Invicta Featherweight Championship: Cristiane Santos (11-1) vs. Marloes Coenen (21-5)
I’d feel a lot better about Marloes’s odds if this was at bantamweight, but she’s said that she hated the cut to bantam and would never do it again, so here we are at featherweight. In her return bout since her suspension, I wasn’t as impressed with Cyborg as I usually was. She looked very good, but Fiona Muxlow isn’t near her level and she didn’t look like a killer as she usually does. Marloes looked much bigger than Cyborg to my shock. Cyborg looked as pedestrian as I’ve ever seen, so I think Coenen look to pull a flash sub on her. Santos is an accomplished submission grappler, but Coenen is the best female submission artist that ever was in MMA. It’s been over three and a half years since their first bout, and neither has been active enough lately against quality opposition lately to get a good read on them. Still, as I always do, I’m picking with my heart, and I think Marloes withstands the early rush, drags Cyborg into the late rounds to exhaust her, and finishes it. Coenen via R4 Submission.
Invicta Strawweight #1 Contender Bout: Ayaka Hamasaki (9-0) vs. Claudia Gadelha (9-0)
Ayaka is a longtime Jewels strawweight champion coming over here to ply her trade. She’s an excellent grappler and has a win over Lacey Shuckman at Invicta 2. Gadelha is a Brazilian standout who’s fought in some of the biggest Brazilian promotions like WOCS, Shooto Brazil, Max Sport, and Vision Fight. As is the case with two great grapplers, it could be a masterpiece, or it could be two fighters circling each other, waiting for the other to make a move. There’s seldom any gray area. The Brazilian submission game seems to translate better than the Japanese submission game, and their strength of schedule is about even. Gadelha via R3 Submission.
Bantamweight Bout: Lauren Taylor (6-0) vs. Sarah D’Alelio (7-3)
I absolutely love this matchup. Lauren is a veteran of Alaska Fighting Championship, the same promotion brought us Demetrious Johnson among others, so her defeating Katilin Young in her debut was a surprise, as Young as extremely game and a tough test for anyone. D’Alelio has fought the best of the best in the world. Rousey, Kedzie, Baszler, Nunes, Porto, and more. Fantastic vet vs. young shot fight. Taylor is the better striker, D’Alelio is the better grappler, but I think D’Alelio is just a step above Taylor for now. D’Alelio via R2 Submission.
Invicta Flyweight #1 Contender Bout: Leslie Smith (5-3-1) vs. Jennifer Maia (7-2-1)
Leslie Smith is one of the most fun WMMA fighters to watch, and she’s making her flyweight debut here. Maia was middling for a while, but has rebounded, coming off wins over Jessica Andrade and horrible person Zoila Frausto Gurgel. So you’ve got a fighter on a hot streak against a fighter making her debut at a new weight. Maia via SD.
Atomweight Bout: Jessica Penne (10-2) vs. Nicdali Rivera-Calanoc (8-6)
Remember how happy Penne was when she won the first-ever belt in Invicta history? Remember how she battled Michelle Waterson like a warrior when she lost it? In the words of Rube Baker, Nicdali, you’re standing on the tracks and a train is coming through. Penne via R1 Submission.
Strawweight Bout: Joanne Calderwood (6-0) vs. Norma Rueda Center (2-0)
This damned fight has seen Joanne have three different opponents. By the by, if you’re late to the WMMA game, Joanne Calderwood will be your new favorite fighter. She’s a pro Muay Thai fighter, she is soft-spoken but extremely violent, wears a schoolgirl skirt in the cage, and is extremely likable and proud of her heritage. As a 50% Scot, I can only say…SCOTLAND FOREVER! Calderwood via R1 TKO.
Strawweight Bout: Bec Hyatt (5-2) vs. Mizuki Inoue (5-1)
Rowdy Bec may end up being the most popular fighter to come out of Invicta, and good for her. She’s very likable, very accessible, and has a cool, unique look. Inoue is a professional kickboxer, but hasn’t faced any legit opponents, probably because SHE JUST GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL, and has all her professional wins are by subission. I think the proverbial “first Japanese fighter to fight in the States” will hit her, and Bec is solid enough that she can take it, but Inoue has a fantastic future. Hyatt via UD.
Bantamweight Bout: Duda Yankovich (1-1) vs. Miriam Nakamoto (1-0)
“Weird” Duda Yankovich (sorry, had to) had her first pro fight against Jessica Andrade, not a small feat. She rebounded with a submission win. Nobody who loses their first fight to a UFC fighter who will be fighting on FOX and comes back even stronger is someone I’m picking against. Plus Nakamoto looked really, really rough at her weigh-ins. Yankovich via R1 Submission.
Strawweight Bout: Rose Namajunas (2-0) vs. Tecia Torres (2-0)
The winner becomes a player in the 115-lb division, but Thug Rose ain’t nothing to fuck with. Namajunas via R2 Submission.
Lightweight Bout: Ediane Gomes (10-2) vs. Tamikka Brents (2-0)
Gomes is onto opponent #3 now, and Brents is awesome for stepping up on very short notice. Lightweight bout, which is kinda cool. Still, Brents isn’t on Gomes’s level yet. This is a fighter who was originally supposed to face freaking Cyborg. Gomes via R1 Submission.
Strawweight Bout: Ashley Cummins (3-1) vs. Emily Kagan (2-1)
Both are coming off losses in Invicta to legit fighters, Cummins has a bit better submission skills, but Kagan trains at Jackson’s to help her avoid them. Gonna have to go DRAW.
Atomweight Bout: Kathina Catron (3-2) vs. Livia von Plettenberg (1-1)
You may remember Plettenberg as the girl that withstood a hellacious beating from Joanne Calderwood. Jo put on a Muay Thai exhibition on her, but Plettenberg lasted all three rounds. With the exception of Miesha Tate, I’ve never seen a WMMA fighter with that chin. That was unreal, but this Saturday, she’s not facing anyone of Calderwood’s caliber. She’ll rebound here in a last-minute fight. Plettenberg via UD.
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