Tuff-N-Uff announces four-woman strawweight tournament, winner to earn pro contract with Invicta FC

LAS VEGAS – The nation's premier amateur mixed martial arts promotion is happy to announce an exciting new venture with the sport's top all-female organization. "Tuff-N-Uff: The Future Stars of Mixed Martial Arts" will host a four-woman strawweight tournament, and the winner will be rewarded with a professional fight contract with Invicta Fighting Championships. "Tuff-N-Uff has long supported women's martial arts, and we've been fortunate enough to have some of the best ladies in the game compete in our cage," Tuff-N-Uff Vice President Jeff Meyer said. "The chance to partner with the best all-women's MMA organization in the sport for this unique opportunity was a natural fit for us, and I'm looking forward to seeing this tournament play out." The four women involved in the tournament include Texas' Jianna Denizard (5-2), Las Vegas' own Jamie Moyle (3-2), Arkansas' Laura Uyeda (5-0) and California's Molly Wren-Holmes (4-0). The opening round of the bracket takes place at Tuff-N-Uff's April 11 fight card at The Orleans Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Tickets for the event, which start at just $25, are available at Tuff-N-Uff's official website, tuffnuff.com. Denizard comes to the tournament on the strength of her quality striking. However, she also boasts two submission wins on her record, proving she's a threat wherever the fight takes place. At 5-foot-7, Denizard will be the tallest of the four competitors; and she knows how to use every inch of her reach to her advantage, utilizing her range to force opponents to over-extend themselves and fall prey to counters. Moyle has already faced the likes of undefeated four-time Invicta FC veteran Tecia Torres during her time in the amateur ranks, and she comes from one of the best camps in the world in Syndicate MMA. Moyle possesses some of the sharpest techniques in amateur MMA today, and her ability to put pressure on opponents is her strongest asset. Despite being the smallest competitor out of the four, no opponent will be able to take her lightly. Uyeda is probably the best all-around athlete in the tournament. She earned a bronze medal in the No-Gi Worlds 2012, and in college earned a full athletic scholarship to New Orleans University at Monroe. Her ground game is clearly her strength. However, she also possesses a knockout win on her record and has taken two victories by decision. Wren-Holmes is the craftiest MMA practitioner in the tournament, earning comparisons to a former Tuff-N-Uff competitor, Mike Pyle. No matter what position or situation Wren-Holmes is in, she'll find a way to use it to inflict some pain on her opponent. The Californian is adept at landing the first and last punch of any exchange, as well. This helps her gain advantages over opponents not only physically, but mentally. She's finished three of her four bouts by knockout. The winners of the two April 11 semifinal bouts will meet in the tournament final on June 7 at Thomas and Mack Center. About Tuff-N-Uff: Tuff-N-Uff Productions, Inc. (www.tuffnuff.com) is the nation’s premier amateur mixed martial arts promotion. Founded in 1994, Tuff-N-Uff has helped many amateur fighters gain the experience needed to pursue professional fight careers.  Tuff-N-Uff is proud to have helped groom the following professional fighters: Ronda Rousey, Ryan Couture, Marina Shafir, Chris Holdsworth and Jessamyn Duke. 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, 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.

CLAUDIA GADELHA FORCED TO WITHDRAW FROM INVICTA FC STRAWWEIGHT TITLE BOUT VS. CARLA ESPARZA DUE TO ILLNESS

Invicta Fighting Championships 7 To Go On With Eight-Fight Card

Saturday, Dec. 7, LIVE on PPV at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT

FREE One-Hour Live Preview at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT

KANSAS CITY, MO. (Dec. 7, 2013) – Invicta Fighting Championships Strawweight contender Claudia Gadelha was forced to withdraw from Saturday’s scheduled title bout against Carla Esparza after contracting a bacterial infection. 

“Claudia ran a high fever late Friday evening and went to the hospital where she was diagnosed with a bacterial infection in her intestines,” said Shannon Knapp, President Invicta Fighting Championships.  “We know Claudia wanted this title opportunity more than anything and all of us at Invicta wish her a speedy recovery.

“Tonight’s PPV will go on as planned with two world championship fights and a stacked undercard.” 

Invicta Fight Championships 7 is being distributed in North America by Integrated Sports Media for live viewing at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT on both cable and satellite pay-per-view via IN Demand, DISH, Avail-TVN in the United States, as well as Bell TV, Shaw PPV, SaskTel, TELUS, and MTS in Canada, for a suggested retail price of only $14.95.  In addition, viewers worldwide may purchase the show atwww.invictafc.com and the Invicta Fighting Championship’s Facebook page. 

For additional information please visit www.IntegratedSportsnet.com orwww.invictafc.com. 

Coenen gets second shot at Cyborg Invicta 6 PPV July 13

LIVE on Pay Per View - 9 PM / ET 6 PM / PT

PPV Promo Video Link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqA3CZu0CDo&feature=youtu.be                                                               Marloes Coenen    HOBOKEN, N.J. (July 1, 2013) - Dutch submission star Marloes Coenen (21-5) gets a second shot at Brazilian KO specialist Cris Cyborg (11-1) on July 13, headlining the Invicta Fighting Championships 6 pay-per-view event, which will be broadcast live from Ameristar Casino Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri. Cyborg vs. Coenen is a rematch of an exciting fight held more than three years ago, in which Cyborg won by TKO (punches), but, this time these two top pound-for-pound women's MMA fighters will be battling for the inaugural Invicta FC World Featherweight (145-pounds) Championship.    "Invicta FC 6," presented by Invicta Fighting Championships, is being distributed in North America by Integrated Sports Media for live viewing at 9:00 p.m. ET - 6:00 p.m. PT on both cable and satellite pay-per-view via iN Demand,   DISH, Avail-TVN in the United States and Bell TV, Shaw PPV, SaskTel, TELUS,MTS and Viewer's Choice in Canada, for a suggested retail price of only $14.95.   In addition, viewers worldwide can purchase the show at Ustream.TV.    "In our first fight," Coenen explained, "I underestimated her.  She made weight big-time and I had breakfast the day of the weigh in.  I didn't have a strength-and-conditioning program.  Now, three years later, I have advanced, matured and will come in bigger and stronger.  I know what to expect this fight.   "The pressure is on her. A victory for me will leave the MMA community in shock and awe.  For me, it means that I have set the record straight.  It's awesome that this is a PPV event.  Invicata has pulled it off!  Women have proven to deliver a high level of continues fighting.  It paid off.  To be the head-liner of an event is always an honor."    Coenen is a complete fighter, including stand-up, but MMA in the U.S. differs from the interest in her native Neatherlands where Thai boxing is huge but largely under-the-radar in mainstream media exposure there.  Young people, however, are gaining interest due to the increased availability of MMA fighting and information via forums and social media.  Coenen, of course, is leading the charge and an upset of Cyborg would go a long way to establishing her even more in the sport as well as women's MMA back home.    "This match-up is special because we are both champions and neither of us back-down like some others who drop weight to make sure that they don't face a certain opponent," Coenen added.  "I will be crowned the first Invicta 145-pounds champ."    The co-main event features a pair of undefeated strawweights (115 lbs.) sporting identical 9-0 professional records, Japanese invader and JEWELS champion Ayaka Hamasaki and Brazilian strawweight sensation Claudia "Claudinha" Gadelha.    Three-time Invicta FC fight winner Sarah "The Monster" D'Alelio (7-3), fighting out of San Jose (CA), takes on unbeaten Texas bantamweight (135 lbs.) prospect Lauren Taylor (6-0), while California (Pleasant Hills) striker Leslie "The Peacemaker" Smith (5-3-1) shoots for her third "Fight of the Night" performance, dropping down from bantamweight to flyweight (125 lbs.) for a throw-down with another gifted Brazilian, Jennifer Maia (7-2).    Also scheduled to fight on the undercard are atomweight (105 lbs.) Jessica Penne (10-2, California) vs. Nicdali "The Night Queen" Rivera-Calanoc (8-6, Oklahoma), strawweight Joanne "JoJo" Caldwell (6-0, Scotland) vs. Norma Center (2-0, Albuquerque, NM) Sarah "White Tiger" Schneider (6-6, Missouri), featherweight Ediane "India" Gomes (10-2, Florida) vs. Charmaine "Not Too Sweet" Tweet (4-3, Regina, Canada), strawweight "Rowdy" Bec Hyatt (5-2, Australia) vs. Mizuki Inaoue (5-1, Japan), bantamweight Miriam "The Queen of Mean" Nakamoto (2-0), California) vs. "Diamond" Duda Yankovich (1-1, Brazil), strawweight "Thug" Rose Namajunas (2-0, Minnesota) vs. Tecia "The Tiny Tornado" Torres (2-0, Florida), strawweight Ashley "Smashley" Cummins (3-1, Missouri) vs. Emily Kagan (2-1, New Mexico), featherweight "Miss" Mollie Estes (1-2, Missouri) vs. Veronica "The Heartbreaker" Rothenhausier (1-0, California), and atomweight Livia "T-Rex" Von Plettenberg (1-1, Austria) vs. Cassie "The Hulk" Robb (0-1, Colorado).    All fights, excluding the 5 X 5 main event, will be 3 X 5 minute round fights.  All fights and fighters are subject to change.    Invicta Fighting Championships: Invicta is a world championship Mixed Martial Arts 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, Invicata is committed to pioneering the future growth of women's MMA by promoting the best possible match-ups between female competitors and identifying and developing future superstars of the sport. For more information about Invicta or its events and fighters visit www.invictafc.com or follow on Twitter @InvictaFights. Integrated Sports Media: North America's leading distributor of International Pay-Per-View and Closed Circuit sports events has presented World Championship and world-class mixed martial arts shows featuring Fedor Emelianenko, Tim Sylvia, Bobby Lashley, Mirko Filipovic, Bob Sapp, Jeff Monson and Roy Nelson, in addition to World Championship and world-class boxing matches featuring Gennady Golovkin, Erik Morales, Vitali Klitschko, Ricky Hatton, Cristian Mijares, Evander Holyfield, Roy Jones, Jr., Tomasz Adamek, Paulie Malignaggi, Ivan Calderon, Rocky Martinez, Nicolai Valuev, Amir Khan, Marco Antonio Barrera, Arthur Abraham, David Haye, John Ruiz, Wilfredo Vasquez, Jr., Brian Viloria, Giovani Segura and Ruslan Chagaev. In addition, Integrated Sports Media has distributed numerous International soccer matches featuring teams like Real Madrid, Club America of Mexico and the National Teams of Argentina, Honduras, El Salvador and the USA. For more information on upcoming Integrated Sports events visit www.integratedsportsnet.com or follow on Twitter @IntegratedPPV.

Invicta Fighting Championships Forms Strategic Alliance with Super Fight League to Develop Women's MMA Talent out of India

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (Sept. 24th, 2012) - Invicta Fighting Championships and India-based Super Fight League announced today that the two Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) promotions have formed a strategic alliance to develop women's MMA talent out of India.

The relationship is intended to support Invicta FC's goals of identifying the best women's fight talent around the globe and producing the best possible matchups between women's mixed martial artists while, at the same time, providing Super Fight League with a means of promoting MMA to a broader demographic in its homeland.

'We are excited about this opportunity to work with Super Fight League and tap into a new market that has yet to really be explored by the women's MMA world,' said Invicta FC President Shannon Knapp.  'Super Fight League has done a great job of pioneering the sport of MMA in India and has helped demonstrate that there is fight talent everywhere on the planet.  Even though women's MMA has made tremendous strides over the last few years as far as adding depth to its ranks, we have really just scratched the surface of what is out there.  This relationship between Invicta FC and Super Fight League is an opportunity to expand our reach and discover exciting, new talent.'

'Super Fight League is thrilled to form a cooperative relationship with an MMA promotion in The United States,' said Super Fight League Chairman Raj Kundra.  'Invicta FC has done some incredible things for women's MMA in such a short time and I am confident that working with their great organization is a step that will help further the MMA movement in India that we initiated this year with our live event series.'

In June, Invicta FC announced the formation of a similar strategic partnership with Japan-based women's MMA promotion JEWELS.  The main card of the last Invicta FC event on July 28 featured two JEWELS champions - Ayaka Hamasaki and Hitomi "Girlfight Monster" Akano.