“It’s like they sized it just for me!” PicProps: Ester Lin / InvictFC
Cris Cyborg reclaimed her place on the throne as #1 Woman in the World You Definitely Do Not Want to Fuck With (plus Invicta’s featherweight championship or whatever) with a methodical four-round thrashing of Forever #2 Marloes Coenen. Coenen was seen as the most legitimate challenger for Cyborg at 145 (in fairness, 145 is a division that could charitably be compared to a blasted desert), and Cyborg goes and does this shit:
Jesus Christ man, Cyborg is throwing Coenen around like she’s Lexington Steele FFS.
“It’s like they sized it just for me!” PicProps: Ester Lin / InvictFC
Cris Cyborg reclaimed her place on the throne as #1 Woman in the World You Definitely Do Not Want to Fuck With (plus Invicta’s featherweight championship or whatever) with a methodical four-round thrashing of Forever #2 Marloes Coenen. Coenen was seen as the most legitimate challenger for Cyborg at 145 (in fairness, 145 is a division that could charitably be compared to a blasted desert), and Cyborg goes and does this shit:
Jesus Christ man, Cyborg is throwing Coenen around like she’s Lexington Steele FFS. Coenen is stunned and barely gets her defense up after that slam, and it wasn’t the only ride Cyborg took her on, either. And that’s not another hack attempt at a sexual joke! I mean literally: Cyborg turned simple takedowns into explosive interpretive dances of Anger, Social Anxiety, and Bitch I Will Cut You, pressing a full option of punches, knees, elbows, and throws, and it’s fucking terrifying. She’s like the real-world women’s equivalent of Tong Po.
Coenen appeared to be going into the fight with Gameplan #39 (The Bob Sapp Trapp) in play: avoid an early bull-rush, weather the sloppy offense, and wait for the brute to tire out. Finish with ankle lock, season to taste.
But Cyborg never bull rushed. Cyborg was patient: she waited for openings and picked her shots, using her energy wisely. This is a noticeable improvement over previous fights, when Cyborg was prone to berserker rages that ate into her cardio reserves. She would still rip off a violent series of hooks, just not twelve of them.
More ominously, Cyborg looked to be refocused on cardio, probably a result of her work with Tito Ortiz. With her new found efficiency of movement, she seemed capable of sustaining her new pace for five rounds, or more if she needed.
She needed not. Her offense ramped up as the match went on, as Coenen’s ability to absorb Cyborg’s onslaught declined. By the fourth round, Coenen had taken enough punishment for Matt freakin Lindland to want to call it. Big John called it. Cyborg was a verr heppy for her chance for to be a women’s champion again, and thanks verr much for to God and Invicta. Meanwhile, Coenen looked dazed, with a faraway gaze into the distance, perhaps contemplating her next move, or perhaps merely still struggling to wrap her head around what she had gotten herself into.
Or I guess that glassy-eyed look could have been all the blunt force trauma. Hard to tell sometimes.
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.
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.
“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 and Bell TV in Canada, for a suggested retail price of only $14.95.
The price is slightly higher than Invicta’s iPPV offerings in the past, but at least you’ll actually be able to see the fights this time. Check out the full Invicta FC 6 lineup after the jump, and let us know…would you pay for it?
(Related video: “ThugRose training for INVICTA FC 6,” via hypeordie)
“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 and Bell TV in Canada, for a suggested retail price of only $14.95.
The price is slightly higher than Invicta’s iPPV offerings in the past, but at least you’ll actually be able to see the fights this time. Check out the full Invicta FC 6 lineup after the jump, and let us know…would you pay for it?
MAIN CARD — Pay-per-view, 9 p.m. ET Marloes Coenen vs. Cristiane Santos – for inaugural featherweight title
Ayaka Hamasaki vs. Claudia Gadelha (strawweight title eliminator)
Sarah D’Alelio vs. Lauren Taylor (bantamweight)
Leslie Smith vs. Jennifer Maia (flyweight title eliminator)
Jessica Penne vs. Nicdali Rivera-Calanoc (atomweight)
Joanne Calderwood vs. Sarah Schneider (strawweight)
Ediane Gomes vs. Julia Budd (featherweight title eliminator)
Bec Hyatt vs. Mizuki Inoue (strawweight)
PRELIMINARY CARD — Ustream, 7 p.m. ET
Miriam Nakamoto vs. Duda Yankovich (bantamweight) Rose Namajunas vs. Tecia Torres (strawweight)
Ashley Cummins vs. Emily Kagan (strawweight)
Mollie Estes vs. Veronica Rothenhausler (featherweight)
Cassie Robb vs. Livia Von Plettenberg (atomweight)
CagePotato.com reporter Brian J. D’Souza caught up to Cyborg at The Gym @ 99 Sudbury in Toronto, where they discussed her journey from handball player to dominant mixed martial artist, the contract terms that kept her from signing with the UFC, and her upcoming rematch with Coenen. Plus, Cyborg spoke out about her current relationships with her manager Tito Ortiz and her ex-husband Evangelista Santos, and the differences between sparring with men and women.
CagePotato.com reporter Brian J. D’Souza caught up to Cyborg at The Gym @ 99 Sudbury in Toronto, where they discussed her journey from handball player to dominant mixed martial artist, the contract terms that kept her from signing with the UFC, and her upcoming rematch with Coenen. Plus, Cyborg spoke out about her current relationships with her manager Tito Ortiz and her ex-husband Evangelista Santos, and the differences between sparring with men and women.
(Cyborg/Coenen 1 semi-highlights courtesy of magnaflowtv.)
Fresh off her first fight in nearly two years — a first round obliteration of Fiona Muxlow at Invicta FC 5 that absolutely none of us saw coming — it has recently been announced that former Strikeforce featherweight champion Cris “Cyborg” Justino will now rematch fellow Strikeforce vet Marloes Coenen for Invicta’s inaugural featherweight title. Barring any last minute “injuries,” the fight will headline Invicta FC 6 this summer, although a date and location for the event have yet to be determined.
Coenen and Cyborg first met in January of 2010 at Strikeforce: Miami. In a typical Cyborg performance, the Brazilian dominated Coenen on the feet and on the mat en route to a third round TKO stoppage. In the time since, Coenen has won, then lost the Strikeforce bantamweight title, been released from Zuffa for her association with Golden Glory, cast in a Dutch version of Survivor, and scored a pair of wins over Romy Ryussen and, you guessed it, Fiona Muxlow.
(Cyborg/Coenen 1 semi-highlights courtesy of magnaflowtv.)
Fresh off her first fight in nearly two years — a first round obliteration of Fiona Muxlow at Invicta FC 5 that absolutely none of us saw coming – it has recently been announced that former Strikeforce featherweight champion Cris “Cyborg” Justino will now rematch fellow Strikeforce vet Marloes Coenen for Invicta’s inaugural featherweight title. Barring any last minute “injuries,” the fight will headline Invicta FC 6 this summer, although a date and location for the event have yet to be determined.
Coenen and Cyborg first met in January of 2010 at Strikeforce: Miami. In a typical Cyborg performance, the Brazilian dominated Coenen on the feet and on the mat en route to a third round TKO stoppage. In the time since, Coenen has won, then lost the Strikeforce bantamweight title, been released from Zuffa for her association with Golden Glory, cast in a Dutch version of Survivor, and scored a pair of wins over Romy Ryussen and, you guessed it, Fiona Muxlow.
Invicta FC put on its fifth event last night, closing out a very successful first year for the promotion. A thirteen-fight card at Kansas City’s Ameristar Casino highlighted Invicta’s swelling roster of talented fighters and solidified the promotions reputation for delivering entertaining MMA bouts. The show featured debuts of three champs from Strikeforce and Bellator, plus a pair of Invicta championship matchups. And it fucking rocked.
The card started with a pair of quick submissions, including CagePotato’s own Rose Namajunas, who set the internet on fire with a twelve second flying armbar victory. According to initial reports, that is the 5th fastest victory in MMA history, and fastest in the women’s division. Namajunas was understandably jubilant in her win, saying later that she would like all of her fights to be of the blink-and-you-missed-it variety. She also pointed out that she was still a prospect just starting out at 2-0, and that title talks could wait until she gained more experience.
Obligatory. PicProps: Patrick Walters, CP OG
Invicta FC put on its fifth event last night, closing out a very successful first year for the promotion. A thirteen-fight card at Kansas City’s Ameristar Casino highlighted Invicta’s swelling roster of talented fighters and solidified the promotions reputation for delivering entertaining MMA bouts. The show featured debuts of three champs from Strikeforce and Bellator, plus a pair of Invicta championship matchups. And it fucking rocked.
The card started with a pair of quick submissions, including CagePotato’s own Rose Namajunas, who set the internet on fire with a twelve second flying armbar victory. According to initial reports, that is the 5th fastest victory in MMA history, and fastest in the women’s division. Namajunas was understandably jubilant in her win, saying later that she would like all of her fights to be of the blink-and-you-missed-it variety. She also pointed out that she was still a prospect just starting out at 2-0, and that title talks could wait until she gained more experience.
Also on the preliminary card was a bout between Miriam “The Queen of Mean” Nakamoto and Jessamyn “The Gun” Duke, a matchup between relative newcomers to MMA with extensive striking backgrounds. Nakamoto scored a KO victory in the first round with a pair of blistering knees, but there was some controversy when the second knee strike landed on a downed Duke. Shannon Knapp explained at the presser that the first (legal) knee that landed was considered the knockout blow, but said she would review the fight later. Nakamoto earned Knockout of the Night honors, adding insult to Duke’s injury and keeping her up on Twitter into Saturday morning.
Kicking off the main card was a matchup between popular Australian fighter Bec Hyatt and Austrian striker Jasminka Cive. The two had brought some personal heat to the matchup, including a pre-fight facedown with Invicta commentator Julie Kedzie. Hyatt squashed the beef with an armbar victory in the first round, and will look to rebuild momentum for another shot at Invicta’s 115 pound title.
And then came the upsets. First out was Kaitlin Young, a seasoned pro whose 7-7-1 record belies a career fighting top-ranked women, including Miesha Tate, Gina Carano, Julie Kedzie, and Liz Carmouche. Young dropped a decision to surging Lauren Taylor, and now carries a losing record for the first time in her career.
Zoila Frausto-Gurgel fell victim next, losing a decision in her Invicta debut against Brazilian Jennifer Maia. Frausto-Gurgel was visibly frustrated with the decision and the question marks surrounding her. Zoila competed successfully at 115 pounds under the Bellator banner, but the weight cut was notably difficult. 125 was supposed to be her playground, with a clear shot toward title contention, and that path is no longer so straight and easy.
The upset parade almost continued into the next fight, between former 135 pound queenpin Sarah Kaufman and Leslie “The Peacemaker” Smith, a three round war that went to the judges and resulted in a razor-thin split decision for Kaufman. Smith, who was a virtual unknown training under Ceasar Gracie a year ago, is now perhaps the most dangerous opponent a bantamweight woman can accept. On the other hand, taking a fight with Smith guarantees a crowd-pleasing war and a potential Fight of the Night bonus. The controversial decision (which the crowd loudly disagreed with) brought a bit of awkwardness to the press conference after the fights. Smith, while not willing to directly criticize the decision, pointed out that the UFC could rightly lose confidence in one of “their” fighters (Kaufman), if she had such a narrow decision win over a mere “Invicta fighter” like herself. (For the record, Smith would have won under Stockton Rules.) Meanwhile, Kaufman held a frozen smile, too polite to argue in a civilized setting like a press conference. A rematch between the two was discussed (and literally applauded by the gathered media), under either the UFC’s banner or Invicta’s.
There would be no upset for Cris Cyborg’s Invicta debut. Matched up with Aussie tough Fiona Muxlow, Cyborg put on a blazing display of aggression that lasted a shade over three and a half minutes, at which point Big John McCarthy decided that, no, this Australian lady is not going to crack Cyborg’s fists with her skull, and called the fight. It was announced at the post-fight that Cyborg will move on to compete in Invicta’s inaugural 145 pound title fight against Marloes Coenen in July, while Muxlow works on regaining hand-eye coordination and vowel sounds. She did not attend the press conference after the fights.
Speaking of inaugural titles, Invicta held its first 125 pound title fight between Vanessa Porto and Barb Honchak. After the public execution of Cyborg’s fight, the crowd got a bit restless with the more technical striking exchange. Honchak looked to counter Porto’s vicious leg kicks with combinations, and built up a commanding lead on the cards for a unanimous decision win and the Strawweight Championship.
Closing out the night was Jessica Penne’s first title defense of her Atomweight belt, against Jackson’s MMA fighter Michele Waterson. In interviews leading up to the fight, Penne downplayed the importance of the title and any sense of ego about being the champ, but her enjoyment of her status as queen of the 105ers was as blatant as the #firstever hashtag she used to describe her reign. Not that Penne was resting on her laurels: she was a hard-training, well-rounded, athletically-gifted champ, and she’d earned the belt. Waterson, while an exciting fighter that has a bigger kicking repertoire than Hwoarang and Baek Doo Son combined, looked to be smaller and incapable of fending off Penne’s solid grappling attack.
Oh, how wrong we were. Waterson was quite capable, thank you, and proved it by gutting out an armbar attack from the champ that appeared to snap Waterson’s arm. Waterson would go on to pull out a sneaky-fast armbar transition of her own in the fourth round, earning a quick tap and a shiny new belt as the #secondever Atomweight Champion.
All in all, it was another soaring success for Invicta. While there were complaints about unstable streaming, they were a tiny percentage of the problems Invicta faced in its first iPPV venture. More and more people are realizing that, yes, there is depth of talent in the ladies’ division. All you have to do is showcase it. Invicta’s first year has proven that the athletes are ready for a bigger stage, and the promotion is ready to provide it. While there may be growing pains, like adjusting to a television deal that’s looking increasingly likely to happen. Like it or not, Invicta FC is here to stay.
