Invicta FC is now under new ownership.
Leading women’s MMA promotion Invicta FC has new ownership and a new broadcast partner.
It was announced on Thursday that Invicta FC has been sold to Anthem Sports & Entertainment Inc, which notably owns AXS TV (formerly HDNet for old time MMA fans), Fight Network, and IMPACT Wrestling. Starting on May 21st with Invicta FC 44, events will be broadcast on AXS TV in the United States, Fight Network in Canada, and AXS TV NOW outside of North America.
“This is a huge moment for Invicta and for women in the sport,’ Invicta FC president Shannon Knapp said in a press release. “Invicta FC was founded to give female mixed martial artists a platform where they could compete and prove the doubters wrong. Now, as part of the Anthem portfolio and with shows on national television for the first time, Invicta’s platform will be bigger than ever, and more people will have the opportunity to see the world’s elite female athletes compete. With Anthem’s backing, it’s going to be easier than ever for our fans to catch all the Invicta action and for new fans to find out exactly why Invicta is one of the world’s most exciting fight promotions.”
Invicta FC previously aired on UFC Fight Pass since 2014, after initially running its first few events almost exclusively on its own live stream platforms. This change will see Invicta on cable television for the first time.
In case you’re wondering, the one-night tournament Phoenix Rising series is also part of the deal so that’s not going away.
Over the years Invicta has served as both a pipeline both for women’s fighters to go to the UFC and as a landing spot for those let go by the promotion. Angela Hill notably went to the UFC via The Ultimate Fighter, became Invicta FC champion after being cut, and is a strawweight contender in the UFC. The likes of Cris Cyborg, Megan Anderson, Irene Aldana, Alexa Grasso, and Miranda Maverick have all competed on Invicta shows before going to the UFC, and Kayla Harrison recently had a one-off appearance while PFL was on pause for 2020.
Details on Invicta FC 44 will be released in the coming weeks, but so far the only confirmation is that there will be a title fight as the headliner.