Published on October 7th, 2012 | by McKinley Noble
0Invicta FC 3: Looking At The Big Picture
Invicta FC 3 is in the books, so it’s time to look at the big picture.
There’s going to be a lot of movement in the rankings, but here’s three major themes to think about now.
Welcome to The Top, Jessica Penne
Atomweight division leader Naho Sugiyama put up a good fight at Invicta FC 3, but she was doomed as soon as Penne pulled high guard from her back.
With an amazing triangle set-up, Penne made history for women’s MMA in two ways. Not only is she the first belt-holder and champion in Invicta FC, but she also defeated the only remaining Japanese fighter to claim a #1 spot in an MMA weight class.
Penne’s long limbs and dangerous ground game are going to make her tough for anyone to beat, and with most Japanese atomweights below Sugiyama’s talent level, it’ll be interesting to see who will challenge for that belt first.
Tara LaRosa’s Major Fall
Unranked but extremely seasoned Vanessa Porto made LaRosa look out of her element, and it’s more troubling that the normally-dominant former flyweight kingpin looked so slow and out of shape.
If LaRosa missed weight twice in 2012, she’ll either need to rededicate herself to training or start thinking about how much longer she wants to do this. She’s a pioneer in women’s MMA, but at 34-years-old, how much time does she have left on the clock?
Jessamyn Duke: Bantamweight Darkhorse?
Based on size alone, Jessamyn Duke will be an interesting prospect in the 135-pound division.
Her fight I.Q. needs some work (taking out your mouthpiece to complain about hair-pulling is an awful idea), but she’s proven herself to be extremely vicious in a grappling exchange. As soon as opponent Marciea Allen started to land some hard shots from guard, Duke hulked out and snapped up an armbar with almost scary precision.
Standing at a massive 5’11″ in height, it’ll be interesting to see how the AFS MMA Academy giant fairs against more experienced fighters on the pro circuit. She’s young, so she’ll likely have plenty of time to develop into something truly fearsome.
[Header image courtesy of The MMA Corner]
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