Tag: female fighter

Press Release – KANSAS CITY, Kan. (Oct. 3, 2012) – World championship women’s Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) promotion Invicta Fighting Championships has partnered with Kansas City-based Hope House, a non-profit shelter and service for victims of domestic violence, in order to provide both moral and financial aid for those who have suffered, and to support National Domestic Violence Awareness Month that is observed annually in October.

To kick off its “Knock Out Domestic Violence” campaign, Invicta FC has added to its online store a catalog of new Knock Out Domestic Violence and Invicta FC co-branded merchandise. All proceeds from the sale of the merchandise will be donated to Hope House.

Additionally, Invicta FC is calling on all fans to wear clothing bearing the color purple, a traditional symbol of strength and courage and the theme color for National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, while attending its live event at Memorial Hall in Kansas City on Saturday, Oct. 6 or while watching the live, free-of-charge stream of the event.

“The foundation of Invicta FC is a collection of women who are empowered as a result of physical and mental training they experience in martial arts, so this partnership is a means of reaching out through Hope House, an incredibly devoted vehicle, to those who have had traumatic experiences and could benefit from the comfort and support of our athletes and our organization,” said Invicta FC President Shannon Knapp.

“Hope House is pleased to partner with Invicta FC” said CEO, MaryAnne Metheny, “an organization dedicated to empowering women feels like the right match for us.” “Our goal for women entering our services is to help work through their issues. With time, support, encouragement and a helping hand, it’s amazing what transformations can take place. Once on their feet again, they are able to thrive on their own and feel that sense of empowerment.”

Hope House (www.hopehouse.net) works with more than 10,000 survivors of domestic violence annually. Together, it’s two secure locations in the Kansas City area feature a shelter that can house as many as 122 women and children as well as a family care center, therapy space, administrative offices and community training facilities.

Since 1987, National Domestic Violence Awareness Month has been observed annually with three goals in mind – to mourn those who have died as a result of domestic violence, to celebrate those who have survived and to connect those who work to end violence.

In 1989, Congress passed Public Law 101-112 designating October of that year as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Such legislation has been passed every year since.

Tickets for Invicta FC 3: Penne vs. Sugiyama, priced from $25, are on sale at Memorial Hall box office (913-549-4853), online at Ticketmaster.com and InvictaFC.com and by phone at (800-745-3000). Doors at Memorial Hall open at 5 p.m. CST and the first preliminary bout will begin at 6 p.m. CST.

The live stream of the event on InvictaFC.com will begin at 7 p.m. EST/4 p.m. PST with the event’s six-bout preliminary card and continue with the eight-bout main card.

About Invicta Fighting Championships:

Invicta Fighting Championships (www.InvictaFC.com) is a world championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight series dedicated to providing female athletes with a major platform to hone their skills on a consistent basis. Founded in 2012 by longtime MMA executive Shannon Knapp and sports aficionado Janet Martin, Invicta is committed to pioneering the future growth of women’s MMA by promoting the best possible matchups between female competitors and identifying and developing future superstars of the sport.

Press Release – KANSAS CITY, Kan. (Oct. 1, 2012) – Invicta Fighting Championships will stream its highly-anticipated Penne vs. Sugiyama, world championship 14-fight women’s professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event, live in its entirety and free of charge to a worldwide audience on the promotion’s website, InvictaFC.com, from Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan. on Saturday, Oct. 6.

Returning to the Invicta FC broadcast booth to call the action for promotion’s third event will be Showtime MMA and former PRIDE Fighting Championships voice Mauro Ranallo, light heavyweight superstar “King Mo” Lawal and women’s MMA standout Julie “Fireball” Kedzie.

Additionally, road warrior Danielle “The Honey Badger” West (4-3-1) of London, UK will replace Elaina Maxwell, who has withdrawn from the event due to a concussion, in the leadoff main card featherweight (145 pounds) matchup against hard-hitting Julia “The Jewel” Budd (3-2) of Port Moody, CA

“We are thrilled to once again be able to showcase an entire night of world-class women’s professional MMA action live to a global audience,” said Invicta FC President Shannon Knapp. “We hope that Elaina has a speedy recovery and will be able to return to competition soon and, at the same time, commend Danielle for taking this fight on just a week’s notice, especially given the fact that she has a long journey from overseas.”

The 35-year-old West’s road to the Invicta FC cage hasn’t been an easy one. A native of Boston, Mass. and former resident of Toronto, CA where she endured a period of homelessness and took shelter in various parking garages and cardboard boxes, she found a new life in London in 2000 and a new means of getting fit in judo and capoeira.

Since then, West, a full-time marketing strategist and analyst, has simultaneously labored to establish herself as a professional athlete, venturing to The Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Russia and Japan to compete, while also winning a gold medal in each of the last five grappling tournaments she entered.

In her Invicta FC debut on July 28, the 29-year-old Budd put forth a powerful performance, taking Elina Nilsson to the ground in the first round of their matchup and finishing Nilsson at the 3:49 mark of the round with a series of punches and elbow strikes from mount position.

Budd, a protégé of former UFC and Shooto competitor Lance Gibson, has also made a mark in the sport of Muay Thai kickboxing, winning a national championship and earning a victory over superstar Gina Carano.

The live stream of the Invicta FC 3: Penne vs. Sugiyama event on InvictaFC.com will begin at 7 p.m. EST/4 p.m. PST with the event’s six-bout preliminary card and continue with the eight-bout main card. Doors at Memorial Hall will open at 5 p.m. CST.

In the Invicta FC 3 main event, superstar Jessica Penne (9-1) of Laguna Hills, Calif. will face off with undefeated phenom Naho “Sugi Rock” Sugiyama (8-0) of Kyoto, Japan at atomweight (105 pounds) in what will also be the first-ever Invicta FC women’s world title bout.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt Shayna “The Queen of Spades” Baszler (14-7) of Sioux Falls, S.D. will return to action in the bantamweight (135 pounds) co-main event and take on Invicta FC 2 winner Sarah “The Monster” D’Alelio (6-2) of San Jose, Calif.

Undefeated sensation Cat “Alpha” Zingano (6-0) of Denver, Colo. will throw down with Invicta FC 2 winner Raquel “Rocky” Pennington (3-1) of Colorado Springs, Colo. at bantamweight.

Prolific strikers Kaitlin Young (7-6-1) of St. Louis Park, Minn. and Leslie “The Peacemaker” Smith (3-2-1) of Pleasant Hill, Calif. will face off in a highly-anticipated bantamweight rematch to their April 28 slugfest at the inaugural Invicta FC event that ended in a majority draw.

Another Invicta FC 2 victor, Barb “Little Warrior” Honchak (6-2) of Bettendorf, Iowa, will collide with rising star and furious finisher Aisling “Ais The Bash” Daly (13-3) of Dublin, Ireland in a flyweight (125 pounds) contest.

Invicta FC will welcome one of the original pioneers of women’s MMA, submission expert Tara LaRosa (21-2) of Woodstown, N.J., who will lock horns at flyweight with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Vanessa Porto (14-5) of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Michelle “The Karate Hottie” Waterson (9-3) of Albuquerque, N.M. will also make her first start under the Invicta FC banner against Lacey “The Ladie” Schuckman (7-5) of Lakewood, Colo. in an atomweight scrap.

The six-bout preliminary card will be topped by a strawweight (115 pounds) matchup between Carla Esparza (7-2) of Redondo Beach, Calif. and Lynn Alvarez (5-2) of Las Vegas, Nev.

Two undefeated prospects, Ashley Cummins (3-0) of St. Louis, MO. and Joanne Calderwood (3-0) of Glasgow, Scottland will collide at flyweight.

Amy Davis (3-3) of Idaho Falls, Idaho will face Stephanie Frausto (3-4) of Middletown, Ohio in an atomweight affair.

Fresh off her professional debut win at Invicta FC 2, Jessamyn Duke (1-0) of Richmond, Ky. will face unbeaten Marciea Allen (1-0) of Sioux Falls in a bantamweight battle.

Tecia Torres (0-0) of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. and Kaiyana Rain (0-0) of Los Angeles, Calif. will make their respective professional debuts against each other at strawweight.

Unbeaten Xtreme Couture prospect Katalina Malungahu (2-0) of Las Vegas will battle Ediane Gomes (8-2) of Coconut Creek, Fla. via Sao Paulo, Brazil at featherweight.

All bouts have been approved by the Kansas State Athletic Commission.

About Invicta Fighting Championships:

Invicta Fighting Championships is a world championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight series dedicated to providing female athletes with a major platform to hone their skills on a consistent basis. Founded in 2012 by longtime MMA executive Shannon Knapp and sports aficionado Janet Martin, Invicta is committed to pioneering the future growth of women’s MMA by promoting the best possible matchups between female competitors and identifying and developing future superstars of the sport.

Contact:

Mike Afromowitz (917) 566-8754, [email protected]