Invicta is back on pay-per-view this week, capping it off with two title fights to fill the gaps for the vacant strawweight and bantamweight titles.
Emily Ducote has had a lot of ups and downs in her MMA career, but she might finally make it to the crowning moment she’s been working for. To do that, she’ll have the unenviable task of fending off sturdy striker Danielle Taylor (11-5).
This is Ducote’s (9-6) third attempt at securing a title, after falling short against Kanako Murata and Ilima-Lei MacFarlane. But now, she’s got a better chance than ever, working her experience, volume striking and submission game against an opponent that hasn’t been quite as tested on the ground. That doesn’t make Taylor a slouch, though. She’s packing a ton of power for her frame, and uses speed and footwork to get out of the way.
Bantamweight has an equally compelling bout lined up, as Lisa Verzosa (née Spangler, 6-1) collides with former Phoenix Rising standout Taniesha Tennant (3-1). Tennant runs a rough pace with her striking and takedowns, and Verzosa can match her strength for strength with an added edge in the submission department. They’ve both got good cardio and love engaging in firefights up-close.
Brogan Walker-Sanchez (6-2) was set to face Mara Romero-Borella, but visa issues prevented that from happening. So now she’ll focus her attention on Tennessee’s Emilee King (5-5), who’s got a rangy kick game and can take serious punishment. Brogan’s got a high-level BJJ game paired with a come-forward striking game that doesn’t quit.
Jodie Esquibel (6-6) returns to her old stomping grounds against Liz Tracy (5-4) in what should be a fight dotted with frantic moments. Tough battler Serena DeJesus (3-2) meets technical striker Lauren Mueller (5-3), while heavy handed Helen Peralta (3-2) faces ground fighter Caitlin Sammons (3-1).
You can watch the weigh-ins here:
Main card (10:00pm EST, PPV):
Emily Ducote (114.4) vs. Danielle Taylor (114.6) – Invicta strawweight championship
Lisa Verzosa (134.6) vs. Taneisha Tennant (134.7) – Invicta bantamweight championship
Brogan Sanchez (125.8) vs. Emilee King (124.6) – Flyweight
Jodie Esquibel (116) vs. Liz Tracy (117.2)* – Strawweight
Serena DeJesus (136) vs. Lauren Mueller (135.8) – Bantamweight
Prelim card (8:00pm EST, online):
Caitlin Sammons (124.9) vs. Helen Peralta (125.2) – Flyweight
Katie Saull (105.7) vs. Marisa Messer-Belenchia (105.7) – Atomweight
Katie Perez (105.1) vs. Natalie Salcedo (105.9) – Atomweight
Kayla Yontef (145.5) vs. Carlene Chandler (145.8) – Featherweight
Invicta FC 44: A New Era starts with the prelims on Invicta’s YouTube channel starting at 8:00pm EST, followed by the main card at 10:00pm available for purchase on FITE.tv.
About the author
