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Invicta FC To Unveil All-Women's MMA Fight Series April 28; Marloes Coenen To Rematch Romy Ruyssen‏

Jessica Penne To Face Lisa Ellis-Ward In Co-Main Event; Strikeforce Stars Liz Carmouche And Sarah D’Alelio To Also See Action


The term “girl power” is about to take on a whole new meaning!!

Invicta Fighting Championships, an all-women’s world championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight series led by longtime MMA industry executive Shannon Knapp, will launch with a stacked, 11-bout fight card headlined by a long-awaited featherweight (145 pounds) rematch between superstar Marloes Coenen (19-5) of The Netherlands and Romy Ruyssen (5-1) of France at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan. on Sat., April 28.

Tickets for the first-ever Invicta Fighting Championships event, priced from $35, go on sale Fri., Feb. 24 at Memorial Hall box office (913) 549-4853), online at Ticketmaster.com and InvictaFC.com and by phone at (800) 745-3000.

In the co-main event, two 29-year-old submission specialists - Jessica Penne (8-1) of Laguna Hills, Calif. and Lisa Ellis-Ward (14-7) of Lacey, Wash.- will square off with one another at strawweight (105 pounds).

Strikeforce bantamweight (135 pounds) stars Liz “Girl-Rilla” Carmouche (5-2) of San Diego, Calif. and Sarah D’Alelio (4-2) of San Jose, Calif. have also been enlisted for action. Carmouche, a United States Marine who did three tours of duty in The Middle East, will square off with unbeaten prospect Ashleigh Curry (1-0) of Kansas City, Mo. while D’Alelio will face Shana “Rock Solid” Nelson (5-2) of Hibbing, Minn.

“The time has come for a platform dedicated exclusively to building the growing women’s division in our great sport,” said Invicta Fighting Championships Vice President Knapp, who has held positions with the UFC, the IFL and, most recently Strikeforce, where she served as head of fighter relations and a core member of the promotion’s matchmaking team, until shortly after Strikeforce was acquired by the parent company of its top competitor, the UFC. “Invicta is committed to increasing the depth of the women’s field and building female superstars by providing women athletes with the opportunity to compete and hone their skills on a consistent basis throughout the year.

“I am honored to headline Invicta’s first fight card and I am looking forward to earning another win over Romy,” said the 5-foot-9, 30-year-old Coenen, a former champion in Strikeforce’s 135 pound division and the premiere female competitor out of Holland’s famed Team Golden Glory. Coenen submitted Ruyssen with a rear-naked choke in the second round of their first meeting in Basel, Switzerland on Aug. 2, 2008.

Ruyssen is a slick and dangerous 22-year-old grappler who has claimed all five of her career victories by way of submission in the first round of battle. Four of the five wins came via armbar.

“My first fight with Marloes is the only loss of my career so far, and I intend to avenge that loss on April 28” said Ruyssen. “Marloes is a great fighter, but she doesn’t quite have the ground game that I have. I am going to take her down and finish her.”

Penne, regarded as one of the most promising, up and coming female talents in MMA, was unbeaten through her first seven professional starts before losing a unanimous decision to Zoila Gurgel on Aug. 19, 2010. In her last effort on Nov. 19, 2010, she bounced back, submitting Amy Davis with a rear-naked choke in the first round of their matchup.

Ellis-Ward will look to return to the win column after two straight losses at the hands of Megumi Fujii and Jessica Aguilar, respectively. Prior to the slide, Ellis-Ward had reeled off two consecutive wins - a first round submission (rear-naked choke) of Stephanie Frausto and a unanimous decision over Aisling Daly.

In other main card action, Leslie Smith (3-2) of Pleasant Hill, Calif. will face off with Kaitlin Young (7-5) of St. Louis Park, Minn. at bantamweight and Sally Krumdiack (9-4) of Bellingham, Wash. will duke it out with Sarah Schneider (5-5) of Kansas City, Mo. at flyweight (115 pounds).

The 28-year-old Carmouche jumpstarted her career with five straight wins, only one of which went to the judges’ scorecards. She is looking to return to her winning ways after suffering back-to-back losses at the hands of Coenen and another superstar in Sarah Kaufman.

After scoring a first round TKO (punches) on Jessy Forman in her professional debut on June 12, 2010, the 26-year-old Curry will return to the cage for the first time. Curry has been touted for her western boxing skills.

D’Alelio, a 31-year-old, 5-foot-7 grappler, was victorious in her first four career fights - three by submission and one by TKO - but is looking for her first win since losing back-to-back fights against Julie Kedzie and undefeated rising star and Olympic Judo medalist Ronda Rousey.

The 31-year-old, 5-foot-7 Nelson, a hard-hitting striker who competes out of Minnesota Fight Factory, reeled off wins in her first four professional bouts and is coming off a first round TKO (punches) of Lina Eklund on Feb. 18.

In preliminary card action, Nicdali Rivera-Calanoc (7-5) of Tulsa, Okla. will take on Amy Davis (2-2) of Idaho Falls, Idaho at strawweight. Sarah Maloy (2-2) of Ada, Okla. will meet Michele Gutierrez (3-2) of Las Vegas, Nev. in a super flyweight (125 pounds) tilt. Mollie Estes (1-0) of Lake Lotawana, Mo. will face Randi Miller (0-0) of Broomfield, Colo. at featherweight. Unbeaten Ashley Cummins (2-0) of St. Louis will battle Sofia Bagherdai (4-1) of Upland, Calif. at flyweight. Jessica Philippus (0-0) of Marshall, Mo. will make her professional debut against Meghan Wright (1-3) of Cincinnati, Ohio in a strawweight matchup.

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

Invicta FC 1
April 28th, 2012
Kansas City, Kansas
Memorial Hall



• Marloes Coenen (19-5) vs. Romy Ruyssen (5-1)

• Jessica Penne (8-1) vs. Lisa Ellis-Ward (14-7)

• Liz Carmouche (5-2) vs. Ashleigh Curry (1-0)

• Sarah D' Alelio (4-2) vs. Shana Nelson (5-2)

• Kaitlin Young (6-5) vs. Leslie Smith (3-2)

• Cat Zingano (6-0) vs. Anita Rodriguez (5-2)

• Sally Krumdiack (9-4) vs. Sarah Schneider (5-5)

• Nicdali Rivera-Calanoc (7-5) vs. Amy Davis (2-2)

• Michele Gutierrez (3-2) vs. Sarah Maloy (2-2)

• Randi Miller (0-0) vs. Mollie Ahlers-Estes (1-0)

• Ashley Cummins (2-0) vs. Sofia Bagherdai (4-1)

• Jessica Philippus (0-0) vs. Meghan Wright (1-3)

INVICTA FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIPS ADDS UNDEFEATED CAT ZINGANO VS. HARD-HITTING ANITA RODRIGUEZ TO INAUGURAL ALL-WOMEN’S MMA EVENT APRIL 28 IN KANSAS CITY, KANSAS


NATASHA WICKS APPOINTED RING GIRL FOR HISTORIC FIRST EVENT

Superstar Marloes Coenen to rematch Romy Ruyssen in main event


Undefeated rising star Cat “Alpha” Zingano (6-0) of Denver, Colo. will square off with fellow hard-hitting prospect and professional boxer Anita “El Tigre” Rodriguez (5-2) of Dallas, Texas in a featured bantamweight (135 pounds) bout at the first-ever Invicta Fighting Championships all-women’s Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan. on Saturday, April 28.

In addition, Invicta has named as its first ring girl former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) ring girl and model Natasha Wicks. Wicks, the winner of the 2009 “Maxim UFC Octagon Girl Search,” will work the April 28 event.

The stacked, 12-bout Invicta card will be headlined by a long-awaited featherweight (145 pounds) rematch between superstar Marloes Coenen (19-5) of The Netherlands and Romy Ruyssen (5-1) of France.

Tickets for the event, priced from $35, 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.

Both highly-touted for their ability to dominate opponents in every range of fighting, the 29-year-old Zingano and the 26-year-old Rodriguez have traveled different paths to arrive at this pivotal stage in their respective careers.

The 5-foot-6 Zingano tip-toed her way into combat sports after becoming the only girl to join her high school wrestling team and, later, competing in college.

In 2007, she began training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Professor Mauricio Zingano, whom she later married, and went on to win a number of tournaments, including the 2007 World Jiu Jitsu Championships. Her success in the grappling art and a third round TKO victory in her only amateur MMA bout were the catalysts behind the launch of her professional fighting career.

To date, Zingano has been unstoppable in the hybrid combat sport, earning four of her six victories by way of either KO or submission. All three of her last wins came by way of KO or TKO.

“My desire to be the best female fighter in the world has gotten me this far,” said Zingano. “I’ve been constantly improving all of my skills – wrestling, boxing, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai. You’re going to see something great and amazing on April 28.”

While Zingano got her introduction to combat sports on the mats, the 5-foot-2 Rodriguez initially learned how to scrap in the ring after her father, who saw a fighter in his daughter, brought her to a local boxing gym when she was 20 years of age. Training under Valentin Espiricueta, she went on to win several amateur boxing titles before turning professional in the sweet science and, later, transitioning to MMA competition.

“Nobody wanted to fight me anymore in boxing, so I went on to MMA,” said Rodriguez, who compliments her boxing training with Muay Thai and Jiu-Jitsu, both with Espiricueta and with other fighters at nearby Ironside MMA in Dallas.

After losing a split decision to Jeri “Fists of Fury” Sitzes in her pro MMA debut on March 6, 2009, Rodriguez avenged the defeat just three months later, taking a split decision from Sitzes.

Rodriguez maintains that her boxing skills are still her strongest suit, despite the fact that three of her five career victories have come by way of submission.

“Boxing and stand-up fighting is what I like to do most, but I’m very comfortable fighting on the ground,” she said.

INVICTAFC.COM TO STREAM INAUGURAL ALL-WOMEN’S MMA EVENT LIVE APRIL 28 FROM KANSAS CITY, KAN.


Invicta Fighting Championships will stream its inaugural all-women’s professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event live in its entirety, free of charge to a worldwide audience on the promotion’s website, InvictaFC.com, from Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan. on Saturday, April 28.

“Since we announced the formation of Invicta, we’ve received tremendous support and interest from fight fans around the world who are eager to watch some of the best fighters in the women’s field of MMA compete in our first event,” said Invicta President and Co-Founder Shannon Knapp.

“The live stream,” continued Knapp, “is the best way to give fans, no matter where they are located, the opportunity to participate and take in the action as it unfolds and, at the same time, establish the forthcoming Invicta website as an online destination for women’s MMA content.”

The live stream on InvictaFC.com will begin at 8 p.m. EST/5 p.m. PST with the event’s five-bout preliminary card and continue with the seven-bout main card.

The first-ever Invicta Fighting Championships event will be headlined by a long-awaited featherweight (145 pounds) rematch between superstar Marloes Coenen (19-5) of The Netherlands and Romy Ruyssen (5-1) of France.

In the co-main event, two 29-year-old submission specialists - Jessica Penne (8-1) of Laguna Hills, Calif. and Lisa Ellis-Ward (14-7) of Lacey, Wash.- will square off with one another at strawweight (105 pounds).

Undefeated rising star Cat “Alpha” Zingano (6-0) of Denver, Colo. will square off with fellow hard-hitting prospect and professional boxer Anita “El Tigre” Rodriguez (5-2) of Dallas, Texas in a featured bantamweight (135 pounds) bout.

Strikeforce bantamweight star and United States Marine Liz “Girl-Rilla” Carmouche (5-2) of San Diego, Calif. will square off with unbeaten prospect Ashleigh Curry (1-0) of Kansas City, Mo.

Another Strikeforce bantamweight competitor, Sarah D’Alelio (4-2) of San Jose, Calif., will face Shana “Rock Solid” Nelson (5-2) of Hibbing, Minn.

Leslie Smith (3-2) of Pleasant Hill, Calif. will meet Kaitlin Young (7-5) of St. Louis Park, Minn. at bantamweight and Sally Krumdiack (9-4) of Bellingham, Wash. will duke it out with Sarah Schneider (5-5) of Kansas City, Mo. at flyweight (115 pounds).

In preliminary card action, Nicdali Rivera-Calanoc (7-5) of Tulsa, Okla. will take on Amy Davis (2-2) of Idaho Falls, Idaho at strawweight. Sarah Maloy (2-2) of Ada, Okla. will meet Michele Gutierrez (3-2) of Las Vegas, Nev. in a super flyweight (125 pounds) tilt. Mollie Estes (1-0) of Lake Lotawana, Mo. will face Randi Miller (0-0) of Broomfield, Colo. at featherweight. Unbeaten Ashley Cummins (2-0) of St. Louis will battle Sofia Bagherdai (4-1) of Upland, Calif. at flyweight. Jessica Philippus (0-0) of Marshall, Mo. will make her professional debut against Meghan Wright (1-3) of Cincinnati, Ohio in a strawweight matchup.

UNDEFEATED FORMER ROYCE GRACIE STUDENT VANESSA MARISCAL REPLACES INJURED SHANA NELSON AGAINST SARAH D’ALELIO AT INVICTA FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIPS INAUGURAL ALL-WOMEN’S MMA EVENT APRIL 28 IN KANSAS CITY, KAN.

Health issue KO’s Cat Zingano from matchup with Anita Rodriguez


A spinal injury sustained during training has forced Shana Nelson to withdraw from her scheduled bantamweight (135 pounds) matchup with Sarah D’Alelio (4-2) of San Jose, Calif. on the inaugural Invicta Fighting Championships all-women’s Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight card at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan. on Saturday, April 28. Undefeated Vanessa Mariscal (2-0) of El Segundo, Calif. will step in to face D’Alelio at the event.

Additionally, Cat “Alpha” Zingano (6-0) of Denver, Colo. has withdrawn from her bantamweight (135 pounds) contest with Anita “El Tigre” Rodriguez (5-2) of Dallas, Texas, citing health issues as the cause.

The 38-year-old, 5-foot-6 Mariscal, a former student of MMA legend and UFC Hall of Fame member Royce Gracie, holds a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the fighting discipline she took up 15 years ago after stints in Karate, kickboxing and Jeet Kune Do.

Mariscal has put her strong Jiu-Jitsu foundation on display in MMA competition, winning both her professional bouts to date by way of rear-naked choke. In her debut on Nov. 20, 2009, she submitted Jessica Halverson in the first round of action and, in her last start on June 17, 2011, Mariscal forced Colleen Schneider to tap out in the third stanza of their bout.

The matchup between Mariscal and D’Alelio will finally come to fruition after previously falling apart on two different occasions.

“I know she’s a tough girl with a reputation for being a tough fighter,” said Mariscal about D’Alelio. “She’s not going to back down and not going to give up, so I’m not taking her lightly at all. At the same time, I’m ready to fight anyone.

“What people don’t know about me is that I’ve been doing this for a very long time but, until recently, there had never been a platform for women to fight on like there is now. After (MMA superstar) Gina Carano came along, it started to change and, now, there are fortunately some big opportunities for us. I think what Invicta is doing for the women in the sport is great and will help all of us.”

Mariscal, a personal fitness trainer and the owner of VMX Training Center, appeared on a Nov. 2011 episode of MTV reality series “I Used To Be Fat,” helping an overweight teenage girl with proper dieting and exercise in order to become healthier.

“Any time there is an opportunity for me to use my fitness and martial arts training to help someone else, I will be there to do it,” Mariscal said. “We have such a high obesity rate in America and our health care crisis is just getting worse. We are going to have to wake up and make some drastic changes in order to change things for the better and start living a healthier lifestyle as a society.”

Like Mariscal, the 5-foot-7, 31 year old D’Alelio’s greatest strength is her ground game. She has earned three of her four career professional victories by way of submission.

D’Alelio is looking to rebound from two consecutive losses, the last of which came at the hands of undefeated 2008 Olympic Judo bronze medalist Ronda Rousey on Aug. 12, 2011.

MAURO RANALLO, “KING MO” LAWAL AND JULIE KEDZIE TO CALL THE ACTION AT INAUGURAL INVICTA FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIPS ALL-WOMEN’S MMA EVENT


SHOWTIME Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) voice Mauro Ranallo, light heavyweight superstar “King Mo” Lawal and women’s star Julie “Fireball” Kedzie will call the action cageside at the first-ever Invicta Fighting Championships all-women’s professional MMA event, live on InvictaFC.com, from Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan. on Saturday, April 28.

Ranallo, the lead commentator for Strikeforce on Showtime as well as for Canada’s The Score Fighting Series and a former commentator for Japan’s Pride Fighting Championships, will serve as the play-by-play announcer during the live stream of the event.

“I have always been a huge advocate of female MMA and I am very excited to be a part of the inaugural Invicta show,” said Ranallo. “The ladies have a history of stealing the show from the guys, so it’s nice to see them get a show of their own.”

Lawal is a former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion who burst onto the fight scene four years ago with four straight victories in Japan’s World Victory Road MMA series and has since amassed a career record of 8-1 (1 NC). A former NCAA Division I All-American wrestler for Oklahoma State University, the 31-year-old has gained recognition for his technical knowledge of MMA and his meticulous attention to fighters’ styles.

“I’m excited to be a part of this event with some of the top women’s fighters in the world,” said Lawal. “The growth of women’s MMA is going to soar even more now, thanks to what Invicta is doing.”

Like Lawal, Kedzie brings a wealth of MMA fight experience with her to the show. A student of famed trainer Greg Jackson, the 31-year-old has been competing as a professional since 2004 and holds a career record of 16-9.

“This Invicta show is a landmark moment in the history of women’s MMA and I’m very excited and honored that I was asked to be a part of it,” said Kedzie.

The live stream on InvictaFC.com will begin at 8 p.m. EST/5 p.m. PST with the event’s five-bout preliminary card and continue with the six-bout main card.