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Invicta FC 36 Results: Sorenson Bests Young, Claims Featherweight Title

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Kansas City, Kan. — On Friday, Aug. 9, Invicta Fighting Championships hosted Invicta FC 36: Sorenson vs. Young from Memorial Hall. The entire fight card aired exclusively on UFC Fight Pass.

Pam Sorenson is the new Invicta FC featherweight champion after defeating Kaitlin Young in the night’s main event. Young stayed a range early in the fight, but forced Sorenson to back up. Sorenson responded by throwing overhands and then changing levels for a takedown. She struggled to keep Young down initially, but eventually secured top position. Young gave up her back to stand and delivered a knee to a grounded Sorenson. That foul resulted in a point a deduction, but the fight continued. In round two, Young’s striking began to take over. That was short-lived though, as Sorenson ducked under a right hand and put her on the ground. She took Young’s back and threatened with a rear-naked choke. The veteran Young did not panic, calmly defending the submission attempt and spinning into the guard of Sorenson. Round three was nearly a carbon copy of the second, with Sorenson bringing the fight to the mat, but Young finding ways to defend and work to top position. Sorenson finished the round with an armbar attempt and her best striking exchange of the bout. In round four, the grappling exchanges turned in favor of Young for a moment. She spun into Sorenson’s half guard, then passed to mount and looked for an arm-triangle. Sorenson escaped and finished the frame strong. The final round was punctuated with yet another Sorenson takedown. She nearly mounted Young, but settled for taking her back along the fence. She held that position until the final bell, securing the dominant performance. The judges rendered a unanimous verdict after the five-round affair.

Strawweight newcomer Emily Ducote did not waste any time putting her stamp on the promotion, crushing former title challenger Janaisa Morandin inside the first round. Ducote use her reach to keep the Brazilian Morandin on the outside. Morandin tried to flurry to boxing range, but was met with stiff right hands. That was the tone of the fight, as with less than a minute left in the first stanza, a right hand from Ducote put Morandin on the canvas. Ducote smelled blood and rained heavy punches, forcing the referee to intervene.

Brazil’s Jéssica Delboni picked up a split-decision win over fellow atomweight Lindsey VanZandt. Delboni fired kicks to open the contest. VanZandt looked to return fire, but the Brazilian caught a kick and dumped her to the canvas. Delboni peppered VanZandt with kicks to prevent her from getting to her feet. When she did work to her feet, Delboni put her back on the mat. VanZandt threatened with a triangle choke late in the round, but could not find a finish. It was VanZandt who opted to take the fight to the ground in the middle round. She put Delboni on her back, then took her back and secured a body-triangle. Delboni defended the submission attempts and spun to top position, but VanZandt closed the frame with an armbar attempt. Round three started with a Delboni takedown, but she did little with it and the fight returned to the feet. The fighters jostled for position in the clinch for the remainder of the fight, sending the fight to the scorecards. When the scores were revealed, it was Delboni who walked away victorious.

Victoria Leonardo put the first blemish on the record of Oklahoma’s Stephanie Geltmacher after a three-round war. There was no feeling-out process between the two flyweights as Geltmacher quickly barreled forward. Leonardo answered with short shots. Geltmacher earned a brief takedown, but Leonardo bounced right back to her feet. The taller Leonardo used her height and reach advantage to batter the face of Geltmacher from distance. In round two, Geltmacher’s nose opened up from Leonardo’s punches. That didn’t slow her down, however as she took the fight to the ground and took Leonardo’s back. Leonardo remained calm and scrambled to top position, where she delivered more punishment. Both fighters wore plenty of damage entering the fight’s last frame. Leonardo was unrelenting at range, cracking Geltmacher with right hand after right hand. Geltmacher never stopped coming forward, despite her nose bleeding heavily. The back-and-forth battle went the distance and Leonardo edged out the decision win.

Atomweight Alyse Anderson scored a hard-fought decision victory over late-notice opponent Katie Saull. The first round belonged to Anderson, as she was able to push Saull to the cage and take her back on the feet. She applied a body-triangle and dragged Saull to the ground. She worked hard for a rear-naked choke, but the Canadian defended well. Saull’s boxing was on display early in round two, but Anderson was able to close the distance and take the fight to the ground. Saull was active from her back, preventing Anderson from mounting offense or passing her guard. The final stanza opened with Saull landing from range, forcing Anderson to clinch along the fence. Anderson powered the fight to the mat, but once again could not pass the guard. The judges were called upon and awarded Anderson the split-decision nod.

Flyweight Caitlin Sammons earned her second straight win, submitting knockout artist Chantel Coates in the second round via rear-naked choke. Coates largely dominated the opening round, peppering Sammons with her hands. Sammons delivered low kicks to get the fight at range, but frequently found herself absorbing punches. Coates dropped Sammons briefly near the end of the round with a left hand. It was more of the same early in round two, as Coates continued to find success in the stand-up department. The tide of the fight turned quickly as Sammons secured a trip takedown and took the back of Coates. She quickly applied a choke and coerced the tap from Coates.

Bantamweight debutants graced the cage in the night’s second bout as Erin Harpe took on Auttumn Norton. Harpe was aggressive to open the bout, flurrying forward and looking for a takedown. Norton kept the fight upright for a moment, but eventually Harpe took her down with a single and delivered ground and pound. The second stanza took place on the feet with Norton showcasing her hand speed and repeatedly finding the jaw of Harpe with punches. The fight’s final frame featured a quick takedown from Harpe, who re-established her top control. She briefly mounted Norton and busted open her nose with strikes. The judges at cageside were split, but Harpe earned the victory.

Kicking off the night’s action were bantamweight newcomers Julia Ottolino and Megan Cawley. Ottolino used constant forward pressure and leg kicks to establish her range. Cawley looked to counter, but struggled to match the output of the Chicago native. Cawley landed a counter left hook in round two that briefly stunned Ottolino, but she could not capitalize. The third round saw Ottolino unleash multiple superwoman punches that found the jaw of Cawley. The fight went the distance and the judges rendered a clean sweep for Ottolino.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
Pam Sorenson def. Kaitlin Young by unanimous decision (50-44, 49-45, 48-45) – for featherweight title
Emily Ducote def. Janaisa Morandin by knockout (punches). Round 1, 4:03
Jéssica Delboni def. Lindsey VanZandt by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Victoria Leonardo def. Stephanie Geltmacher by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Alyse Anderson def. Katie Saull by split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)
Caitlin Sammons def. Chantel Coates by submission (rear-naked choke). Round 2, 4:10
Erin Harpe def. Auttumn Norton by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-27)
Julia Ottolino def. Megan Cawley by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

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.

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Invicta FC 36: Sorenson vs. Young Official Weigh-in Results

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Kansas City, Mo. — On Thursday, Aug. 8, Invicta Fighting Championships hosted the weigh-ins for Invicta FC 36: Sorenson vs. Young. The event takes place from from Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan., on Friday, Aug. 9, with the entire card streaming live on UFC Fight Pass beginning at 7 p.m. CT.

In the night’s main event, Minnesotans Pam “Bam” Sorenson (7-3) and “The Striking Viking” Kaitlin Young (10-9-1) battle for the vacant featherweight title.

The co-main event features former strawweight title challenger Janaisa Morandin (10-2), who welcomes veteran Emily Ducote (7-5) to the promotion.

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

Featherweight Title: Pam Sorenson (144.8) vs. Kaitlin Young (145)
Strawweight: Janaisa Morandin (119.6)* vs. Emily Ducote (115.8)
Atomweight: Jéssica Delboni (105.4) vs. Lindsey VanZandt (105.7)
Flyweight: Stephanie Geltmacher (125.5) vs. Victoria Leonardo (125.7)
Atomweight: Alyse Anderson (105.8) vs. Katie Saull (105.9)
Flyweight: Chantel Coates (126.5)# vs. Caitlin Sammons (125.2)
Bantamweight: Erin Harpe (134.5) vs. Auttumn Norton (136)
Bantamweight: Megan Cawley (135.5) vs. Julia Ottolino (135.1)

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

# – Coates missed the flyweight limit of 126 pounds and was fined 25 percent of her fight purse

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.

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Pam Sorenson and Kaitlin Young Battle for Featherweight Title at Invicta FC 36

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Kansas City, Mo. — Invicta FC 36, slated for Friday, Aug. 9 at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan., will be headlined by a championship fight.

The event, which streams live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass at 7 p.m. CT, will feature a featherweight title tilt between Minnesota veterans Pam “Bam” Sorenson (7-3) and “The Striking Viking” Kaitlin Young (10-9-1). The 33-year-old Sorenson is no stranger to championship contention, having previously challenged for Invicta gold against Felicia Spencer. Young recently returned from four years away from MMA competition and has reeled off three straight wins, including back-to-back stoppages inside the Invicta cage.

In the co-main event, former strawweight title challenger Janaisa Morandin (10-2) looks to return to the top of the division as she welcomes veteran Emily Ducote (7-5) to the promotion. The Brazilian Morandin aims to rebound after coming up short against then-champion Virna Jandiroba in her last outing. Oklahoma’s Ducote has spent the majority of her career competing as a flyweight, but made a successful return to 115 pounds in February of this year.

Also on the card, Brazilian atomweight Jéssica Delboni (8-1) clashes with New York’s Lindsey VanZandt (6-1), recent Phoenix Rising tournament finalist Kailin Curran (6-7) returns against a yet-to-be-determined strawweight opponent, undefeated wrestling stalwart Stephanie Geltmacher (4-0) collides with Louisiana flyweight Victoria Leonardo (5-1), Michigan’s Alyse Anderson (4-1) takes on undefeated Canadian Anastasia Nikolakakos (3-0) at 105 pounds, and Kansas flyweight Chantel Coates (1-0) looks to build on her record-setting knockout debut when she battles fellow unbeaten Caitlin Sammons (1-0) of Florida.

A quartet of bantamweight newcomers round out the action as Erin Harpe (1-0) faces off with Auttumn Norton (0-0) and Megan Cawley (0-0) meets Julia Ottolino (0-0).

The current Invicta FC 36 fight card can be found below:

Featherweight Title: Pam Sorenson vs. Kaitlin Young
Strawweight: Janaisa Morandin vs. Emily Ducote
Atomweight: Jéssica Delboni vs. Lindsey VanZandt
Strawweight: Kailin Curran vs. TBA
Flyweight: Stephanie Geltmacher vs. Victoria Leonardo
Atomweight: Alyse Anderson vs. Anastasia Nikolakakos
Flyweight: Chantel Coates vs. Caitlin Sammons
Bantamweight: Erin Harpe vs. Auttumn Norton
Bantamweight: Megan Cawley vs. Julia Ottolino

Tickets for Invicta FC 36 are on sale now through Eventbrite.

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.

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Kaitlin Young Now Faces Sarah Patterson at Invicta FC 32

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Kansas City, Mo. — A last-minute change has impacted the lineup for Invicta Fighting Championships 32.

Frenchwoman Zarah Fairn Dos Santos (6-2) has been forced off the card due to visa issues and is out of her featherweight match-up with returning veteran Kaitlin Young (8-9-1). Stepping in on short notice will be newcomer Sarah Patterson (5-4) and the bout will now be contested as a 150-pound catchweight.

Young makes her return to the Invicta FC cage following a four-year absence. “The Striking Viking” has remained active in Muay Thai competition, capturing numerous titles around the globe. She returned to MMA in August, defeating Japan’s Reina Miura under the Rizin FF banner.

Patterson, who goes by the nickname “Primal,” may be new to Invicta FC, but the Iowa-based fighter has been competing since 2002. Among her opponents are women’s pioneers Jennifer Howe and Adrienna Jenkins. She also holds a submission win over Invicta veteran Tamikka Brents.

Invicta FC 32 takes place from the FireLake Arena in Shawnee, Okla., on Friday, Nov. 16. The event will stream live on UFC Fight Pass at 7 p.m CT. The event is headlined by a featherweight title fight featuring undefeated Felicia Spencer (5-0) and veteran Pam Sorenson (7-2).

The updated Invicta FC 32 fight card can be found below:

Featherweight Title: Felicia Spencer (5-0) vs. Pam Sorenson (7-2)
Strawweight: MIZUKI (12-5) vs. Viviane Pereira (13-2)
Atomweight: Ashley Cummins (6-4) vs. Jessica Delboni (7-0)
150-Pound Catchweight: Kaitlin Young (8-9-1) vs. Sarah Patterson (5-4)
Bantamweight: Alexa Conners (5-2) vs. Julia Avila (5-1)
Flyweight: Erin Blanchfield (2-0) vs. Kay Hansen (3-1)
Flyweight: Liz Tracy (5-2) vs. Stephanie Geltmacher (3-0)
Strawweight: Isis Verbeek (0-0) vs. Kathryn Paprocki (1-0)
Bantamweight: Chelsea Chandler (0-1) vs. Mitzi Merry (2-0)

Tickets for Invicta FC 32 can be purchased through 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.

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MMA Veteran Kaitlin Young Joins Invicta FC as Matchmaker

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Kansas City, Mo. — Invicta Fighting Championships today officially announced the addition of Kaitlin Young to its staff as matchmaker, sharing duties with current matchmaker Julie Kedzie.

Young, a veteran of the sport who began her career in 2007 and last fought at Invicta FC 9 in November of 2014, brings both fight and matchmaking experience to the table, having previously filled the role for local promotions in her home state of Minnesota.

“Kaitlin has always been a part of the Invicta family,” said Invicta FC President Shannon Knapp. “She fought for us five times and I’m certain that she’ll bring the same drive and passion that turned her into a fan favorite into this new opportunity.”

Young’s appointment is effective immediately and she will be on-site at Invicta’s next event on May 7 in Costa Mesa, Calif.

“I’ve been on the other side of the table from Invicta as a fighter and I could not be more excited to join this organization,” said Young. “I have so much respect for Shannon and the goals she has for the company, each event, and every single athlete.

“I’m extremely anxious to dive right in and interact with some of these special athletes. If I can help guide them, help them achieve their dreams with Invicta, I’ll consider that a success. Plus, who doesn’t want to be responsible for making great fights? It’s truly a dream job.”

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.

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Cindy Dandois Out of Invicta FC 9, Kaitlin Young to Face Raquel Pa’aluhi

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Kansas City, Mo. – Invicta Fighting Championships today announced that Belgian bantamweight Cindy Dandois (5-1) was forced to withdraw from her Invicta FC 9 match-up with Kaitlin Young (7-8-1) due to visa issues.

Stepping in on short notice to face Young on Nov. 1 is Raquel Pa’aluhi (3-4), fighting out of Hawaii. The bout, originally contracted for bantamweight, will now be contested at featherweight.

“I’m disappointed that Cindy is not able to fight on this card, but we’ll bring her back [to compete] at our next event,” said Invicta FC President Shannon Knapp. “Kudos to Raquel for taking on a veteran like Kaitlin Young with just a week’s notice. We love that kind of warrior spirit at Invicta and those two are going to put on a show next Saturday night.”

Dandois is expected to fight later this year at Invicta FC 10 on Dec. 5 against an opponent to be named at a later date.

Invicta FC 9: Honchak vs. Hashi streams live on UFC Fight Pass from The RiverCenter in Davenport, Iowa on Saturday, Nov. 1 and is headlined by Invicta FC Flyweight Champion Barb Honchak (9-2) defending her title against Japanese veteran Takayo Hashi (15-4). In the co-main event, strawweight submission specialist Mizuki Inoue (8-2) returns to Invicta to take on undefeated newcomer Karolina Kowalkiewicz (5-0) of Poland.

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

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Fighting Words: Kaitlin Young

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Battle forged Kaitlin Young brings her exciting and hard charging style back to the Invicta FC cage November 1st at Invicta FC 9 when she goes toe to toe with Cindy Dandois.

 

 

Corey Smith: Your reputation for producing exciting fights coupled with always facing top level talent seems firmly entrenched in the minds of the fans. Have you ever considered turning down any opponent?

Kaitlin Young: I have turned down opponents in the past. If it is a close friend, or a tough opponent coupled with a proportionately low offer, I will say no.

 

 

CS: Several months ago, you received one of the largest gashes on your forehead that most fans had ever seen. How did the gash occur? How long did it take to fully heal?

KY: It was nasty! It was just a training accident. One of my teammates kicked and I shot a double at the same time. I ended up catching his knee on my forehead.  Luckily, the forehead is incredibly hard. The CT scan showed up clean – no concussion or structural damage – just a cut. I count it as a near miss because had it been a couple of inches lower I would have had to have reconstructive surgery.

KY: Healing was a bit delayed because the doctor who completed the stitches was NOT a plastic surgeon. I was told the person who would be coming in to do the stitches WAS a plastic surgeon, and found out later when it was healing poorly that she was not.

KY: I ended up having to have the scar revised because it was so raised where the skin had overlapped. I’m back to full training now, but the last procedure was done in July when the initial injury was in January.

 

 

CS: How do you balance a full training camp with safety and being fresh enough for your actual fight? What does a typical training day entail?

KY:  I just recently relocated to Los Angeles from Minneapolis, so my typical day in camp has changed a great deal from my last MMA fight. The schedule changes day to day. Most days I have a 1.5 – 2 hour practice in the morning, a 1.5-2 hour practice in the evening, with hill running and minimal weight lifting sprinkled in throughout the week. I try to get a nap in before practice #2. I’m paying a lot more attention to the amount of rest I get during camp, which is far more important than I once believed it was. I’ve noticed a big difference in my energy level for practices already.

 

 

CS: Your behind the scenes video at Invicta FC 7 was very popular with the fans. What was that experience like for you?

KY: It was a blast! It was fun to try to capture the things we fighters see all of the time, but the fans are rarely exposed to like cutting weight, hand wrapping, and eating nothing but celery the night before weigh-ins.   For me, it was interesting to see how other fighters do things. When you are there getting ready for your own fight, you aren’t even really noticing what everyone else is doing. At Invicta 7, I watched others prepare. I got to see the different coaching styles, what they were doing to cut weight, etc. I’d love to do something like that again one day.

 

 

CS: You are returning to the Invicta FC cage after more than a year off. Do you have any concerns with ring rust?

KY: I haven’t had an MMA fight in about a year and a half, but I had a K1 fight in Russia with WAKO’s Team USA over the summer. I didn’t feel too rusty then, so I am not worried about it in November.

 

 

CS: Your opponent at Invicta FC 9 on November 1st, Cindy Dandois, is an experienced grappler fighting out of Belgium. How familiar are you with Dandois? Anything in particular you are focusing on in training camp for her?

KY: I have seen most of her fights. I have increased concentration on wrestling for this camp, and am fortunate to have some experienced judo players as training partners.  I will be well-prepared for this match-up.

 

 

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

KY: I tend to fight best when I am relaxed and not too serious prior to the fight. I like to be around people who make me laugh.

 

 

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

KY: As I said before, I have just moved camps so this is new for me. I will have Sevak Ohanjanian and Nick “The Goat” Thompson in my corner for this fight. As a general rule, I prefer a positive coaching style. Tell me what TO DO, not what NOT TO DO.  That is kind of coaching 101 though, and I think most good coaches understand that concept.

 

 

CS: You have begun to do a bit of matchmaking for a local promotion in your home state of Minnesota. How has that experience been? Any new found respect for other matchmakers?

KY: I did, and I’d like to give a shout to Jeremy Bjornberg for that! While I appreciated the experience, honestly, it was a real pain. I loved the opportunity to make fights and create opportunities for guys who are working so hard in the gym. I hated the flakiness of some fighters and managers, which was sometimes blatant cowardice, and then seeing the subsequent social media posts about how tough/badass/up for a challenge they are.

KY: That said, I would recommend the guys who were actually on our card to anyone looking for kickboxers or MT fighters. They all came in shape and fought their hearts out. It gave me a huge appreciation for promoters, and I’m a little surprised any of them do it.

 

 

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

KY: I like to hit the beach, take the dog to the park, watch stand-up comedy or documentaries, and between fights eat copious amounts of baked goods.

 

 

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

KY: I’d really like to thank Sevak, Edmond, and Martin at GFC in Glendale, Josh and Erik at CSW in Fullerton, and Rener and Ryron at Gracie Academy in Torrance for all of the awesome training leading up to this fight.  I’d also like to thank my sponsors Joe Taverni, M.D., and Amber Sports Gear for their continued support. A big thanks to my manager Nick Thompson, and all the training partners who work with me day in and day out. You guys are the best!

 

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 Pass. Click below to subscribe to UFC FightPass.

 

 

 

 

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FIGHTING WORDS: KAITLIN YOUNG

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One of the most exciting athletes in all of women’s MMA, Kaitlin Young steps back into the Invicta cage for a fourth time on April 5th, at Invicta FC 5.

Never facing anything less than the top of the women’s MMA mountain, Young looks to secure a win against Brazilian knockout artist Amanda Nunes. With a career built off of fighting a who’s who of MMA, Young never disappoints in bringing the action, and April 5th should be no different.

Corey Smith: You started training in Taekwondo at the age of fourteen, before moving over to Muay Thai. What drew you to martial arts as opposed to other forms of competition?

Kaitlin Young: I liked the idea of individual sports, and contact sports always seemed to be much more fun. I also have terrible coordination with inanimate objects, so anything with a ball was out.

CS: One of your reasons for transitioning to Muay Thai and eventually MMA, was that you felt it was less restrictive rules wise. Are there in rules in MMA that you would like changed?

KY: The fact that MMA doesn’t allow 12-6 elbows is ridiculous. You are going to let me knee someone in the face, but you are concerned about which direction my elbow is moving???

CS: Up until recently, you had participated in the most watched MMA program of all time when you took on Gina Carrano on EliteXC Primetime. Any fan will also tell you, your fight with Carrano was the most exciting fight on that card. Is that something you are proud of, being a pioneer?

KY: Yes and no. I was pretty new to MMA when I took that fight. To be honest, I don’t really think of myself as a pioneer. So many others were fighting MMA long before me. A lot of people tell me that the Carano fight turned them on to watching female fights, and for that I am very proud.

CS: When you scroll down your record, it is replete with high level talent. Do you think it is important to always face a high level opponent?

KY: Fighting real fights is something that has been important to me. From a business standpoint, it probably would have been more beneficial to try to “build” my record. Many fighters do this. Look at the combined record of their opponents throughout their careers. Look at how often they are fighting people that have come up a weight class to fight them. Look at how often they are fighting in their hometown, and see if they mostly win via questionable decision. Cherry picking has never been something I am fond of, though I understand it is part of the business. Not all records are created equal.

CS: You’ve mentioned in the past that your losses are important to you. What makes a loss important to a fighter?

KY: If you are able to not let your ego get in the way, you should learn from your losses. Because of this, I think fighting has made me a better person. It forces you to become more introspective.

KY: Losing lends a helping hand if you are trying to figure out who truly supports you as well. I’ve had ups and downs in my career, and have some awesome people in my life that have been there through it all. There are also those who only like to come around for the ups, and there is really no reason to associate with those people.

CS: You have fought at Invicta FC 1, 2, 3, and are scheduled to face Amanda Nunes at Invicta FC 5 in April. How has your experience been with the company? What is it like to have an entirely female MMA promotion to fight for?

KY: Invicta has been an amazing company to work with! I have been to every show at this point, fighting or supporting, and each time they create an excellent event. Invicta is the first promotion to have multiple female weight divisions for the fans to follow, and that leads to more interest in potential match ups. Invicta is the best thing that has ever happened to female MMA fighters.

CS: Invicta FC recently introduced random drug test for it’s athletes. What are your thoughts on steroids and TRT in MMA?

KY: I’m glad they are testing. It is a step in the right direction. If the rules against PEDs aren’t enforced, the clean athletes are essentially being punished.

CS: What has the fan response been to your fights under the Invicta banner in comparison to other organizations?

KY: The fans have been incredible. I have heard others compare them to Japanese MMA fans (who are markedly more respectful than your average group of fans in the US). We are so happy to have them watching.

CS: Speaking of fans, frequent Invicta commentator and Bellator light heavyweight, Muhammed “KingMo” Lawal has said you are his favorite female mixed martial artist to watch. What is the support like from male mixed martial artists?

KY: Well, first of all, KingMo is awesome, so that is a huge compliment. The support from other male fighters has been great. I really have no complaints.

CS: How much do you know about your Invicta FC 5 opponent, Amanda Nunes? And what are you expecting out of the fight?

KY: She has had a pretty visible career, so it isn’t difficult to find material on her. I’m expecting a brawl.

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?

KY: I pretty much enjoy sleeping, watching documentaries or stand-up comedy. I don’t like to go out much during camp because I’m usually drained from a hard week of training.

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

KY: The MMA team at The Academy is amazing. The daily push to become better, and the support from the team, gets you through those hard days. We have a lot of people fighting regularly right now, so I’m not even going to start naming names. They know who they are J

KY: I’d also like to thank Greg Nelson, Ryan Murray, Robert Brant, Matt Miller, Tom Schmitz, Nik Lentz, and Pat Barry for their coaching in getting ready for this fight in particular.

KY: Thank you to my incredible sponsors: Joe Taverni, Nutrishop Lakeville, Intimidation Clothing, and Horsepower Strength and Conditioning.

KY: As always, thanks to Shannon Knapp and Janet Martin for creating an excellent promotion and to all the fans that keep it going!