Must-See Video: ‘Road to Coenen vs. Cyborg’ Traces the History, Rivalry of Two WMMA Legends

(Props: YouTube.com/InvictaFC)

Rose Namajunas isn’t the only reason to stay home and watch Invicta FC 6 on Saturday night. The 13-fight card features a generous lineup of entertaining scrappers, and will be headlined by the biggest women’s MMA matchup you’ll find outside of the UFC — Cris Cyborg vs. Marloes Coenen, throwing down for Invicta’s inaugural featherweight title.

The ladies have some history, to put it mildly. In January 2010, Cyborg and Coenen faced off for the Strikeforce women’s featherweight title, with Cyborg winning by third-round TKO. Despite getting bombed out for the majority of the fight, Coenen maintains that the match was stopped early; Cyborg credits the Dutchwoman’s “balls” for wanting a rematch, considering all the abuse she took. And of course, both fighters carry the weight of their pasts into the cage, from Coenen’s status as a living legend, to Cyborg’s rise (and temporary fall) as one of the best-known stars in WMMA.

If you need further convincing that this match is worth your time, check out this new “Road to Coenen vs. Cyborg” preview video from Invicta FC, directed and edited by E. Casey Leydon — who you may know as the genius auteur behind that War MMA behind-the-scenes video — and co-produced by AllElbows*, which manages to cram all these themes (along with some very badass training footage) into a highly watchable 13 minutes. Special appearance by Ben Fowlkes!

* AE photographer Esther Lin also gets a music credit at the end. Goodness, this lady can do it all.


(Props: YouTube.com/InvictaFC)

Rose Namajunas isn’t the only reason to stay home and watch Invicta FC 6 on Saturday night. The 13-fight card features a generous lineup of entertaining scrappers, and will be headlined by the biggest women’s MMA matchup you’ll find outside of the UFC — Cris Cyborg vs. Marloes Coenen, throwing down for Invicta’s inaugural featherweight title.

The ladies have some history, to put it mildly. In January 2010, Cyborg and Coenen faced off for the Strikeforce women’s featherweight title, with Cyborg winning by third-round TKO. Despite getting bombed out for the majority of the fight, Coenen maintains that the match was stopped early; Cyborg credits the Dutchwoman’s “balls” for wanting a rematch, considering all the abuse she took. And of course, both fighters carry the weight of their pasts into the cage, from Coenen’s status as a living legend, to Cyborg’s rise (and temporary fall) as one of the best-known stars in WMMA.

If you need further convincing that this match is worth your time, check out this new “Road to Coenen vs. Cyborg” preview video from Invicta FC, directed and edited by E. Casey Leydon — who you may know as the genius auteur behind that War MMA behind-the-scenes video — and co-produced by AllElbows*, which manages to cram all these themes (along with some very badass training footage) into a highly watchable 13 minutes. Special appearance by Ben Fowlkes!

* AE photographer Esther Lin also gets a music credit at the end. Goodness, this lady can do it all.