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Invicta FC 27 Results: Kaufman Cruises Past Kianzad, Porto Chokes Morais

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Kansas City, Mo. — On Saturday, Jan. 13, Invicta Fighting Championships hosted Invicta FC 27: Kianzad vs. Kaufman from the Scottish Rite Temple in Kansas City, Mo. The event streamed live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass beginning at 8 p.m. ET.

Sarah Kaufman’s return to the Invicta cage was a successful one as the former Strikeforce bantamweight champion and UFC veteran bested Pannie Kianzad by decision. Kaufman’s striking arsenal was on full display throughout the contest. She landed her right hand in the clinch throughout the bout, bloodying the nose of Kianzad early in the fight. Kianzad never backed down, firing spinning backfists and a variety of kicks. But Kaufman’s veteran savvy was too much, as she landed with more and more volume as the fight progressed. The Canadian swept the scorecards after three rounds.

Former flyweight title challenger Vanessa Porto continued her march back towards title contention, dispatching of her fellow Brazilian Mariana Morais in the first round. Porto landed heavy leg kicks as the fight begin, prompting Morais to shoot for a takedown. Porto scrambled to the back of Morais, who desperately tried to defend Porto’s submission attack. Porto sunk in a rear-naked choke late in the round, coercing the tap from Morais.

In a classic striker vs. grappler affair, it was the wrestler, Sharon Jacobson, that came out on top of Canada’s Ashley Nichols. Jacobson initiated the clinch to start the fight and aimed to take the fight to the mat. Nichols countered with heavy knees and punches, dropping Jacobson in the opening round. Jacobson secured a takedown and was able to recover. The relentless wrestling of Jacobson was the story of the rest of the fight, as she was able to put Nichols on her back repeatedly. The final five minutes was all Jacobson, who used the knee-on-belly technique to pepper Nichols with punches and elbows and capture the win.

Atomweight Ashley Cummins completed dominated promotional debutant Stephanie Alba over three rounds. Cummins was able to take the fight to the mat in every round, where she meticulously delivered ground and pound. The first round was filled with short elbow from the half guard, as Alba could not get off her back. Cummins sought an arm-triangle choke in the second stanza, but Alba defended well. In the final frame, Cummins sought the finish, scoring with combinations before yet another takedown. She dropped punches to the final bell, but had to settle for decision victory.

Guam’s Brogan Walker-Sanchez handed Cheri Muraski her first professional defeat after a grueling, three-round contest. Muraski’s intentions were clear from the opening bell as she closed the distance and looked to take Walker-Sanchez to the mat. Walker-Sanchez was able to score with elbows from the clinch and use her underhooks to stay standing. Muraski did find herself inside the full guard at one point, but was unable to pass to a dominant position. The pair jostled for position along the fence for the majority of the fight, but two of the three judges rewarded Walker-Sanchez the decision.

Felicia Spencer kept her undefeated record intact, besting debuting featherweight Akeela Al-Hameed by decision. The fight featured a contrast of styles as Al-Hameed employed a boxing attack against Spencer’s taekwondo base. The pair traded head kicks in the opening frame after a grueling stint in the clinch. Al-Hameed’s best moment came in the form of a standing guillotine choke attempt against the fence, but Spencer showcased great flexibility to land knees from the vicarious position. Spencer would gain top control late in the fight, sealing the win on all the judges’ scorecards.

Strawweight Mallory Martin gave Tiffany Masters a rude welcome to the Invicta FC cage, earning a second-round stoppage due to strikes. Martin pressed forward in the opening round, scoring with her left hook inside the pocket. Masters countered with volume, but Martin took her down and rained elbows from the top. It was more of the same in round two as Martin mounted Masters along the fence and dropped heavy shots. The onslaught led the referee to intervene and give Martin the victory.

Making her professional MMA debut, Muay Thai stylist Loma Lookboonmee put on a striking clinic, battering Mellissa Wang over three rounds. Wang immediately looked to take the fight to the mat, but Loma countered with knees and elbows in the clinch. The shots took their toll on Wang, who bled from her nose and left eye. The fight was paused twice by the referee after the Thai fighter landed knees while Wang was a downed fighter. Despite a point deduction, Loma swept the scorecards with the impressive performance.

In a match-up of strawweight newcomers, Helen Peralta needed less than a round to dispatch of Jade Ripley with strikes. Peralta used her kicks to find her range and began to land her right hand at will. After buckling the knees of Ripley in the clinch, Peralta delivered a series of punches along the fence that forced the referee to halt the contest.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
Sarah Kaufman def. Pannie Kianzad by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Vanessa Porto def. Mariana Morais by submission (rear-naked choke). Round 1, 4:19
Sharon Jacobson def. Ashley Nichols by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Ashley Cummins def. Stephanie Alba by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Brogan Walker-Sanchez def. Cheri Muraski by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Felicia Spencer def. Akeela Al-Hameed by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Mallory Martin def. Tiffany Masters by TKO (strikes). Round 2, 3:36
Loma Lookboonmee def. Mellissa Wang by unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-26)
Helen Peralta def. Jade Ripley by TKO (punches). Round 1, 2:22

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 27: Kianzad vs. Kaufman Official Weigh-in Results

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Kansas City, Mo. — On Friday, Jan. 12, Invicta Fighting Championships hosted the weigh-ins for Invicta FC 27: Kianzad vs. Kaufman. The event takes place from the historic Scottish Rite Temple in Kansas City, Mo., on Saturday, Jan. 13, and streams live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass beginning at 8 p.m. ET.

In the night’s main event, Iranian-Swedish fighter Pannie Kianzad (8-2) takes on Canada’s Sarah Kaufman (18-4, 1 NC) in a bantamweight match-up. Kianzad aims to get back in the win column after falling against then-champion Tonya Evinger and recent title challenger Raquel Pa’aluhi. Kaufman is a former Strikeforce champion and UFC veteran who previously competed in the Invicta cage in 2013. She holds victories over fellow Invicta veterans Shayna Baszler, Takayo Hashi, Roxanne Modafferi, Liz Carmouche and Leslie Smith.

In the night’s co-main event, Vanessa Porto (19-8) quickly steps back into the cage to face fellow Brazilian Mariana Morais (12-5). Porto was in action at Invicta FC 26 in December, stopping UFC veteran Milana Dudieva by strikes. The 21-year-old Morais returns to the promotion for the first time since 2015, where she faced former title challenger Roxanne Modafferi.

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

Bantamweight: Pannie Kianzad (136.7)* vs. Sarah Kaufman (135.4)
Flyweight: Vanessa Porto (125.3) vs. Mariana Morais (124.6)
Strawweight: Sharon Jacobson (115.7) vs. Ashley Nichols (115.3)
Atomweight: Ashley Cummins (105.6) vs. Stephanie Alba (106)
Flyweight: Cheri Muraski (125.4) vs. Brogan Walker-Sanchez (125.4)
Featherweight: Felicia Spencer (146) vs. Akeela Al-Hameed (144.7)
Strawweight: Mallory Martin (115.3) vs. Tiffany Masters (117.4)*
Atomweight: Mellissa Wang (104.3) vs. Loma Lookboonmee (105.9)
Strawweight: Jade Ripley (115.9) vs. Helen Peralta (115.6)

* – Kianzad and Masters were each fined 25 percent of their fight purses for missing weight

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 21 Adds Four Additional Bouts

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Kansas City, Mo. — Invicta Fighting Championships 21 has added four bouts.

Swedish bantamweight Pannie Kianzad (8-1) will return to action against Hawaii’s Raquel Pa’aluhi (5-5), undefeated Aspen Ladd (4-0) will take on grappling ace Sijara Eubanks (2-1), also at 135 pounds, veteran strawweights DeAnna Bennett (8-2) and Jodie Esquibel (5-2) square off, and newcomer Brieta Carpenter (0-0) will welcome boxing champion Heather Hardy (0-0) to the Invicta cage.

Kianzad returns to the Invicta cage after falling short against champion Tonya Evinger are Invicta FC 14 last year. Pa’aluhi, meanwhile, has won three of her last four, including wins over veterans Ediane Gomes and Kaitlin Young.

The 21-year-old Ladd has continued her winning ways since moving up to bantamweight, defeating Jessica Hoy and Kelly McGill in her last two appearances. Eubanks, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, earned her second career win via strikes at Invicta FC 18, stopping Amberlynn Orr in the first round.

Bennett, a former strawweight title challenger, will return for the first time since Invicta FC 16, where she engaged in a back-and-forth battle with veteran Roxanne Modafferi. Esquibel headlined Invicta FC 18 in July against Mexico’s Alexa Grasso.

Hardy, 34, carries an undefeated record of 18-0 in the boxing ring and currently holds the WBC international featherweight and super bantamweight titles. Carpenter signed with the promotion in June after compiling an 8-2 amateur record, including a 10-second knockout in her most recent outing.

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 current fight card for Invicta FC 21 can be found below:

Featherweight: Megan Anderson (7-2) vs. Charmaine Tweet (9-5)
Bantamweight: Pannie Kianzad (8-1) vs. Raquel Pa’aluhi (5-5)
Strawweight: DeAnna Bennett (8-2) vs. Jodie Esquibel (5-2)
Bantamweight: Aspen Ladd (4-0) vs. Sijara Eubanks (2-1)
Flyweight: Heather Hardy (0-0) vs. Brieta Carpenter (0-0)

Tickets for Invicta FC 21 go on sale Saturday, Dec. 10 at 10 a.m. CT via Ticketfly.com. Additional bouts for the event will be announced at a later date.

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 14 Results: Evinger Batters Kianzad, Bennett Edges Kankaanpää

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Kansas City, Mo. — On Saturday, Sept. 12, Invicta Fighting Championships hosted Invicta FC 14: Evinger vs. Kianzad from the Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo. The event streamed live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass at 8 p.m. ET.

In the night’s main event, bantamweight champion Tonya Evinger made Sweden’s Pannie Kianzad pay for missing weight, handing her the first defeat of her career. Evinger closed the distance and took Kianzad to the ground right off the bat. She scored with punches and elbows before taking her back. Evinger looked for a rear-naked choke, but then transitioned to an armbar attempt as the first round ended. Round two opened with Evinger dropping Kianzad with a right hand. She followed her to the ground and bloodied the nose of Kianzad with punches and elbows. Evinger was relentless with her attack from the top position, earning the second-round stoppage.

Utah’s DeAnna Bennett remained undefeated after a grueling, three-round war with former strawweight champion Katja Kankaanpää. Bennett used her length and size in the opening round, forcing the Finnish fighter to counter. However, Kankaanpää began to come forward more as the round progressed. Round two saw more clinch work and Bennett repeatedly threatened with guillotine choke attempts. The second round closed with Kankaanpää in a deep choke, but the bell saved her. The final frame clearly belonged to Kankaanpää, who put Bennett on her back and controlled her throughout the round. It wasn’t enough though, as the judges at cageside rewarded Bennett for her efforts in the early rounds.

Veteran Roxanne Modafferi used her experience edge to best promotional newcomer Mariana Morais. Modafferi scored with punches on the feet, but when she took Morais to the ground, she really poured it on. She passed to mount with ease and rained punches and elbows. It was more of the same in round two, as Modafferi simply outclassed the Brazilian. Round three saw Modafferi earn a takedown, but Morais countered with a guillotine attempt. Modafferi calmly escaped and then continued her onslaught, forcing referee John McCarthy to halt the fight and put the veteran back in the win column.

Andrea Lee rebounded from the first loss of her career to score a third-round armbar finish of Rachael Ostovich. Lee’s striking prowess was display throughout the first round, as she peppered Ostovich with kicks and punches to the body. Lee nearly secured a rear-naked choke as the first stanza closed, but Ostovich was saved by the bell. Ostovich found her range early in round two, but Lee dropped her with a stiff left hand. Lee mounted the Hawaiian and pounded away, but the bell sounded once again. The final round was all Lee, who battered Ostovich with knees and then took her back on the ground. Just as the fight was about to go the distance, Lee transitioned for an armbar and Ostovich verbally submitted with just two seconds left.

Belgium’s Cindy Dandois spoiled the Invicta debut of Australia’s Megan Anderson, submitting her via triangle choke in round two of their featherweight bout. Anderson connected with a right hand that prompted Dandois to take the fight to the ground. She threatened with an armbar and then transitioned to a mounted triangle, but Anderson was able to survive the round. When the fight hit the ground again in round two, Dandois again locked in the triangle choke and forced Anderson to submit.

Two-time national wrestling champion Sharon Jacobson continued to make her mark on the strawweight division, becoming the first to defeat Jamie Moyle. Moyle attacked with kicks early to slow Jacobson’s advance, but it didn’t last long as Jacobson flurried forward and pinned Moyle to the cage. The pair traded knees and elbows from the clinch, but Jacobson was able to slam Moyle to the canvas on multiple occasions. The hard-fought battle went the distance with Jacobson earning a unanimous decision victory.

Atomweight Jinh Yu Frey used a striking advantage to outwork Liz McCarthy and take home a unanimous decision win. Frey mixed in a variety of kicks to complement her punches. She also scored with takedowns in each of the first two rounds to keep McCarthy guessing. McCarthy never stopped coming forward, but Frey’s movement and footwork were the difference on the scorecards.

J.J. Aldrich gave late-replacement opponent Rosa Acevedo a rude welcome to the Invicta cage, scoring a violent, first-round knockout. Aldrich landed with her hands early, but it was a knee to the liver that stunned Acevedo along the fence. A pair of follow-up punches and Acevedo was out for good.

Flyweight Aspen Ladd built upon her impressive debut earlier this year with a dominant win over Amanda Bobby Cooper. The pair spent the majority of the first round in the clinch before Ladd took the fight to the mat. Ladd again scored a takedown in round two and unleashed a violent barrage that bloodied Cooper. She then transitioned to an armbar and coerced a tap.

The night kicked off with a pair of debuting lightweights as Felicia Spencer battered Rachel Wiley to earn a first-round TKO. Spencer took Wiley to the mat early and battered her with elbows, forcing the referee to intervene.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
Tonya Evinger def. Pannie Kianzad by TKO (strikes). Round 2, 3:34
DeAnna Bennett def. Katja Kankaanpää by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Roxanne Modafferi def. Mariana Morais by TKO (strikes). Round 3, 4:40
Andrea Lee def. Rachael Ostovich by verbal submission (armbar). Round 3, 4:58
Cindy Dandois def. Megan Anderson by submission (triangle choke). Round 2, 2:41
Sharon Jacobson def. Jamie Moyle by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Jinh Yu Frey def. Liz McCarthy by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
J.J. Aldrich def. Rosa Acevedo by knockout (knee and punches). Round 1, 2:24
Aspen Ladd def. Amanda Bobby Cooper by submission (armbar). Round 2, 4:42
Felicia Spencer def. Rachel Wiley by TKO (strikes). Round 1, 3:32

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 14: Evinger vs. Kianzad Official Weigh-in Results

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Kansas City, Mo. — On Friday, Sept. 11, Invicta Fighting Championships hosted the weigh-ins for Invicta FC 14: Evinger vs. Kianzad, which takes place Saturday, Sept. 12, from the Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo. The event will stream live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass at 8 p.m. ET.

Headlining the event will be a five-round bantamweight fight between Tonya Evinger (16-5) and unbeaten Swede Pannie Kianzad (8-0). The fight was slated to be for Evinger’s 135-pound title, but with Kianzad missing weight, it will be a non-title affair.

The veteran Evinger earned the 135-pound belt with a fourth-round TKO of Irena Aldana at Invicta FC 13 in July. The win marked Evinger’s fourth straight win inside the Invicta cage, and seventh straight overall.

Kianzad made her promotional debut at Invicta FC 13 and earned a unanimous decision win over Australia’s Jessica-Rose Clark. The 23-year-old held gold under the Cage Warriors banner prior to signing with Invicta earlier in 2015.

In the co-main event, former strawweight titleholder Katja Kankaanpää will look to rebound from her Invicta FC 12 title defeat when she takes on undefeated DeAnna Bennett.

Below are the results of the event’s weigh-ins, which were held in the Aladdin Hotel in Kansas City.

Bantamweight Title: Tonya Evinger (135)# vs. Pannie Kianzad (136.7)^
Strawweight: Katja Kankaanpää (115.6) vs. DeAnna Bennett (117.4)+
Flyweight: Roxanne Modafferi (124.9) vs. Mariana Morais (125.9)
Flyweight: Rachael Ostovich (125.8) vs. Andrea Lee (125)
Featherweight: Cindy Dandois (145.6) vs. Megan Anderson (145.1)
Strawweight: Jamie Moyle (115.6) vs. Sharon Jacobson (116)
Atomweight: Jinh Yu Frey (105.8) vs. Liz McCarthy (105.4)
Strawweight: J.J. Aldrich (115.7) vs. Rosa Acevedo (118.2)*
Flyweight: Aspen Ladd (125.7) vs. Amanda Bobby Cooper (125.1)
Lightweight: Rachel Wiley (155) vs. Felicia Spencer (155.3)

* Acevedo elected not to cut any additional weight and was fined 25 percent of her fight purse
+ Bennett elected not to cut any additional weight and was fined 25 percent of her fight purse
^ Kianzad elected not to cut any additional weight and was fined 25 percent of her fight purse
# Evinger weighed in at 135.2 pounds on her first attempt and was fined 20 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. For more information, visit InvictaFC.com, follow Invicta on Twitter (@InvictaFights) and like Invicta on Facebook (Facebook.com/InvictaFights).

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Pannie Kianzad: Feeling Warm and Alive

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Stepping into an enclosed cage to fight another human being is not for the weak of heart or mind. For those that embrace it, the sport of mixed martial arts provides a fulfilling career.

This is a reality that 23-year-old bantamweight Pannie Kianzad knows firsthand. Born in Iran, Kianzad and her family moved to Sweden when she was very young. The youngest of four children, Kianzad was quickly drawn to competition.

“At some point, we all did martial arts, but I’m the only one that continued and has it as a profession,” said the fighter. “Of course, my mom wanted me to put my time in something else like my brothers and sister, but I think after 10 years, she gets it.

“I’m made to do this and this makes me happier than anything.”

The joy that Kianzad finds in the cage is a far cry from her initial experience in combat sports. At the age of 13, she picked up boxing and, over the course of her teen years, she had more than two dozen amateur bouts. Yet, she has no regrets over hanging up her boxing gloves.

“I didn’t box ’cause I wanted to; I did it for other people,” explained Kianzad. “I thought boxing was defining me as a person. No sport is defining you to be anything. It’s all about you.

“MMA made me like myself a bit more every day. And when you do find your team that supports you and loves you, you find more happiness.”

Kianzad’s support came in the form of Rumble Sports in Copenhagen, Denmark. Under the guidance of UFC veteran Mats Nilsson, she’s learned to recognize her skills. It has helped change her demeanor for the best.

“I literally thought I was trash and not worth any happiness on this earth,” Kianzad said of her early training in MMA. “My coach is helping me realize that it’s OK to take it all in and be proud. So when I can prove to myself that I am making it, it gives me a warm feeling.”

The term “making it” might be an understatement for Kianzad. Through eight professional outings, she’s yet to taste defeat in the cage. Along the way, she earned the Cage Warriors bantamweight title, one of the most prestigious belts in Europe. However, Kianzad isn’t letting the success go to her head.

“I know how it feels to be defeated,” revealed the Swede. “[I’ve] been in tough battles — three rounds and five. I think the biggest key is to always stay humble outside the cage and a beast inside it.”

In July, Kianzad made her Invicta FC debut in Las Vegas against Australia’s Jessica-Rose “Jessy Jess” Clark. She walked away with a clear-cut decision win after three rounds of action, but Kianzad was forced to overcome the nerves of competing in the United States for the first time.

“I cry a lot before my fights. It’s not out of sadness. I don’t really know what it is, but my tears just keep coming during warm-up,” said Kianzad. “I think it’s a good thing. Then I know I’m alive and ready to go.”

Nerves weren’t the only issue for the fighter on fight night. She had rolled her ankle on the day of the event.

“It was actually seconds before the fight,” acknowledged the fighter. “I just brushed it off. I had Jessy in front of me, so I couldn’t focus on that.”

Luckily, the ankle didn’t affect her performance in the cage. However, the fight did produce one of the more memorable moments of the year when Kianzad maneuvered to reverse mount and struck Clark with her backside.

“It’s not the first time I have ended up in a reversed mount. It’s like a special skill of mine. But the butt drop was a first,” she said with a laugh.

Kianzad’s win over Clark earned her a title shot against newly crowned champion Tonya Evinger at Invicta FC 14 on Sept. 12 in Kansas City, Mo. Now, she’ll look to add some new hardware to her trophy case.

“I never got to defend my belt in Cage Warriors, so it feels good to get a chance to prove myself once again,” said Kianzad. “It means a lot to me to fight for one of the biggest promotions in the world and get a chance to bring that bling home.”

The fight will be in hostile territory for the European fighter, as Evinger is a Missouri native and will have the crowd behind her.

“I love fighting in enemy territory, to be the underdog,” admitted Kianzad. “This is what we do, what we train for, what we desire. I work very hard for my fights and I know we will put on a show.”

If things go Kianzad’s way on Sept. 12, she’ll leave Kansas City feeling warm, alive and, most importantly, happy.

Pannie would like to thank her team at Rumble Sports, her family, Fit4Fight, K.O Store, Dirty Rebel, MMAnytt, Massage Templet, Revolutionary Fitness Sweden, and all of her fans from all around the world.

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Invicta FC 14 Gets New Main Event, Full Fight Card Revealed

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Kansas City, Mo. — Invicta Fighting Championships today revealed the entire fight card for Invicta FC 14, which will stream live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass on Saturday, Sept. 12, from the Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.

Headlining the event will be a bantamweight title fight between recently crowned champion Tonya Evinger (16-5) and unbeaten Swede Pannie Kianzad (8-0).

The previously announced strawweight title fight between champion Livia Renata Souza (8-0) and No. 1 contender Alexa Grasso (7-0) has been postponed until a later date due to an injury that prevented Grasso from training.

The veteran Evinger earned the 135-pound belt with a fourth-round TKO of Irena Aldana at Invicta FC 13 in July. The win marked Evinger’s fourth straight win inside the Invicta cage, and seventh straight overall.

Kianzad made her promotional debut at Invicta FC 13 and earned a unanimous decision win over Australia’s Jessica-Rose Clark. The 23-year-old held gold under the Cage Warriors banner prior to signing with Invicta earlier in 2015.

In the co-main event, former strawweight titleholder Katja Kankaanpää will look to rebound from her Invicta FC 12 title defeat when she takes on undefeated DeAnna Bennett.

The full 10-fight card for Invicta FC 14 can be found below:

Bantamweight Title: Tonya Evinger (16-5) vs. Pannie Kianzad (8-0)
Strawweight: Katja Kankaanpää (10-2-1) vs. DeAnna Bennett (7-0)
Flyweight: Roxanne Modafferi (17-12) vs. Mariana Morais (9-2)
Flyweight: Rachael Ostovich (2-1) vs. Andrea Lee (2-1)
Featherweight: Cindy Dandois (5-2) vs. Megan Anderson (4-1)
Strawweight: Jamie Moyle (3-0) vs. Sharon Jacobson (3-1)
Atomweight: Jinh Yu Frey (3-1) vs. Liz McCarthy (2-1)
Strawweight: J.J. Aldrich (1-1) vs. Daniela Kortmann (1-0)
Flyweight: Aspen Ladd (1-0) vs. Amanda Bobby Cooper (1-0)
Lightweight: Rachel Wiley (0-0) vs. Felicia Spencer (0-0)

Tickets for Invicta FC 14 are available now 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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Pannie Kianzad Joins Invicta Bantamweight Roster

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Kansas City, Mo. — Invicta Fighting Championships today announced a new addition to its bantamweight ranks.

Undefeated fighter Pannie “Banzai” Kianzad (7-0) has joined the promotion to compete in the 135-pound division. The 23-year-old was born in Iran, but grew up in Sweden. She competed as an amateur boxer during her teenage years before switching her attention to MMA and turning pro in 2012.

Fighting out of Rumble Sports in Copenhagen, Denmark, Kianzad has already beaten the likes of Milana Dudieva and Annalisa Bucci while competing in Europe. Three of her seven career wins have come via TKO. In her most recent outing, she captured the Cage Warriors bantamweight title by defeating Eeva Siiskonen.

Look for Kianzad to make her Invicta 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).