![Rose "Thug" Namajunas was successful in her pro MMA debut, as she tapped out Emily Kagan with a gorgeous rear-naked choke.Namajunas has the indescribable "it" factor that makes an athlete marketable, and it also probably helps that she's dating UFC heavyweight standout Pat "HD" Barry.Namajunas is expected to be fighting on the Invicta FC 5 card, but no word yet on who she will be fighting.](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/hash/ae/c8/1360610910_9729_rose.jpg?itok=kdC1JC5T "Rose "Thug" Namajunas was successful in her pro MMA debut, as she tapped out Emily Kagan with a gorgeous rear-naked choke.Namajunas has the indescribable "it" factor that makes an athlete marketable, and it also probably helps that she's dating UFC heavyweight standout Pat "HD" Barry.Namajunas is expected to be fighting on the Invicta FC 5 card, but no word yet on who she will be fighting."){kind=small}
![Nicdali "The Night Queen" Rivera-Calanoc, 27, holds an 8-6 record. She is super marketable because she has a unique appearance and exciting fighting style. Rivera-Calanoc, with her tattoos and bright green highlights, looks like she could double as the singer of a punk rock band.She is expected to be fighting on the Invicta FC 5 card, but no word yet on who she will be fighting.](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/hash/e0/40/e040e75b1812d0729a8c85ae10a26f0a.jpg?itok=N6SZWUNx "Nicdali "The Night Queen" Rivera-Calanoc, 27, holds an 8-6 record. She is super marketable because she has a unique appearance and exciting fighting style. Rivera-Calanoc, with her tattoos and bright green highlights, looks like she could double as the singer of a punk rock band.She is expected to be fighting on the Invicta FC 5 card, but no word yet on who she will be fighting."){kind=small}
According to a Feb. 11 report from MMA Frenzy, Invicta FC 5 continues to come together nicely, as the promotion has announced a trio of new fights.
Highlighting the trio of fight additions is Strikeforce bantamweight champion Sarah Kaufman vs Leslie Smith.
Also on the Invicta FC 5 card, Strikeforce vet Amanda Nunes takes on Kaitlin Young and Aussie MMA legend Bec Hyatt fights Jasminka Cive.
Invicta FC 5 takes place on Apr. 5th and is targeted for the Ameristar Casino Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri.
The event is headlined by an Invicta FC Atomweight Championship bout between champion Jessica Penne and Michelle “The Karate Hottie” Waterson, with a co-main of Barb “Little Warrior” Honchak against Vanessa Porto.
The event was originally planned for Apr. 13 in Irvine, Calif., and then rumored for Apr. 6 at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan., but Invicta FC 5 is now officially slated for Friday, Apr. 5.
Flyweight (125 pounds) superstar Zoila Frausto Gurgel (12-2) of Cincinnati, Ohio has signed a multi-fight contract with Invicta Fighting Championships and will make her debut for the women’s world championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) promotion in April.
Also on the Invicta FC 5 main card, flyweight superstar Zoila Frausto Gurgel will square off with submission expert Jennifer Maia (6-2) of Curitiba, Parana Brazil.
“We are thrilled to welcome Zoila, an established superstar in the sport, to the Invicta FC roster and are looking forward to seeing her compete in our rapidly growing flyweight division,” said Invicta FC President Shannon Knapp. “Zoila has turned in a number of thrilling performances while rising through the ranks of fighters over the last few years, and we are confident that she will help raise the bar of competition even further in the Invicta FC cage.”
The Invicta FC 5 card features several of the promotion's most marketable fighters.
Here's a look at the full Invicta FC 5 card announced so far:
- Jessica Penne (10-1) vs Michelle Waterson (10-3)
- Barb Honchak (7-2) vs Vanessa Porto (15-5)
- Bec Hyatt (4-2) vs Jasminka Cive (5-0)
- Zoila Gurgel (12-2) vs Jennifer Maia (6-2-1)
- Sarah Kaufman (15-2) vs Leslie Smith (5-2-1)
- Kaitlin Young (7-7-1) vs Amanda Nunes (7-3)
- Ediane Gomes (10-2) vs Julia Budd (4-2)
- Alex Chambers (3-1) vs Jodie Esquibel (3-0)
- Veronica Rothenhausler (1-0) vs Mollie Estes (1-1)
- River Jones (0-0) vs Lauren Barefoot (1-0)
- Cassie Rodish vs ?
- Jessamyn Duke vs ?
- Rose Namajunas vs ?
- Nicdali Rivera-Calanoc vs ?
![Nicdali "The Night Queen" Rivera-Calanoc, 27, holds an 8-6 record. She is super marketable because she has a unique appearance and exciting fighting style. Rivera-Calanoc, with her tattoos and bright green highlights, looks like she could double as the singer of a punk rock band.She is expected to be fighting on the Invicta FC 5 card, but no word yet on who she will be fighting.](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/79/8f/798f065957f72295003bde4f42fa6cc1.jpg?itok=WEZC2BEL "Nicdali "The Night Queen" Rivera-Calanoc, 27, holds an 8-6 record. She is super marketable because she has a unique appearance and exciting fighting style. Rivera-Calanoc, with her tattoos and bright green highlights, looks like she could double as the singer of a punk rock band.She is expected to be fighting on the Invicta FC 5 card, but no word yet on who she will be fighting.")
![Rose "Thug" Namajunas was successful in her pro MMA debut, as she tapped out Emily Kagan with a gorgeous rear-naked choke.Namajunas has the indescribable "it" factor that makes an athlete marketable, and it also probably helps that she's dating UFC heavyweight standout Pat "HD" Barry.Namajunas is expected to be fighting on the Invicta FC 5 card, but no word yet on who she will be fighting.](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/ae/c8/1360610910_9729_rose.jpg?itok=XwTlHsDK "Rose "Thug" Namajunas was successful in her pro MMA debut, as she tapped out Emily Kagan with a gorgeous rear-naked choke.Namajunas has the indescribable "it" factor that makes an athlete marketable, and it also probably helps that she's dating UFC heavyweight standout Pat "HD" Barry.Namajunas is expected to be fighting on the Invicta FC 5 card, but no word yet on who she will be fighting.")
![Cassie "The Hulk" Robb, a 22-year-old atomweight, has the talent to back up her striking good looks.She arguably beat Laura Sanko in the first round of Invicta FC 5, before getting caught in a rear-naked choke in round two.No word yet on who she fights next inside the Invicta FC cage.](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/f2/31/1360610910_5429_cassie.jpg?itok=7ltvJHCh "Cassie "The Hulk" Robb, a 22-year-old atomweight, has the talent to back up her striking good looks.She arguably beat Laura Sanko in the first round of Invicta FC 5, before getting caught in a rear-naked choke in round two.No word yet on who she fights next inside the Invicta FC cage.")
![Veronica "The Heartbreaker" Rothenhausler is an absolutely beastly striker. She is incredibly heavy-handed, as she earned four straight knockout victories.All four of her victories were first-round stoppages, and she needed just 72 seconds to dispose of Katalina Malungahu at Invicta FC 4.Rothenhausler fights Mollie Estes at Invicta FC 5, which is slated for Apr. 5 in Missouri.](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/f4/5b/f45bd81e3c19ef7834ee66a07ee18690.jpg?itok=b83KxVht "Veronica "The Heartbreaker" Rothenhausler is an absolutely beastly striker. She is incredibly heavy-handed, as she earned four straight knockout victories.All four of her victories were first-round stoppages, and she needed just 72 seconds to dispose of Katalina Malungahu at Invicta FC 4.Rothenhausler fights Mollie Estes at Invicta FC 5, which is slated for Apr. 5 in Missouri.")
![Michelle Waterson more than lives up to her "Karate Hottie" moniker, as she has a beautiful appearance to go along with serious fighting skills.Waterson, a 27-year-old atomweight, has appeared in countless magazine spreads, music videos and online articles. She fights Jessica Penne for the Invicta FC atomweight title on Apr. 5 in Kansas City, Missouri.](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/81/3d/813dddcc6b013d625418aab4b58067fb.jpg?itok=m6fZW1es "Michelle Waterson more than lives up to her "Karate Hottie" moniker, as she has a beautiful appearance to go along with serious fighting skills.Waterson, a 27-year-old atomweight, has appeared in countless magazine spreads, music videos and online articles. She fights Jessica Penne for the Invicta FC atomweight title on Apr. 5 in Kansas City, Missouri.")
![Paige "12 Gauge" VanZant, an 18-year-old strawweight, is easily one of the sexiest female fighters in the world.However, she has the talent inside the cage to back up her beautiful appearance. VanZant has defeated top-notch competitors like Jordan Nicole Gaza, Morgan Hunter and Amber Stautzenberger.No word yet on when this teenage heartthrob will be returning to action with Invicta FC.](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/f6/3e/f63efdfda6f1f97c02c57205d04f17e0.jpg?itok=t5fC8EMo "Paige "12 Gauge" VanZant, an 18-year-old strawweight, is easily one of the sexiest female fighters in the world.However, she has the talent inside the cage to back up her beautiful appearance. VanZant has defeated top-notch competitors like Jordan Nicole Gaza, Morgan Hunter and Amber Stautzenberger.No word yet on when this teenage heartthrob will be returning to action with Invicta FC.")
![Bec "Rowdy" Hyatt gets the nod for No. 1 most marketable Invicta FC fighter because her gritty performance against Carla Esparza at Invicta FC 4, made her an instant international superstar.Hyatt notched over 27,000 "likes" on her official Facebook fan page, and her Twitter follower total is inching close to the 6k mark.Hyatt is slated to fight Jasminka Cive on Apr. 5 at Invicta FC 5.](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/84/e7/84e78c7758aed177c1a82fd430fe4c3f.jpg?itok=EvDZqJkd "Bec "Rowdy" Hyatt gets the nod for No. 1 most marketable Invicta FC fighter because her gritty performance against Carla Esparza at Invicta FC 4, made her an instant international superstar.Hyatt notched over 27,000 "likes" on her official Facebook fan page, and her Twitter follower total is inching close to the 6k mark.Hyatt is slated to fight Jasminka Cive on Apr. 5 at Invicta FC 5.")
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