Kingdom MMA 2013 Awards: Female Fighter of the Year

Kingdom MMA Female Fighter of the Year Award 2013: Joanne Calderwood
by Ben Heather - @benheather

2013 has been the year women's MMA has joined the big leagues and is started to get the full respect it deserves, not only did the UFC finally introduce a women's division in the 135lb division but Invicta has been building on its debut year last year to have a strong 2013. You also have promotions such as Cage Warriors who have signed a host of women to its roster this year. The UFC has only recently announced that it will introduce a second women's division to its roster in 2014, this time the strawweights are coming on board and in a big way. TUF20 will be the first time where it will be a house full of women and not only that the winner of the series will be crowned the UFC's first 115lb champion.

So as part of our inaugural Kingdom MMA awards 2013 it was an easy decision to include a category for female fighter of the year.

Its been a great year for WMMA, in a year where Ronda Rousey twice defended her UFC title, Cris Cyborg became the first 145lb champion in Invicta FC and Juliana Pena became the first woman to win the title of The Ultimate Fighter its hard to pick a winner. You also have women such as Alexis Davis who has been a pro for more than 6 and a half years and has gone undefeated in 2013 having fought some of the top women in the 135lb division. Then you have some of the new fighters coming on to the scene in a big way such as Scotland's undefeated JoJo Calderwood.

We had a really hard time getting just one winner with two stand outs for the award in Alexis Davis and JoJo Calderwood, both of who went undefeated in 2013 and have beat some of the top women in their respective divisions. In the end after a group discussion we had our winner, Joanne Calderwood.

Jojo had her first professional MMA fight only last year and is now 8-0. She has had four fights in 2013 three of which were under the Invicta FC banner winning each by unanimous division. She also fought in her home town of Glasgow, Scotland fighting for Cage Warriors back in April where she won by TKO. Then possibly the biggest news for JoJo came only a couple of weeks ago when she found out her Invicta FC contract had been acquired by the UFC making her only the second Scottish fighter to be on the books with the UFC, the first was her Dinky Ninjas team mate Rob Whiteford. She also becomes the second British woman to have signed for the UFC with Rosi Sexton the first.

2013 has been a great year for JoJo but 2014 could be a year which defines her whole career. She has the opportunity to become the UK's first UFC champion and in all honesty is our best hope, with only Michael Bisping and Brad Pickett as our other real contenders.

Congratulations Jojo you have been crowned Kingdom MMA’s 2013 female fighter of the year – Jojo we salute you.

Felice Herrig Signs Multi-Fight Deal with Invicta FC

Felice Herrig Signs Multi-Fight Deal with Invicta FC

Twenty-eight year-old Strawweight (115 pounds) superstar Felice “Lil’ Bulldog” Herrig (9-4) of Crystal Lake, Ill. has signed an exclusive, multi-fight agreement with women’s world championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) promotion Invicta Fighting Championships.

Herrig, a winner of four consecutive fights and protégé of MMA star Jeff Curran, will make her Invicta FC debut later this year.

“I couldn’t be happier than I am now, after signing with Invicta FC,” said Herrig.  “I have seen them do so much for women and really give them a chance to shine.  I don’t think anyone realized how big Invicta FC would become, and I am truly proud to say I have found a home with them.

“We are excited about bringing Felice, one of the brightest, young talents in the women’s field of MMA, under the Invicta FC umbrella,” said Invicta FC President Shannon Knapp.  “Felice has overcome a lot of stiff competition, thus far, during her career, and we are looking forward to seeing her perform against some of the top women in the world who fight for Invicta FC.”

A seasoned striker who began her fight career as a kickboxer, Herrig was initially introduced to a national audience as a competitor on Fight Girls, the Oxygen network reality series that followed a group of women Muay Thai fighters vying for greatness in Thailand’s national sport.  Herrig emerged victorious over a champion in Thailand before the series concluded.

Herrig went on to become a world Muay Thai champion, winning the International Kickboxing Federation bantamweight crown on November 15, 2008 by earning a unanimous decision over Katie Meehan in Chicago.  She also enjoyed a stint fighting in Chuck Norris’ now-defunct kickboxing promotion, World Combat League.

In her last MMA fight on March 28, Herrig earned a split decision victory over Heather Clark in Tampa, Fla.

Stay tuned to Kingdom MMA for all the latest on Invicta FC and Womens MMA

Press Release: Invicta FC 6 to Broadcast Live on PPV in The US

Invicta FC 6 to Broadcast Live on PPV in The US

Two of the premier women mixed-martial-arts fighters in the world, Cris Cyborg (11-1) and Marloes Coenen (21-5), headline the July 13^th Invicta Fighting Championships 6 pay-per-view event, airing live from Ameristar Casino Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri.Brazilian KO artist Cyborg, arguably the top pound-for-pound fighters in women’s MMA, and equally dangerous Dutch submission specialist Coenen, will battle in a five, five-minute round rematch for the inaugural Invicta FC World Featherweight (145-pounds) title. “Cyborg” won their first meeting on January 30, 2010, in an action-packed fight that ended on a technical knockout (punches) in the final round. 
“We are excited about bringing the Invicta FC brand of women’s world championship Mixed Martial Arts to television for the first time with this tremendous rematch between two of the world’s top women fighters,” said Invicta FC President Shannon Knapp.  “This is yet another step forward for women’s MMA and we are extremely proud to be leading the charge.”
 
“Invicta FC 6,” presented by Invicta Fighting Championships, is being distributed in  North America by Integrated Sports Media for live viewing at 9:00 p.m. ET – 6:00 p.m. PT on both cable and satellite pay-per-view via iN Demand, DISH,  Avail-TVN in the United States, as well as Bell TV in Canada, for a suggested retail price of only $14.95.

“We’re excited to be distributing Invicta FC 6 to MMA fans in the U.S.,” Integrated Sports Media president Doug Jacobs said.  ”Women’s MMA has exploded and Invicta Fighting Championships has led the charge.  Fighting stars from all over the world are coming out July 13^th for Invicta FC 6. Cyborg is one of the most recognizable and entertaining superstars in women’s MMA.  Fans really enjoy watching her fight and she’s in tough again with another bonafide star, Coenen.  It’s our pleasure to be part of this great top-to-bottom women’s MMA show on July 13^th.”

The co-main event showcases a pair of undefeated strawweights (115 lbs.) sporting identical 9-0 professional records, Japanese invader and JEWELS champion Ayaka Hamasaki and Brazilian sensation Claudia Gadelha, in a three-by-five-minute-rounds match.

Three-time Invicta FC fight winner Sarah D’Alelio (7-3), fighting out of San Jose (CA), takes on unbeaten Texas bantamweight (135 lbs.) prospect Lauren Taylor (6-0), while California (Pleasant Hills) striker Leslie “The Peacemaker” Smith (5-3-1) shoots for her third “Fight of the Night” performance, dropping down from bantamweight to flyweight (125 lbs.)for a throw-down with another gifted Brazilian, Jennifer Maia (7-2).

Also scheduled to fight on the undercard are atomweight (105 lbs.) Jessica Penne (10-2, California) vs. Nicdali “The Queen Queen” Rivera-Calanoc (8-6, Oklahoma), strawweight (Joanne Calderwood (6-0, Scotland) vs. Sarah “White Tiger” Schneider (6-6, Missouri), featherweight Ediane “India” Gomes (10-2, Florida) vs. Julia Budd (5-2, Canada), strawweight “Rowdy” Bec Hyatt (5-2, Australia) vs. Mizuki Inaoue (5-1, Japan), bantamweight Miriam Nakamoto (2-0), California) vs. Duda “Diamond” Yankovich (1-1, Brazil), strawweight Rose Namajunas (2-0, Minnesota) vs. Tecia “The Tiny Tornado” Torres (2-0, Florida), strawweight Ashley Cummins (3-1, Missouri) vs.Emily Kagan (2-1, New Mexico), featherweight Mollie Estes (1-2, Missouri) vs. Veronica “The Heartbreaker” Rothenhausier (1-0, California), and atomweight Livia Von Plettenberg (1-1, Austria) vs. Cassie Robb (0-1, Colorado).

All fights, excluding the main event and co-main event, feature three, five-minute round fights.  All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Esparza injured, Hamasaki now fights Gadelha. Joanne Calderwood's new opponent TBC

Strawweight champ Carla Esparza out of Invicta 6

by Ben Heather @benheather

Carla Esparza the Invicta strawweight champion has had to pull out from her fight against Ayaka Hamasaki at Invicta FC 6 after suffering an apparent knee injury. That fight was for Esparza's title which obviously now will not be defended. Ayaka Hamasaki, who was due to fight Carla Esparza will now face off against Claudia Gadelha. This leaves Invicta trying to find an opponent for Joanne Calderwood who should have been fighting Gadelha before the switch.

Kingdom MMA spoke with Joanne Calderwood to find out if she was still going to be fighting on the card and if an opponent had been found yet. This was her response.

"Yea I'm still on the card, my new opponent should be announced in the next few days. I wish Carla a speedy recovery and that she's back ASAP for the queue of 115lbers that will be forming for the title"

According to Invicta president Shannon Knapp, Esparza's injury may be severe enough to promote the new fight between Gadelha and Hamasaki as an interim title fight. The original fight was slated to be the co-main event to the Cris Cyborg vs Marloes Coenen featherweight title fight which will headline Invicta 6 in July.

The new co main event will be an interesting fight as both women will go in to the fight with perfect 9-0 records. This will be Hamasaki's second fight for Invicta after submitting Lacey Shuckman via armbar at Invicta FC 2: Baszler vs. McMann. However Gadleha will make her Invicta debut against possibly her toughest opponent yet.

The fights will take place on July 13th at the Ameristar Casino in Kansas City.

Invicta FC 5 Results

Invicta 5 Results

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (April, 5, 2013) –In an unforgettable night of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) action, Michelle “The Karate Hottie” Waterson (11-3) of Albuquerque, N.M. submitted Jessica Penne (10-2) of Huntington Beach, Calif. with an armbar in the fourth round of their main event showdown to become the new Invicta Fighting Championships world atomweight (105 pounds) champion at Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City on Friday, April 5, live on InvictaFC.com.

In the co-main event of the star-studded, 13-bout women’s world championship doubleheader, Pat Miletch-protégé Barb Honchak (8-2) of Bettendorf, Iowa earned a unanimous decision over Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Vanessa Porto (15-6) of Sao Paulo, Brazil to become the first Invicta FC flyweight (125 pounds) champion in history.

In her first start since Dec. 2011, pound-for-pound sensation Cris Cyborg (11-1) of Curitiba, Brazil showed no signs of rust, pulverizing a courageous Fiona Muxlow (6-3) of Townsville, Queensland Australia in a featherweight (145 pounds) matchup.

Cyborg dropped Muxlow in the opening seconds of the contest with a right hand and smothered Muxlow, who made it to her feet but couldn’t fend off the relentless attacks of Cyborg.  A final barrage of punches prompted the referee to step in and stop the fight, giving Cyborg the TKO win in the first round and earning her a second meeting with fellow superstar Marloes Coenen, whom Cyborg stopped by way of third round (3:40) TKO (punches) on Jan. 30, 2010.

Leslie “The Peacemaker” Smith (5-3-1) of Pleasant Hill, Calif. and Sarah Kaufman (16-2) of Victoria BC, Canada engaged in an all-out slugfest for three straight rounds in a bantamweight (135 pounds) barnburner highlighted by Smith putting Kaufman on the canvas with a head kick.  Kaufman rallied in the third round with a double leg takedown and, after they stood up, a hard right hand before being declared the winner by split decision.

Jennifer Maia (7-2) of Curitiba pulled off a stunning upset, earning a unanimous decision over Zoila Frausto Gurgel (12-3) of Cincinnati, Ohio.  Maia neutralized Gurgel’s offense against the cage fence for the majority of the first two rounds and, in the third stanza, opened up with kicks and punches before the bout came to a close.

In the opening main card bout of the night, “Rowdy” Bec Hyatt (5-2) of Brisbane, Australia took the fight to previously undefeated Jasminka Cive (5-1) of Graz, Austria from the outset of their strawweight (115 pounds) matchup, mounting Cive and unloading a storm of punches to the head.  From mount, Hyatt secured Cive’s arm and transitioned to armbar, forcing Cive to tap from the hold.

Complete Invicta FC 5 Results:

Main Card:
Bec Hyatt def. Jasminka Cive via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 3:30
Julia Budd def. Mollie Estes via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 3, 1:04
Lauren Taylor def. Kaitlin Young via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Jennifer Maia def. Zoila Frausto Gurgel via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Sarah Kaufman def. Leslie Smith via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Cris Cyborg def. Fiona Muxlow via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 3:46
Barb Honchak def. Vanessa Porto via unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 48-47)
Michelle Waterson def. Jessica Penne via submission (armbar) – Round 4, 2:31

Preliminary Card:
Alex Chambers def. Jodie Esquibel via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 1:35
Rose Namajunas def. Kathina Catron via submission (flying armbar) –  Round 1, :12
Katja Kankaanpaa def. Juliana Carnerio Lima via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Miriam Nakamoto def. Jessamyn Duke via KO (knee) – Round 1, 2:20
Simona Soukupova def. Cassie Rodish via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 2, 3:20

Invicta FC 5: Penne vs Watson (Fight Card)

Invicta FC 5: Penne vs Watson
Date: April 5th, 22:00 GMT 
Ameristar Casino Hotel, Kansas City, Missouri, USA

Fight Card
Jessica Penne vs Michelle Waterson
Vanessa Porto vs Barb Honchak
Fiona Muxlow vs Cris Cyborg
Sarah Kaufman vs Leslie Smith
Zoila Frausto Gurgel vs  Jennifer Maia
Kaltlin Young vs Lauren Taylor
Julia Budd vs TBA
Bec Hyatt vs Jasminka Cive
Simona Soukupova vs Cassie Rodish
Jessamyn Duke vs Miriam Nakamoto
Katja Kankaanpaa vs Juliana Carneiro Lima 
Veronica Rothenhausier vs Mollie Estes
Alex Chambers vs Jodie Esquibel
Rose Namajunas vs Kathina Catron