Oh, we’re throwing spinning sh*t now? CagePotato sponsored strawweight “Thug” Rose Namajunas is returning to the cage against Tecia Torres at Invicta FC 6: Coenen vs. Cyborg (July 13th; Kansas City, MO), and we’ve got exclusive training footage of Rose training some fancy spin-kicks with Grudge Training Center head coach Trevor Wittman, and showing off her version of a fighter’s diet. Where *do* you put it all, Rose?
Oh, we’re throwing spinning sh*t now? CagePotato sponsored strawweight “Thug” Rose Namajunas is returning to the cage against Tecia Torres at Invicta FC 6: Coenen vs. Cyborg (July 13th; Kansas City, MO), and we’ve got exclusive training footage of Rose training some fancy spin-kicks with Grudge Training Center head coach Trevor Wittman, and showing off her version of a fighter’s diet. Where *do* you put it all, Rose?
In advance of her upcoming Invicta FC 6 match against Tecia Torres (July 13th; Ameristar Casino Hotel; Kansas City, MO), CagePotato sponsored fighter “Thug” Rose Namajunas will be shooting a video Q&A where she answers questions from you, the Potato Nation faithful. So what do you want to know about Rose’s life, training, and Jedi-like flying armbar skills that we haven’t previously covered? Submit your questions to the comments section below or our Facebook page by tomorrow morning; we’ll award a CagePotato t-shirt to whoever writes the best question that we decide to use. Thanks so much, and please follow Rose on twitter @RoseNamajunas!
In advance of her upcoming Invicta FC 6 match against Tecia Torres (July 13th; Ameristar Casino Hotel; Kansas City, MO), CagePotato sponsored fighter “Thug” Rose Namajunas will be shooting a video Q&A where she answers questions from you, the Potato Nation faithful. So what do you want to know about Rose’s life, training, and Jedi-like flying armbar skills that we haven’t previously covered? Submit your questions to the comments section below or our Facebook page by tomorrow morning; we’ll award a CagePotato t-shirt to whoever writes the best question that we decide to use. Thanks so much, and please follow Rose on twitter @RoseNamajunas!
Back in 2010, the brain trust at CagePotato HQ compiled a list of the 25 most essential MMA Twitter feeds to follow. Boy, do we sure know how to pick ’em. Miguel Torres, Kimbo Slice, Mayhem Miller, Reed Harris, Shane Carwin, and Strikeforce have all since faded out of relevance or gone off the deep end. Wait, Reed does what now? Are you sure? Nevermind — we’re back with an updated list of who you should really be following on Twitter, and this time we’ve actually put some thought into it instead of blindly tossing darts at our screen while simultaneously using a Shakeweight. Please note, this is 2013 and if you don’t already know you should be following Dana White, Arianny Celeste, or Ariel Helwani, you’re probably the reason Jon Jones is defending his title against Chael Sonnen this Saturday at UFC 159. Speaking of the gangster from West Linn…
Bio: “Godfather of integrity; dual masters in dominance and modesty; once outboxed Hemingway; & author of this year’s bestseller, available NOW on Amazon”
If you thought Sonnen refused to break kayfabe only when the cameras were rolling, you must not have been paying attention because his gimmick is boundless. The People’s Champion maximizes his 140-character limit with every emasculating jab at his opponents, peers, and detractors in the MMA media. The American Gangster is the only man on Twitter to follow absolutely no one, not even his own mother.
Sample Tweet: “15 – the number of letters in the word hydropneumatics as well as Chael beats Jones. #UFC159 #4/27/13″
(Despite what your grandmother thinks, Twitter is not a euphemism and does not warrant a squirt of Dawn in your mouth.)
Back in 2010, the brain trust at CagePotato HQ compiled a list of the 25 most essential MMA Twitter feeds to follow. Boy, do we sure know how to pick ‘em. Miguel Torres, Kimbo Slice, Mayhem Miller, Reed Harris, Shane Carwin, and Strikeforce have all since faded out of relevance or gone off the deep end. Wait, Reed does what now? Are you sure? Nevermind — we’re back with an updated list of who you should really be following on Twitter, and this time we’ve actually put some thought into it instead of blindly tossing darts at our screen while simultaneously using a Shakeweight. Please note, this is 2013 and if you don’t already know you should be following Dana White, Arianny Celeste, or Ariel Helwani, you’re probably the reason Jon Jones is defending his title against Chael Sonnen this Saturday at UFC 159. Speaking of the gangster from West Linn…
Bio: “Godfather of integrity; dual masters in dominance and modesty; once outboxed Hemingway; & author of this year’s bestseller, available NOW on Amazon”
If you thought Sonnen refused to break kayfabe only when the cameras were rolling, you must not have been paying attention because his gimmick is boundless. The People’s Champion maximizes his 140-character limit with every emasculating jab at his opponents, peers, and detractors in the MMA media. The American Gangster is the only man on Twitter to follow absolutely no one, not even his own mother.
Sample Tweet: “15 – the number of letters in the word hydropneumatics as well as Chael beats Jones. #UFC159 #4/27/13″
Bio: “Born and raised in Los Angeles. Don’t Tread On Me.”
One of the sport’s most seasoned journalists has articulated what many people couldn’t (and frankly still don’t) understand about what they witnessed in the cage since 2000. His name is Josh Gross and he will not play nice if it compromises the integrity of his craft or the oath he took upon entering the profession — even if it means getting blackballed by the Dr. Evil UFC President himself. Gross always offers interesting insight with a wealth of knowledge to back it up.
Sample Tweet: “Least surprising headline in a while: NY won’t regulate MMA in 2013. So bye-bye UFC 20th anniversary in Madison Square Garden. #pipedream”
Bio: “Actress/Bellator/FHM/Maxim/Playboy/Pacsun For pretty eyes see best in others.For pretty lips spk kindly.For poise walk knowing not alone.Live a beautiful story”
After interviewing Ms. Bryce at the end of last year, I realized that she is one of the most remarkable people I’ve ever met. She’s one of the Bellator MMA ring card girls and she’s trying to feed the starving kids in Africa. No, seriously, she is. Twitter is Jade’s way of giving back to her fans and it shows. Male and female followers alike love her photo shoot pics and inspirational quotations. We’re sure you will too.
Sample Tweet: “Sharing a hotel room with a drunk psycho model. ???? Seriously think she might hit me. I’m trying to just play dead.”
Bio: “The MMA Curmudgeon loves the sport of mixed martial arts. The MMA Curmudgeon hates dirtbag reporters and reprehensible fighters. Beware”
We have our suspicions about who is at the helm of this brutal Twitter troll, but at the end of the day, it just doesn’t matter. As the name suggests, following this guy is like listening to a crotchety old man talk about this generation’s lack of aptitude. MMA Curmudgeon says what most are thinking but too afraid to tweet for fear of the Baldfather wrath. Retweet at your own risk.
Sample Tweet: “Only MMA media would make @danawhite the secret hero of the Ronda Rousey story. If White has a dry spell, he can count on Yahoo for a BJ.”
Bio: “Dropping science in the cage with #UFC statistics & analytics. Quantifying underlying drivers of the fight game, and ending barroom disputes everywhere. #MMA”
Over the last several months, Reed “The Fight Scientist” Kuhn of Fightnomics has been dropping databombs on cage potatoes like you on this site — breaking down everything from submission success rates to striking performance by division. But over on his social media home-base he takes it a step further and laces you with timely truths about the guys you’re watching on the big screen at Hooters. Bonus: Fightnomics’ pithy tweets enable you to sound like you actually know what you’re talking about.
Sample Tweet: “In over 61 total minutes in the Octagon and 859 total strikes attempted, Darren Elkins has yet to throw a single leg kick #commitment”
This is the guy who was behind Teh Gifs, amazing little video snippets of the most gnarly action in the cage, so we won’t hold it against him for collecting a paycheck from one of our competitors. If you like watching incessant KO kicks and flying submissions, this guy has you covered.
Sample Tweet: “GIF – We end todays trip down memory lane with Edson Barboza vs. Terry Etim http://twitpic.com/87gd7e”
Bio: “World / Olympic medalist in judo, Strikeforce / UFC Champ in MMA”
“Rowdy” Ronda Rousey is many things, as you can glean from her bio, but she’s more than that. She’s the first female fighter to ink a deal with UFC, she took the cover spot on ESPN the Magazine‘s Body Issue, and she’s undefeated! When she’s not trash-talking her opponents or putting the Kardashians on blast, Rousey is sharing her journey to superstardom with all of her 278K+ followers through instagram. It’s there you’ll get the access not even puppets are privileged to. Expect the arm snatcher to amp up her game throughout the next season of TUF.
Sample Tweet: “A guy wearing his cell on his belt is the male equivalent of a chick wearing uggs #itwasnevercool”
Bio: “Leading source for news and analysis of the business of MMA. From financials to marketing and from the latest business deals to regulation.”
You will know you have transitioned from casual fan to serious fan when you start caring about numbers. We’re talking PPV buys, TV ratings, and fight purses — the stuff the big boys talk about while others sit at the kiddie table and play UFC Undisputed. Every day you’ll be provided the latest news whenever money changes hands in the MMA world. What’s more is the “Payout Perspective” you get that will help you better understand the way the game is played backstage.
Quite possibly the second most influential man in all of mixed martial arts, Bjorn Rebney never lets the spotlight blind him like it has others. Follow the face of the Toughest Tournament in Sports for fight announcements, personal commentary, and as of late, giveaways. Even if you’re not one to follow a “suit,” you should tag along until the lawsuit with Eddie Alvarez is over just to see it unfold firsthand.
Bio: “We provide an alternative sponsorship platform for fighters that empowers them to execute their next MMA project, funded by fans.”
Inspired by Evan Tanner’s simple approach to sponsorships, MMA trainer Firas Zahabi and company launched FundaFighter. You the fan can sponsor your favorite fighter on their way to the top of the division. Maybe you help buy new equipment, and another time it’s supplements. Once the goals are reached, rewards are given out based on how much you donated. If you’re looking for a worthy cause and want to help support the sport, give these guys a follow.
Bio: “Happy wife, NFL and MMA writer for SI, NYT bestselling author. Thank you, readers, and God bless.”
Along with a few others that pop up on this list, Loretta Hunt is a consummate professional who has lent a great deal of credibility to our sport. She is one of the pound-for-pound best sports writers today. When you follow the right people, you’ll be privileged to “listen in” to the pros. Imagine Midnight in Paris but from your apartment at three in the afternoon.
Sample Tweet: “Just caught Mr. @mattlindland on @HLNTV, as part of its “Making It In America” series, following a TQ fighter’s prep for bout in Moscow”
Bio: “just your average joe, trying to live the american dream…oh yeah and my best friend was born in a manger…”
When he’s not defeating the best Zuffa can throw at him, Benson “Smooth” Henderson is retweeting anything and everything anyone writes about him. That’s not to say it’s a bad thing, because as champion his game should be winning. Let the other guy hype the fight. Oh, wrong guy. I apologize. Henderson also shares quite a few pictures for the fans. Follow his training and words of inspiration right here.
Sample Tweet: “The thing about dieting guys, is that every1 is unique, what works for me won’t work for everyone…#SlowIsSmoothSmoothIsFast”
Bio: “Video Interviewer, Company Man, Beef Squashing Propagandist, Professional stirrer of the pot. People love me because I don’t make them read.”
I swear this is the last parody account on the list of top 25 essential MMA Twitter feeds to follow. Okay I take that back. Kind of. You be the judge. Subconscious Helwani is exactly what I’d expect an alter ego of an admitted smart mark pro wrestling fan to be like. Essentially, it’s one big trash talk marathon and no one is safe. While it’s eerily similar to @MMACurmudeon, the tone is a bit more personal. If you’ve ever wanted to see a video journalist snap at people he feels are inferior in every way, here’s your chance.
Sample Tweet: “If you reported the Wandy story, and feel like your reputation took a “hit” . you have bigger issues than a tricky Brazillian. #dummies”
Bio: “UFC commentator/play-by-play voice for events on FX/FUELTV. Host, ‘The Ultimate Fighter Live’ on FX. Identical twin. Riley’s Dad.” (This will soon be updated to say “Riley and Tatum’s dad.” On behalf of Potato Nation, congrats!)
On top of all his duties listed above, Jon Anik also hosts UFC Ultimate Insider on Fuel TV. On Twitter, you’ll notice his love of all things Boston (his hometown) and his ever-growing bromance with @KennyFlorian. He tweets betting lines and retweets some of the day’s best stories from around the net.
Sample Tweet: “For those who’ve inquired, of course Josh Thomson deserved a post-fight interview in the Octagon. Simply a timing issue when we’re on FOX.”
FRB has had run ins with the likes of Ariel Helwani, Luke Thomas, and Nate Quarry. Regardless of what side of the fence you sit on, watching the verbal sparring could get you through the worst of bad days. If that weren’t enough, he’s scooped more than his share of journalists and broken news on the UG days before anyone else caught wind of it. FRB isn’t your average fan, but he’s not exactly a journalist either. To hear him tell it, he’s a character in the MMA community who tweets what’s on his mind. From UFC locker room stories to WWE pop culture references, FRB brings his A game every day and seems to enjoy fielding his followers questions.
Sample Tweet: “If Nate Diaz wants to want fight at 170 and stay gainfully employed, he better consult Vitor Belfort’s gimmick doctor. Really poor decision”
For over 25 years, Dave Meltzer has written the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, an insider’s perspective at professional wrestling. Since UFC 1, Meltzer has also parlayed MMA coverage into his analysis, sometimes drawing the ire of Vince McMahon and Dana White. Meltzer’s reputation as an analyst of the cable TV and pay-per-view businesses is well established as evidenced by his impressive resume. At the end of the day, if you’re not following @davemeltzerWON you’re missing out on incredible “combat sports entertainment” commentary.
Sample Tweet: “Lots of name women fighters trying out for TUF right now, including Invicta fighters. Shannon Knapp told them they all could”
Bio: “UFC Tonight is the official weekly news and information show of the UFC. Tuesday nights at 10/7p ET/PT on FUEL TV.”
Since most of you don’t have Fuel TV, following UFC Tonight is an absolute must. Tweets come in heavy on Tuesday night as they do their best to keep you in the loop on late breaking news and fight announcements during the show.
Sample Tweet: “Cruz on Faber – “He’s had 5… I’m not here to give more title shots. I’m here to beat the best guys. I’m going to fight Renan Barao next.””
Bio: Future UFC Women’s champ (She left it blank, so I took it upon myself to connect the dots.)
Pat Barry’s thugged-out girlfriend, Rose Namajunas, is undefeated and currently fighting under the Invicta FC banner. She finishes fights in spectacular fashion and is sponsored by this site. What’s not to love?
Bio: “MMA Jokes by Comedian Adam Hunter. Ronda Rousey said it’s her new fav follow. Hope you enjoy. Check out http://www.adamhunter.com”
We’ve all seen some fading celebrity with enough moxie to endure the publicly humiliating spectacle that is the Comedy Central Roast. Take that kind of humor/vitriol and aim it at everyone in the MMA community and you’ve got the MMA Roasted Twitter feed. Come for the funny, stay for the irony.
Sample Tweet: “Bendo’s fiance just hired Stripper Ramsey Nijem for her bachelorette party. #UFC”
As President and CEO of First Round Management, Malki Kawa has knowledge of many facets of the fight game outside the cage. Continually sitting at the negotiating table, Kawa represents the likes of Jon Jones, Frank Mir, Benson Henderson, and Miesha Tate, giving him one of the most talent-rich stables since D-Generation X. Follow him for news on the happenings of his fighters and find out what he thinks of the competition on fight night.
Sample Tweet: “Whoop his ass no problem “@mmafan31: @malkikawa would you be able to take out @EdSoares in a three round fight?””
Bio: “Combat Sports Broadcaster for Showtime Boxing, InvictaFC. Host of #theshow with Mauro Ranallo on my website.”
Mauro Ranallo is affectionately known as the “Bi-Polar Rock & Roller” whose rap sheet spans four decades including notable stops in Calgary, Alberta, Canada for the legendary Hart family’s “Stampede Wrestling,” Saitama, Japan for Pride FC, San Jose, California for Strikeforce, and most recently, Kansas City for Invicta FC. Tweeting at you with all the Chi power one can muster, Ranallo fill your need of WWE, MMA, and boxing opinions and notes all in one place.
Sample Tweet: “Fathers of Boxers have taken over for the Bobby “The Brain” Heenans, Jim Cornettes & Jimmy “Mouth of the South” Harts of the world.”
Women’s MMA is here to stay and Shannon Knapp knows it. Invicta FC is the world’s premiere female MMA promotion and if you want to keep your finger on the pulse, you’ll need to check out Knapps’s feed. You can usually find her using social media to share interviews and articles about her ferocious ladies.
Sample Tweet: “@InvictaFights I just got word from CEO of @ustream and we had the most ppv ever sold on Ustream! So proud of our athletes and staff! ”
Bio: “Youngest world Champion in UFC history, Fighting toward Greatness, Glorifying Christ, Breaking down walls, Living amazed, Will YOU be a witness? #607 #585 #505″
Not only is Jon Jones arguably the greatest fighter of all time (of all TIME!), but he also speaks English. That’s +100 in my book. (Sorry Anderson, but no one understands what you’re saying. Obrigado!) Take Jones’s twitpics detailing his diet and free time combined with tweets of inspiration and greatness and you’ve got a refreshing tweet mixed in with the rest of the garbage you read. The cherry on top is a carefully protected behind the scenes look at the life of a young champion.
Sample Tweet: “Okay I’ll stop I don’t want to come across as preachy.. I respect everyone’s beliefs, just sharing a few of my own #Jesusisalive”
Bio: “Host of TTTHS! I’m a cartoon character! New shows every Wednesday! Inquiries, fan mail, or anything else: [email protected]”
Tommy ToeHold is the funniest real fake guy in the Twitterverse. His weekly talk show is half TMZ, half Dr. Phil. Each episode recaps the highlights and low lights of the past week in MMA including interviews with champions, up-and-comers, and media personalities from around the globe. Hit him up on Twitter and bust his chops. Best insult wins Viewer Comment of the Week on the TTHS.
While both women hold pro records of 2-0, Torres can claim to be slightly more experienced, as she went 7-0 as an amateur compared to Rose’s 4-0 amateur record. Before her MMA career, Torres also competed extensively as an amateur kickboxer. Even at age 6, she was pretty nasty.
It’s a solid step up in competition for Rose — and we have total faith that Thug will be able to give the Tiny Tornado all she can handle. Stay tuned for more coverage on Rose Namajunas and Invicta FC 6, and check out the complete fight lineup after the jump…
(Must-see: This “All Angles” mini-documentary on Rose’s fantastic win earlier this month. Props: YouTube.com/InvictaFC)
While both women hold pro records of 2-0, Torres can claim to be slightly more experienced, as she went 7-0 as an amateur compared to Rose’s 4-0 amateur record. Before her MMA career, Torres also competed extensively as an amateur kickboxer. Even at age 6, she was pretty nasty.
It’s a solid step up in competition for Rose — and we have total faith that Thug will be able to give the Tiny Tornado all she can handle. Stay tuned for more coverage on Rose Namajunas and Invicta FC 6, and check out the complete fight lineup after the jump…
MAIN CARD (Online PPV, 10 p.m. ET)
Cristiane “Cris Cyborg” Santos vs. Marloes Coenen (for inaugural featherweight title)
Carla Esparza vs. Ayaka Hamasaki (for strawweight title)
Sarah D’Alelio vs. Lauren Taylor
Leslie Smith vs. TBA
Jessica Penne vs. Nicdali Rivera-Calanoc
Joanne Calderwood vs. Claudia Gadelha
Julia Budd vs. Ediane Gomes
Bec Hyatt vs. Mizuki Inoue
Miriam Nakamoto vs. Duda Yankovich
PRELIMINARY CARD (Online PPV, 8 p.m. ET)
Rose Namajunas vs. Tecia Torres
Ashley Cummins vs. Emily Kagan
Mollie Estes vs. Veronica Rothenhausler
Laura Sanko vs. Livia Von Plettenberg
Anyway, Rose recently scored her second professional win via 12-second flying armbar at last weekend’s Invicta FC 5, as you well know. While we were thrilled for her for obvious reasons, our excitement paled in comparison to that of “HD,” who proceeded to jump up from his ringside seat and leap onto the cage like he had just finished stomping a mudhole in Christian Morecraft following Rose’s big win. Thank God there were no small children in his way, or we may very well have witnessed a massacre worse than Cyborg vs. Muxlow that night.
Barry’s (literally) over-the-top celebration should come as no surprise to those of us who have seen him corner Namajunas before, but damn, I just really want what those two have. Not love, I’m talking about brutal knockout power and the ability to pull off flying armbars. I can force someone to love me with those two things.
After the jump: A video of Namajunas’ brilliant submission from Invicta FC 5, because big whoop wanna fightaboutit?
Anyway, Rose recently scored her second professional win via 12-second flying armbar at last weekend’s Invicta FC 5, as you well know. While we were thrilled for her for obvious reasons, our excitement paled in comparison to that of “HD,” who proceeded to jump up from his ringside seat and leap onto the cage like he had just finished stomping a mudhole in Christian Morecraft following Rose’s big win. Thank God there were no small children in his way, or we may very well have witnessed a massacre worse than Cyborg vs. Muxlow that night.
Barry’s (literally) over-the-top celebration should come as no surprise to those of us who have seen him corner Namajunas before, but damn, I just really want what those two have. Not love, I’m talking about brutal knockout power and the ability to pull off flying armbars. I can force someone to love me with those two things.
After the jump: A video of Namajunas’ brilliant submission from Invicta FC 5, because big whoop wanna fightaboutit?
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.
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