring Florida’s Caitlin “Ginger” Sammons (3-1) and knockout artist Helen “Iansã” Peralta (3-2). Also on the preliminary card, Canada’s “Queen of the North” Katie Saull (3-4) meets Brazil’s Monique Adriane (4-2) in an atomweight affair and New Mexico featherweight Kayla “Danger” Yontef (debut) makes her professional debut opposite fellow newcomer Carlene Chandler (debut) of Stockton, Calif.

The fight card for Invicta FC 44: A New Era can be found below:

Strawweight Title: Emily Ducote vs. Danielle Taylor
Bantamweight Title: Lisa Verzosa vs. Taneisha Tennant
Flyweight: Brogan Sanchez vs. Mara Romero Borella
Strawweight: Jodie Esquibel vs. Kelly D’Angelo
Bantamweight: Serena DeJesus vs. Lauren Mueller
Flyweight: Caitlin Sammons vs. Helen Peralta
Atomweight: Katie Saull vs. Monique Adriane
Featherweight: Kayla Yontef vs. Carlene Chandler


About Invicta FC:
Invicta Fighting Championships (invictafc.com) 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 (InvictaFights) and Instagram (@InvictaFC) for all the latest information.

About Anthem Sports & Entertainment, Inc.
Anthem Sports & Entertainment Inc. is a globally integrated multi-platform media company with offices and studios in Los Angeles, Denver, Nashville, New York, Kansas City and Toronto. Anthem’s portfolio includes AXS TV, a leading music, entertainment and lifestyle television channel and digital media company; Fight Network, the world’s premier combat sports channel; IMPACT Wrestling, one of the world’s leading wrestling organizations specializing in original programming and live events; Invicta Fighting Championships, the world’s premier all-women mixed martial arts promotion;  Game+, the leader in Esports and gaming content; GameTV, the home of game shows and competition-based reality series; and HDNet Movies, which features theatrically released films and documentaries. Anthem also has a significant ownership interest in Pursuit Channel, one of the top outdoor channels in the U.S.

Invicta FC Reveals the Phoenix Series

Kansas City, Mo. – Invicta Fighting Championships is starting a new chapter.

Today, the world’s most decorated fighting promotion for women revealed the Phoenix Series; a one-night, eight-woman tournament format that brings the sport of MMA back to its roots.

The single-elimination tournament will feature one-round fights in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds, with the tournament final being a three-round affair to determine the tournament champion.

The eight tournament participants will be matched up during a random draw prior to the event.

The quarterfinal fighters will have incentive to finish their fights for multiple reasons. First, each finish will earn the winning fighter a monetary bonus, but more importantly, the fastest finisher in the quarterfinal round will have the luxury of picking their opponent for the semifinals based on the remaining three combatants. If there are no finishes in the quarterfinals, the semifinal match-ups will again be determined by random draw.

The first event of the Phoenix Rising Series will take place from Kansas City’s Memorial Hall on Friday, May 3 and stream exclusively on UFC Fight Pass. The inaugural tournament will take place in the strawweight division and the field of eight fighters features numerous title challengers and UFC veterans.

Japan’s MIZUKI (13-5) and Brazil’s Janaisa Morandin (10-2) have previously challenged for Invicta gold and will be out prove they are ready for another shot at the title. MIZUKI was last in the cage at Invicta FC 32, topping UFC veteran Viviane Pereira. Morandin is coming off a title challenge against Virna Jandiroba in September.

They are joined by UFC veterans Danielle Taylor (10-4), Juliana Lima (9-5) and Kailin Curran (4-6). Taylor’s first fight under the Invicta banner came in December, where she defeated Montserrat Ruiz. Lima returns to the promotion for the first time since Invicta FC 5 in 2013. Hawaii’s Curran will be making her Invicta debut.

Rounding out the participants will be Invicta veterans Brianna van Buren (5-2), Sharon Jacobson (5-4) and Sunna Davidsdottir (3-0). Van Buren dispatched of UFC veteran Jamie Moyle in her most recent appearance. Jacobson has been a staple of the Invicta cage, winning multiple post-fight bonuses for her aggressive wrestling style. Finally, Iceland’s Davidsdottir enters the tournament with an undefeated record.

The Phoenix Series will also feature a new look for the broadcast team. Invicta FC post-fight correspondent and former Invicta fighter Laura Sanko will become the first woman to call play-by-play for a major promotion. Joining Sanko on the call will be veteran cageside analyst Jimmy Smith, who has called fights for many of the sport’s biggest promotions.

A tournament reserve match-up, as well as one, non-tournament bout—also in the 115-pound division—will be added to the fight card in the coming weeks.

Phoenix Series 
MIZUKI (13-5)
Janaisa Morandin (10-2)
Danielle Taylor (10-4)
Juliana Lima (9-5)
Kailin Curran (4-6)
Brianna van Buren (5-2)
Sharon Jacobson (5-4)
Sunna Davidsdottir (3-0)


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. Follow Invicta on Twitter (@InvictaFights), Facebook (Facebook.com/InvictaFights), and Instagram (@InvictaFC) for all the latest information.

Invicta FC Strengthens Roster, Signs Eight Fighters to Contracts

Kansas City, Mo. — Invicta Fighting Championships has signed eight fighters to contracts, further strengthening its roster.

Returning to the promotion will be strawweight Jamie Moyle (4-3) and featherweight Faith McMah (formerly Van Duin, 6-3). Moyle has four previous appearances in the Invicta cage. She made her professional debut at Invicta FC 9 before competing on The Ultimate Fighter and fighting three times in the UFC. New Zealand’s McMah is a former Invicta featherweight title challenger. The 32-year-old last competed in 2016 at Invicta FC 19.

In addition to the returning veterans, the strawweight division will see a boost in the form of a talented Japanese wrestler and two recent UFC combatants. Twenty-five-year-old Kanako Murata (8-1) joins the promotion on the heels of wins over Ultimate Fighter veterans Angela Magana and Lanchana Green under the Rizin Fighting Federation banner. She will fight exclusively for Invicta FC when not competing for Rizin in her native Japan. Fellow 115-pound fighter Danielle Taylor (9-4) will make her promotional debut following a five-fight stint in the Octagon that included victories of former Invicta champion Jessica Penne and current Road FC titleholder Seo Hee Ham. Joining Murata and Taylor in the strawweight ranks will be Brazilian Viviane Pereira (13-2). “Sucuri” holds wins over former UFC title challenger Valerie Letourneau and current UFC fighter Poliana Botelho.

Entering the featherweight division will be France’s Zarah Fairn Dos Santos (6-2). The 31-year-old has stopped four of her six victories with strikes, most recently stopping UFC veteran Izabela Badurek inside the first round.

Finally, California’s Valerie Wong (0-0) and Florida’s Caitlin Sammons (0-0) will make their professional debuts for Invicta FC. Wong, who also competes in the strawweight division, has gone 5-1-1 as an amateur. Sammons, meanwhile, is a flyweight, who has compiled a 7-1 resume in the amateur ranks.

Fight announcements for all eight fighters are expected to be revealed 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. Follow Invicta on Twitter (@InvictaFights), Facebook (Facebook.com/InvictaFights), and Instagram (@InvictaFC) for all the latest information.