Fighter vs Writer - UFC Fight Night London: Calderwood vs Heard - THE REMATCH

Fighter vs Writer: JoJo Calderwood - UFC Fight Night London
by Ben Heather @benheather

Welcome to another Kingdom MMA fighter vs writer challenge.

For this feature we challenge some of the biggest names from the world of MMA to give us their picks and fight outcomes for specific MMA events. Then they will be challenged by one of our writers, who will make their own predictions. Previously we have challenged the likes of Dustin Poirier, Luke Barnatt, Jim Alers, Mike Wilkinson, Phil Harris, Cathal Pendred and Michael Wootten.

This weeks opponent comes in to the battle having already defeated our writer Sam Heard and will be looking to prove once again she is as good at her predictions as she is in the cage. At 8-0 she is one of the favourites to win the soon to be recorded UFC The Ultimate Fighter 20, the first season to be full of women and all of them will fight for the inaugeral UFC 115lb womens belt. She is of course Jojo Calderwood and this weekend our writer Sam Heard will be looking for revenge.

The Scoring
If you predict the correct winner of the fight you will get one point and if you predict the correct method of victory you will get an extra point. However, if the fight ends in a stoppage and you predict the round as well the method you could earn a third bonus point. If the fight goes the distance you can only earn a maximum of two points.

The Predictions

Alexander Gustafsson vs Jimi Manuwa

Calderwood: Man it gets tougher and I hate picking against some awesome fighters.

I said at last night q&a gustafsson will win in the third so I better stick to my guns.

Prediction:  Alexander Gustafsson - Submission Round 3

Heard: As a Croydon native it pains me to pick against one of my own but I think Gustafsson brings too much to the table for Jimi. Though the unbeaten prospect has seen off all his opponents in highly convincing fashion, Manuwa has never fought anyone close to the Swede’s calibre and I believe this step-up in competition will prove too great. It’s important to note also that though Manuwa is billed as the prospect, the 34-year old is getting on in MMA terms and is 7-years the senior of Alexander.

I personally would’ve preferred to see Jimi fight a fringe top-10 Light Heavyweight next rather than the guy who arguably beat Jon Jones in his last Octagon outing. The man who has never been past the second round will more than likely find himself in very deep water in a five-rounder against the aspiring 205-lbs champ.

Prediction: Alexander Gustafsson - TKO (punches) Round 4

Melvin Guillard vs Michael Johnson

Calderwood: Melvin by second round knockout, just on his explosiveness and experience.

Prediction: Melvin Guillard - KO Round 2

Heard: Though it was disappointing news to hear of Ross Pearson’s injury, I’m probably more excited to see this fight between two excellent 155-lbs strikers as I feel like we already knew Guillard had Pearson’s number.

Johnson’s so-so record has stopped me picking him in the past but after his last two performances against  top-notch opponents it’s a tall order to not hop on the Johnson hype train. I expect the huge improvements he’s made since training with the Blackzilians to come into play here, allowing him to most likely counter punch his way to victory against the explosively powerful yet inconsistent Guillard. Both men have reasonably solid chins so I expect Johnson to pick up a close, highly compelling decision.

Prediction: Michael Johnson - Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Brad Pickett vs Neil Seery

Calderwood: I'm hoping for an upset as I've been around Neil and his camp, tough tough debut though and it would be a Rocky story if he pulls it off.

Prediction: Neil Seery - TKO Round 2

Heard: While I can’t really be disappointed about the replacement Co-Main event I am certainly a bit upset with this one.

Once one of the most highly anticipated fights on the card featuring a floundering Ian McCall looking to rebound against Brad Pickett, we now see a mismatch with Brad making his Flyweight debut against a UFC debutant. I don’t expect this one to be very competitive at all. For me, it’s just a question of whether Pickett outright KOs him or rocks him on the feet before sinking in a choke.

Prediction: Brad Pickett - TKO (punches) Round 2

Gunnar Nelson vs Omari Akhmedov

Calderwood: Probably the one I'm most looking forward to, Nelson has great movement and I think the ground work in this fight will be a great watch for the fans.

Prediction: Gunnar Nelson - Submission Round 2

Heard: Another close matchup which could feasibly go either way. Nelson will likely try to get the fight to the floor where he will be able to work his terrific ground game but I feel like he might have a difficult time doing so against Akmedov’s sambo experience.

The Russian’s have been causing waves in the UFC and I think if he can keep it standing Akhmedov’s heavy hands will allow him to continue this Russian domination.

Prediction: Omari Akhmedov - KO (punch) Round 3

Cyrille Diabate vs Ilir Latifi

Calderwood: I think Latifi will wrestle his way to a decision here.

Prediction: Ilir Latifi - Decision

Heard: In this intriguing clash of a tall, rangy Light Heavyweight against a short, compact one, I expect Ilir Latifi to get the win. Though the bookies have the two at near level odds, I believe the Swede has some key advantages in this matchup. Diabate has easily fought the tougher competition but he has been around the block a bit, nearing his 41st birthday. Latifi is a decade younger and I believe his power will allow him to grind out a decision.

Prediction: Ilir Latifi - Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Luke Barnatt vs Mats Nilsson

Calderwood: I think Luke will use his reach and strike to victory, potentially even the KO of the night.

Prediction: Luke Barnatt - KO Round 2

Heard: The card’s other clash of a Brit and a Swede and this time I can say that I comfortably expect the Englishman to be victorious. Though Nilsson has shown himself to be a force to be reckoned with at Cage Warriors, it’s very hard to pick against Luke after that amazing UFC fight in Manchester.

Prediction: Luke Barnatt - TKO (punches) Round 2

Brad Scott vs Claudio Henrique da Silva

Calderwood: Brad will be better than Claudio in all areas in this fight.

Prediction: Brad Scott - Decision

Heard: I believe Brad is a criminally underrated fighter and his experience against superior opponents and the fact that this is now his third UFC fight will get him the win over the London-based Brazilian. Silva hasn’t been finished before however and his only loss came by DQ so it should be a competitive decision victory for Brad.

Prediction: Brad Scott by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Davey Grant vs Roland Delorme

Calderwood: I really like watching Davey Grant on TUF and he will win this fight.

Prediction: Davey Grant - TKO Round 3

Heard: I expect this one to be a Fight of the Night candidate. Both guys keep up a high tempo and mix it up well. However, once again I’m going to have to follow my mind instead of my heart to ensure I beat JoJo this time around and say that Delorme wins a thrilling decision.

In his last fight he lost a very debatable split decision to Alex Caceres who has since looked like a world beater in the Bantamweight division. I believe Davey Grant is undeniably UFC calibre but Roland Delorme is a stud.

Prediction: Roland Delorme - Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Igor Araujo vs Danny Mitchell

Calderwood: I see Danny Mitchell pulling off a reversed flying 360 triangle or something crazy.

Prediction: Danny Mitchell - Submission Round 2

Heard: Another clash of grapplers and another difficult pick. I’m going to pick on the side of caution and say that the more experienced Brazilian who has already picked up his first win in the Octagon will continue his run and add a brace of UFC wins to his record.

Prediction: Igor Araujo - Submission Round 3

Phil Harris vs Louis Gaudinot

Calderwood: This will be a competitive fight, but I think Phil will edge it.

Prediction: Harris - Decision

Heard: This one is a tough one to call as both flyweights favour their submission games rather than trading strikes so the question is really who is the more competent grappler (and unfortunately also who has a style which will appeal to the fickle judges more).

This could well be because Phil Harris is such a credit to the world of MMA, but I believe he’s going to land some big Judo throws which will send everyone in the crowd wild and get some vital top position to win a close decision.

Prediction: Phil Harris - Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

So that's our predictions for the fights, we will be live tweeting on Saturday night as always and we will keep you all informed as to how the challenge is going with latest scores throughout the main card.

Thanks again to JoJo for providing us with her picks for this weekends fights and it just leaves me to say.... May the best man or woman win!!

Laura Howarth out wrestles Amanda Kelly at Cage Warriors 64

Laura Howarth vs Amanda Kelly: Cage Warriors 64 Fight Review

by Ben Heather @benheather

Photo: Dolly Clew | Cage Warriors

Laura Howarth, who you may have seen try to get in to the TUF 18 house came in to this fight with one mission, to get the fight on the mat and work the fight where she believed she had the advantage where as Amanda Kelly wanted this fight to stay on the feet where she showcased her brutal attacks in her debut fight. Both women came in to the fight unbeaten at 1-0.

As soon as the fight started it was Howarth who was looking to implement her game plan and it wasn't long before Amanda Kelly was on her back, on the mat. Howarth spent most of the first round in the full guard of Kelly but doing enough to keep the fight on the floor. Kelly was always looking to land with strikes from the bottom mixing up punches to the body with some elbows when she saw an opportunity.

In the second round it took Howarth a lot longer to get Kelly down, before this happened Kelly was using her strikes well to prevent Howarth taking her down after she did it with ease in the first round. However, about 3 minutes in to the round Howarth finally got the takedown she had craved and passed in to half guard. It looked like she was trying to work another pass in to either side control or full mount but stayed active from the top again doing enough to end the round on top.

As the third round started Kelly knew she was behind on the scorecards and couldn't get taken down again. She came out more aggressive, keeping the fight standing and was getting the better of the exchanges bloodying up Howarth in the process. Kelly certainly looks the stronger of the two on the feet and lands some good kicks and knees to the head of Howarth but she couldn't find the finish she needed so the fight went to the judges scorecards. As expected all three judges agreed and scored the fight 29-28.

Howarth did a really good job preventing the explosive Kelly from finding her distance and keeping her down. The win improves Howarth's record and she remains unbeaten at 2-0. Amanda Kelly looked a very good fighter while the fight was standing and with some improvements to her takedown defence will be a real force in the future. I look forward to watching both women again in the near future.

Cris Cyborg Meets Jorina Baars for Lion Fight Welterweight Title March 28

Cris Cyborg Meets Jorina Baars for Lion Fight Welterweight Title March 28

Lion Fight will make an immediate return to action at The Joint inside Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas Friday, March 28 and as CEO Scott Kent announced tonight on AXS TV’s Inside MMA, he has already signed the best pound-for-pound female fighter in the world, Cyborg for a women’s welterweight championship fight on the card.

Kent stated to Inside MMA that LION FIGHT 14’s main event will be a fight between WBC Muay Thai Champion Gregory Choplin and European Champion Marco Pique in the main event, and that on tap for the co-main event is the first-ever women’s welterweight title fight between Cyborg and Hollander Jorina Baars, who holds rank as a European Muay Thai Champion.

LION FIGHT 14 will be broadcast live on AXS TV in The UFC starting at 10 p.m. ET (7:00 p.m. PT) with play-by-play and commentary by Pat Miletich and “The Voice” Michael Schiavello. This will be the seventh LION FIGHT event on AXS TV, who renewed their broadcast licensing deal with the Muay Thai promotion earlier this year.

“We are excited to have ‘Cyborg’ back with us March 28 for LION FIGHT 14 in Las Vegas,” said Kent. “In her last fight, Cyborg absolutely dominated French Muay Thai Champion Jennifer Colomb, leaving no question that she is a legitimate two-sport athlete who can win impressively in both MMA and Muay Thai. She also showed she is an aggressive fighter who has the power and pace to finish fights. I think she won over a lot of new fight fans in our ring, and they can’t wait to see her in action again.”

“I am excited to be fighting for LION FIGHT again, and I am grateful for the chance to fight for the belt,” said Cyborg. “I had a great experience last time I fought for Scott Kent and I promise to bring it to my opponent again this time. Jorina Baars has a lot of experience but I am training very hard for the win and another knockout. I promise the fans this will be another exciting fight!”

“I’ve heard and seen a lot of good things about Cris Cyborg,” said Baars. “I’m very happy to be offered the opportunity to fight her with Lion Fight. I only know one way to fight and that’s to win.”

LION FIGHT 14 also features the return of Thai fighting legend Malaipet who will be facing American Shane Oblonsky. More bouts for LION FIGHT 14 will be announced soon.
- See more at: http://www.lionfight.com/news/2014/02/cris-cyborg-signs-with-lion-fight-set-to-fight-for-first-womens-welterweight-title-at-lion-fight-14/#sthash.74aNb4Xp.dpuf

SANDEE to Launch Joanne Calderwood “Badmofo” Signature Series

SANDEE to Launch Joanne Calderwood “Badmofo” Signature Series

Team SANDEE Fighter Joanne “JoJo” Calderwood is to get her own range of SANDEE gloves and Shingaurds we can exclusively reveal today.

The new signature range exclusive to www.sandeeboxing.com will be named “Badmofo” after the name she goes by on Twitter.

The new design will be done in conjunction with Joanne and will reflect her Scottish roots combined with the premium quality expected from SANDEE in Thailand.

Here are some more details of the new BadMofo range

*         SANDEE JoJo Calderwood “Badmofo” Range Launching in May 2014

*         Signature design of Professional Training Gloves + Muay Thai Shin Guards

*         Colours – White / Scotland Blue / Black

*         To be Available in 10/12/14/16oz  in Velcro Boxing Gloves, M/L in Shinguards

*         Handcrafted in Thailand exclusively by SANDEE

In reference to Joanne’s Scottish heritage, the “Badmofo” logo will be in classic Celtic Script Font

Inside the Cage or Muay Thai Ring,  JoJo certainly lives up to her BadMofo name as one of the sports most vicious strikers, and has now notched up 8 straight wins in MMA and will later take part in the The Ultimate Fighter Season 20, which for the first time feature and all female contest.

The winner of TUF20 will be crowned the first straw weight female UFC champion and hopefully that will be Team SANDEE’s BadMofo JoJo, who would become the first British UFC Champion in the history of the sport.

Outside of the cage however she couldn’t be nicer (we think anyway) but we wouldn’t like to be on the receiving end of one of her trademark elbows.

Source: sandeeboxing.com

30 Bold Predictions for 2014

30 Bold Predictions for 2014
by Chris Houten @mrhouts

What we know so far about MMA in 2014: The UFC will stage the most shows they have ever in a calendar year, some notable UFC champions will be out injured in 2014, and Cage Warriors will continue their global expansion.... and thats about it.

We are in for a rough and ready ride in 2014, with some twist and turns along they way. Call them brave, call them bold, or call them just plain stupid, but here is my bold predictions for 2014 in no particular order.

1. The UFC will finally sign Mamed Kalidov in 2014, he will likely headline the promotions visit to Poland 
2. 2 UFC champions will lose their belts in 2014 - Chris Weidman and Anthony Pettis 
3. Nick Diaz will return to MMA in 2014
4. One of the Diaz brothers will fight for a UFC title in 2014 
5. Conor McGregor remains undefeated in the UFC in 2014, books a number 1 contender fight before the end of the year 
6. Mark Hunt and Roy Nelson fight each other putting on a fight of the year candidate 
7. At least 3 of the current Cage Warriors champions fight in the UFC in 2014 
8. Cathal Pendred wins TUF 19 
9. Rosi Sexton will sign with Invicta
10. Brad Pickett fights for the flyweight title in 2014 
11. Joanne Calderwood will KO ever opponent she faces in the TUF 20 house until she face Carla Esparza who out wrestlers her on route to winning the strawweight title 
12. Cain Velasquez doesn't fight in 2014 due to injury 
13. Paul Daley signs for Glory World Series before the end if the year taking a hiatus from MMA 
14. Chael Sonnen retires 
15. As do Dan Henderson and Frank Mir who both lose their next fights 
16. Holly Holm signs for the UFC; loses number 1 contender bout to Alexis Davis by submission 
17. Arnold Allen wins The CW featherweight title vacated by Jim Alers who joins the UFC 
18. Jose Aldo moves to lightweight before the year is out 
19. Jim Wallhead wins the Bamma Welterweight title 
20. Pat Barry returns to kickboxing after dropping to Light-heavyweight; Pat is knocked out in the first round of his 205 debut 
21. A minimum of 5 British fighters will be cut for the UFC in 2014 
22. James Brum will sign for the UFC in 2014 
23. The UFCs planned trip to Istanbul will not take place
24. Nick Newell wins the WSOF lightweight title in 2014
25. Norman Parke remains undefeated in the UFC in 2014, moves into the Top 10 in the Lightweight rankings
26. Johny Hendrick with beat Robbie Lawler to become the UFCs new Welterweight champion; he loses the title to Carlos Condit before the end of the year
27. Rampage Jackson will fight for the Bellator Light-Heavyweight title in 2014
28. Michael Bisping finally gets a shot the Middleweight title
29. Invicta gets TV deal in 2014
30. Lyoto Machida becomes only the 3rd man to become a 2 weight champion in the UFC

Agree? Let me know in the comments section below what you like, don't like, or what you think is just plain crazy!

TUF 20 Preview: Sam Heard Previews The UFCs New Strawweight Division

TUF 20 Preview: Sam Heard Previews The UFCs New Strawweight Division
by Sam Heard - @SamHeard_

It has been a week since the UFC’s hugely discussed announcement that they would be introducing a Woman’s Strawweight division (106-155lbs), making it the tenth weight division to be featured on MMA’s premier promotion. To compete in this division, the UFC has signed 11 of Invicta’s most exciting Strawweight fighters. Equally exciting as this initial announcement was the development that these 11 fighters would be supplemented with a further 5 signings and would compete in the first ever all-women’s Ultimate Fighter. The winner of the show will become the inaugural UFC Strawweight champion. The stakes in a TUF show have never been higher; even in what I believe to be the most exciting entry into the series – ‘TUF 4: The Comeback’ – the prize was a title shot rather than the belt itself. To fight fans less familiar with Invicta, some of these new signings will be unfamiliar – rest assured they are certainly top-tier. Here is Kingdom MMA’s summary of the 11 new fighters and who to look out for when they compete on The Ultimate Fighter’s 20th instalment:

Carla “Cookie Monster” Esparza (9-2)
Invicta’s reigning Strawweight champion must surely be one of the favourites to exchange her Invicta belt for UFC gold. Her strong collegiate-level wrestling base has been supplemented by improved striking and BJJ skills. Her only losses earlier in her career came via contentious Split-Decision and an unlucky Armbar submission.

Claudia “Claudinha” Gadelha (11-0)
Gadelha was supposed to challenge Esparza for her title only 10 days ago on the Invicta FC 7 card but was prevented by illness. Her flawless record alone is indicative of her prowess in the cage.  Gadelha may be seen as the Ronda Rousey of the Strawweight division, picking up 5 of her 11 wins by first round Armbar.

Joanne “JoJo” Calderwood (8-0)
Scotland’s own Joanne Calderwood has established a reputation as one of the most feared fighters in the Strawweight division. As is often the case with fighters hailing from the United Kingdom, JoJo is an explosive striker who turned to MMA after being a high level Kickboxing competitor. Though her last win at the aforementioned Invicta 7 event came via decision, 4 of her 8 wins have come via nasty KOs, certainly making her one to watch in the upcoming TUF competition.

Felice “Lil Bulldog” Herrig (9-5)
A popular character in the Invicta promotion thanks to her effervescent personality and entertaining promotion of fights, Lil Bulldog has bite behind her bark thanks to her background in high level Muay Thai. Sure to create some very juicy television when she goes into the TUF household.

Tecia “Tiny Tornado” Torres (4-0)
Though she has yet to achieve a stoppage in her 4 fight career, Torres’ training with American Top Team shows us how serious she takes her fight career. Known for possessing a very well rounded skillset, supplemented by her great natural athleticism. She achieved a Unanimous Decision victory over Felice Herrig on the Invicta 7 card – don’t be surprised if there’s still bad blood that’ll resurface in the house.

Juliana “Ju Thai” Lima (6-1)
Brazil’s Ju Thai has lived up to her nickname as a skilled Muay Thai specialist, with an all-round MMA game which has developed greatly in her last few ventures into the cage. Training under world renowned Vinicius Draculino has no doubt improved her skills exponentially.

Alex “Astro Girl” Chambers (4-1)
Formerly a fringe title contender in Invicta’s Atomweight division, Australia’s Chambers has agreed to move up to Strawweight to get a chance at competing in the UFC. With two first round KOs documenting her powerful striking, she is by no means a one-trick-pony as she has also shown to have some slick submissions.

Bec “Rowdy One” Hyatt (5-3)
The second Australian to have been added to the UFC’s Strawweight division, Hyatt has garnered a great deal of renown due to her love-her-or-hate-her ‘Mike Bisping-style’ effect on fans. With three of her five wins coming via submission, the Rowdy One has shown a great deal of skill on the matt despite Kickboxing having been her entry point into MMA.

Emily Kagan (3-1)
Training out of New Mexico with Greg Jackson, Kagan implements the smart fight IQ always associated with Jackson’s fighters. Though she is the most senior of the UFC’s Strawweight signings at 32, her professional MMA record is fairly thin. Don’t be fooled by this though as she has trained BJJ since the age of 18.

Rose “Thug Rose” Namajunas (2-1)
Thug Rose became the focus of the wider MMA world earlier this year with her amazing victory over Kathina Catron via Flying Armbar after just 12 seconds. I look forward to see what Namajunas will try to top that with, though at only 21 she has plenty of time to try. Attempting a demanding technique like that in her second professional fight demonstrates how comfortable she is in the cage.

Paige “12 Gauge” VanZant (3-1)
Aged only 19, VanZant has already got 4 fights under her belt and has bucket loads of potential. She’s recently joined Team Alpha Male’s new female contingent so expect to see her skills improve vastly while training alongside killers like Urijah Faber and Chad Mendes. Expect the 12 Gauge to be upgraded with explosive rounds and laser sight.

It’s safe to say that the twentieth series of The Ultimate Fighter will be one to look forward to. Not only is there that all-important UFC Championship at stake but it seems that the Strawweights who the UFC have signed are of a very high level – based on their records (which as we known isn’t the only indicator) they are superior fighters to the Female Bantamweights who have just competed on TUF 18, many of whom had far lesser MMA records. From an entertainment standpoint, the fighters will already know one another so when placed in the TUF house it’s safe to assume that pre-existing tensions will quickly rise to the surface. In a year which has seen gigantic steps forward in the world of Women’s MMA this development can be seen as the very ripe cherry on top.

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

Video: CFA 11 - Fallon Fox vs Allanna Jones (Full Fight)

Video: CFA 11 - Fallon Fox vs Allanna Jones (Full Fight)

Female fighter Fallon Fox has garnered a lot of press over the last few months, and not down to her fighting style but due to being the first transgender fighter .

On May 24th Fox took on Jones in the co-main event at CFA 11 from BankUnited Center in Corral Gables, Florida.

AXS TV in the US provided a live broadcast of the event and now has released the full video of the fight below.

The winner of bout moves on to the final of CFA's 145-pound women's tournament, and features some rather controversial moments.

Leslie Smith Drops to 125, Meets Jennifer Maia in Invicta FC 6 Title Eliminator

 Leslie Smith vs Jennifer Maia Set for Invicta FC6 Title Eliminator

On the heels of her second-career Invicta Fighting Championships “Fight of the Night” performance, crowd-pleasing, prolific striker Leslie “The Peacemaker” Smith (5-3-1) of Pleasanton, Calif. has signed a new, multi-fight agreement with the women’s world championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) promotion and will drop from bantamweight (135 pounds) to flyweight (125 pounds) and challenge Jennifer Maia (7-2) of Curitiba, Brazil. at Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City on Saturday, July 13.

The winner of the Invicta FC 6 matchup between Smith and Maia will be awarded a title shot against newly crowned Invicta FC World Flyweight Champion Barb Honchak (8-2) of Bettendorf, Iowa.

“We are excited to bring Leslie under the Invicta Fighting Championships umbrella for the long-term and to watch her compete in a new weight class that is becoming super competitive in our promotion,” said Invicta FC President Shannon Knapp.  “Since we launched our live event series last year, Leslie has demonstrated incredible tenacity and athleticism by putting on some of the most memorable fights in our cage.  She is a true warrior as is her opponent Jennifer Maia, so we are looking forward to an explosive matchup between two of the sport’s stars on what will be Invicta FC’s biggest fight card to date.”

The 30-year-old Smith engaged in an all-out war with former Strikeforce champion Sarah Kaufman at Invicta FC 5 at Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City on April 5.  Following the conclusion of the three-round contest that many believe Smith won, however, Kaufman was awarded a controversial, split decision, prompting widespread boos from the displeased, capacity crowd.

Smith also won “Fight of the Night” honors at the inaugural Invicta FC event on April 28, 2012, after slugging it out relentlessly with fellow striker Kaitlin Young for the duration of their three-round bantamweight bout.  The fight was declared a majority draw, setting up a much-anticipated rematch at Invicta FC 3 on Oct. 6 that saw Smith take charge and finish Young with an onslaught of punches from mount position in the second round (2:19) of the matchup.

Maia, a 24-year-old submission specialist, notched her first victory in the Invicta FC cage with a stunning upset, unanimous decision win over superstar Zoila Frausto Gurgel on April 5.  Recognized as one of Brazil’s quickest rising stars, Maia made quick work of each of her first four professional career opponents, scoring a first round TKO (punches) in her pro debut on Suelen Pinheiro Ribeiro in 2009, and submitting each of her next three opponents inside the first round.

Video: Joanne Calderwood 'You Don’t Have To Be Loud To Be Heard’ Documentary

'You Don’t Have To Be Loud To Be Heard’

Ahead of her Cage Warriors debut in her home country, Scotland on Saturday April 14th, Joanne Calderwood (5-0) sat down with Cage Warriors to produce an insightful documentary looking at the 26-year-old strawweight’s preparations at the Griphouse gym in Glasgow for her upcoming bout against Sally Krumdiack.

Currently ranked 8th in the world at Stawweight, Calderwood features in the co-main event at Cage Warriors 53 at Kelvin Hall, Glasgow. 

'You don't have to be loud to be heard' is produced by Tommy Lakes, and is a must watch for all Cage Warrior, UK MMA, and Womens MMA fans alike.
 
Joanne Calderwood: 'You Don’t Have To Be Loud To Be Heard’

More more on Cage Warriors 53, stay tuned to the Calendar section on our site.

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