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Check out these photos from the fights at Invicta FC 59, which took place Friday in Atlanta.
Check out these photos from the fights at Invicta FC 59, which took place Friday at The Eastern in Atlanta, and featured a bantamweight title fight between [autotag]Talita Bernardo[/autotag] and [autotag]Jennifer Maia[/autotag]. (Photos by Dave Mandell, Invicta FC)
Check out these photos from the fights at Invicta FC 55, which featured a bantamweight title fight between Talita Bernardo and Olga Rubin.
Check out these photos from the fights at Invicta FC 55, which featured a bantamweight title fight between champ [autotag]Talita Bernardo[/autotag] and challenger [autotag]Olga Rubin[/autotag] at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan. (Photos by Dave Mandell, Invicta FC)
The world’s most prominent women-only fight promotion, Invicta FC has a new broadcast home.
Invicta FC is back from an eight-month hiatus and it’s found a new broadcast home.
Tuesday, its parent company Anthem Sports & Entertainment announced the promotion has signed an exclusive deal with CBS Sports to air five Invicta FC events in 2024. Invicta FC 55 will be the first of those events and marks the promotion’s first card since October. It takes place June 28 at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan.
“CBS Sports is the perfect partner for Invicta FC,” Invicta FC founder Shannon Knapp said in a written statement “By joining forces with their global platform, we’re set to bring our world-class events to an even larger audience. 2024 will be a landmark year for us, packed with unparalleled matchups and title fights exclusive to Invicta. We are excited to showcase our world-class events and demonstrate why Invicta FC is the leading brand in women’s MMA, giving fans around the world a front-row seat to the action.”
The full Invicta FC 24 schedule includes
Since its conception in 2012, Invicta FC has served as the most established women-only mixed martial arts promotion in the world. Anthem Sports and Entertainment acquired the brand in April 2021. Its president is former Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer.
As it stands, Invicta FC 55 features seven fights including a headlining women’s bantamweight title fight between [autotag]Talita Bernardo[/autotag] (10-4) vs. [autotag]Olga Rubin[/autotag] (9-3). Also on the card, former UFC fighter [autotag]Kay Hansen[/autotag] (7-6) battles [autotag]Sayury Canon[/autotag] (3-0).
The full Invicta FC 55 fight card includes:
Who of these former UFC fighters could get a second chance with the promotion in 2024?
It’s hard to make it to the UFC.
Thousands of professional fighters try every year – and most fail. For a small percentage, however, they sign their names on the dotted line to fight for the biggest MMA promotion in the world.
Sometimes the opportunity comes a bit too soon. Other times, they’re faced with difficult matchups that time proves were bigger challenges than originally anticipated.
When the pink slip comes and a fighter departs the promotion, there is often a phrase they hear on the way out: “Go get a few more wins, and the UFC will consider bringing you back.”
Easier said than done.
For the vast majority, they won’t be back. However, it’s not impossible. A number of fighters have done it over the years. Just look at former UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno. He was released from the promotion, built his way back, became a contender, and then won a UFC title.
Current roster members Nicolas Dalby, Dustin Jacoby, Modestas Bukauskas, Kurt Holobaugh, Roosevelt Roberts, and Rhys McKee are among those who have reinforced the possibility.
With the new year upon us, here are 20 former UFC fighters who could return to the promotion in 2024.
Note: Fighters considered for this list had to have competed in at least one UFC bout.
It’s hard to make it to the UFC once, let alone a second time, but these fighters have a chance in 2023.
It’s hard to make it to the UFC.
Thousands of professional fighters try every year – and most fail. For a small percentage, however, they sign their names on the dotted line to fight for the biggest MMA promotion in the world.
Sometimes the opportunity comes a bit too soon. Other times, they’re faced with difficult matchups that time proves were bigger challenges than originally anticipated.
When the pink slip comes and a fighter departs the promotion, there is often a phrase they hear on the way out: “Go get a few more wins, and the UFC will consider bringing you back.”
Easier said than done.
For the vast majority, they won’t be back. However, it’s not impossible. A number of fighters have done it over the years. Just look at UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno. He was released from the promotion, built his way back, became a contender, and then won a UFC title.
In recent memory, others like Brandon Davis, Jesse Ronson, Nicolas Dalby, Chase Sherman, Sean Soriano, and Dustin Jacoby have reinforced the possibility.
With the new year upon us, here are 16 former UFC fighters who could return to the promotion in 2023.
Note: Fighters considered for this list had to have competed in at least one UFC bout.
Two new champions were crowned at the first Invicta FC event of the year.
The first Invicta FC event of 2023 is in the books.
Invicta FC 51 took place at ReelWorks Denver, featuring an eight-fight card with two title fights in the flyweight and bantamweight divisions at the top of the bill.
In the main event, [autotag]Taneisha Tennant[/autotag] (5-2) sought to defend her bantamweight title for the second time as she took on UFC veteran [autotag]Talita Bernardo[/autotag] (10-4), who entered on a three-fight win streak.
It was a close back-and-forth bout that was tied 38-38 going into the final round, leaving just five minutes to decide who would emerge as champion. Bernardo leaned on her grappling game and controlled Tennant from top position for most of the last round, earning the judges’ favor. To make things worse for Tennant, she was docked a point for keeping her toes in the cage, resulting in a 10-8 final round.
Bernardo ends Tennant’s reign, becoming the new Invicta bantamweight champion, and extending her current win streak to four.
The vacant flyweight title was up for grabs in the co-main event.
Ketlen Souza (13-3) outpointed, outgrappled, and even opened a nasty cut above the right eye of Kristina Williams (6-4) en route to a unanimous decision win. After just her second appearance in Invicta, Souza begins a flyweight title reign while stretching her current win streak to five.
Watch a replay of the entire card above and check out the full official results below.
Official results of Invicta FC 51 include:
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Check out which UFC veterans are competing on the regional scene this week.
The UFC is on the verge of its first pay-per-view event of the year in Brazil for UFC 283.
Elsewhere, many other MMA events are taking place that feature familiar names that have competed under the UFC banner as regional promotions are ramping up after the holidays.
These 14 veterans of the global MMA leader are competing in MMA, boxing and bareknuckle this week from Jan. 18-22.
Check out the names and details about their bouts below.
Upcoming event information from Tapology.
Check out these photos from the Invicta FC 51 official weigh-ins in Denver.
Check out these photos from the Invicta FC 51 official weigh-ins and fighter faceoffs ahead of the dual title fight event at Reelworks Denver in Denver. (Photos courtesy of Invicta FC)
Check out which veterans of the UFC are in action this week.
This week, the UFC is heading back to home base at the UFC Apex for a top 15 heavyweight clash following the epic UFC 281 pay-per-view in New York.
In addition to UFC Fight Night 215, there are a number of MMA, boxing, and bareknuckle events taking place that feature familiar names that have competed under the UFC banner.
These 20 veterans of the global MMA leader are competing in MMA and boxing this week from Nov. 16-20.
Check out the names and details about their bouts below.
Upcoming event information from Tapology.
Check out these photos from the Invicta FC 50 weigh-ins in Denver.
Check out these photos from the Invicta FC 50 official weigh-ins and faceoffs in Denver. (Photos courtesy of Dave Mandel/Invicta FC)
