March is Women’s History Month. Throughout history, there have been many strong women, none stronger than those contracted to MMA promotions, including Invicta Fighting Championships (Invicta FC.)
This Wednesday, your MMA weekend kicks off a little earlier than normal when the women’s MMA promotion returns to present its second fight night of the year, Invicta FC 52. Live coverage of Wednesday night’s card begins at 9 pm ET/ 6 pm PT from ReelWorks in Denver. It is the third straight card from the promotion to be held in Denver.
Back in January, ReelWorks played host to Invicta FC 51, where Talita Bernardo (10-4 MMA, 3-0 Invicta) defeated Taneisha Tennant (5-2 MMA, 4-1 Invicta) in the main event, after Ketlen Souza (13-3 MMA, 2-0 Invicta) bested Kristina Williams (6-4 MMA, 2-1 Invicta) in the co-main event.
As always, the Invicta event will be aired via AXS TV on linear television and streamed on the Invicta FC YouTube channel and Facebook. The card is predicated on fights in the 115-lb. division.
Strawweight Championship At Stake in Invicta FC 52 Main Event Wednesday Night
Out of the seven fights currently scheduled to take place on Wednesday evening, five will be strawweight confrontations, including a battle for supremacy in the Invicta FC 52 main event. Current Invicta FC Strawweight Champion Valesca Machado (12-3, 1 NC MMA, 3-0 Invicta) defends her title for the first time when she takes on challenger Danni McCormack (6-1 MMA, 4-1 Invicta.)
As usual with title fights in most MMA promotions, the Invicta FC 52 main event will be an advertised five rounds at five minutes per round to close the activities for the evening.
Invicta FC 52 Main Event Fighter Comparison and Betting Odds
Going into Wednesday night’s headliner, Danni McCormack stands as the taller gladiator at 5-foot-4, compared to the 5-foot-2 frame of titleholder Valesca Machado. Machado, however, owns a two-inch reach advantage (63 1/2 inches to 61 1/2 inches) over McCormack.
As of Monday afternoon, the oddsmakers currently have Valesca Machado installed as the second biggest favorite on the card at -500, with Danni McCormack countering as a +375 underdog. If you plan on betting on this or any other fight happening this week, please wager responsibly.
Machado Looking to Extend Winning Streak to Five in Invicta FC 52 Main Event
Valesca Machado has posted a record of 4-1 in her last five MMA fights and is currently on a four-fight winning streak. On Nov. 16, she fought and won twice in the same night as part of a strawweight championship tournament during the landmark Invicta FC 50 in Denver.
During the tournament semifinal, she scored a split decision victory against Ediana Silva (5-3 MMA, 0-1 Invicta), following it up a short while later with a unanimous decision win versus Karolina Wojcik (10-3 MMA, 1-1 Invicta) in the final to claim the then-vacant Invicta FC Strawweight Championship. Had the bracket played out a different way than what actually happened last fall, we could have been watching a championship rematch on Wednesday night.
Danni McCormack was one of the contenders vying for the 115-lb. strap in the tournament a week before Thanksgiving as an alternate who would have progressed through if a contestant was forced to drop out of the field on fight night, but it was rendered moot since no one had to withdraw.
Can Machado win her fifth in a row on Wednesday in the Invicta FC 52 main event? Tune in and find out.
Danni McCormack Ready to Go Against Machado
In the other corner, Danni McCormack, an alum of Bellator MMA, has gone 3-2 in her last five appearances. As previously mentioned, she entered the Nov. 16 straw-weight tournament as an alternate, winning (unanimous decision) versus Maira Mazar (8-6 MMA, 0-1 Invicta).
The challenger took time out from her training camp to be interviewed by SevereMMA’s Ian O’Neill, during which she mentioned that a strawweight championship bid was her endgame since last fall.
“I had a fair idea I had a good chance at getting the title shot from November,” McCormack began. “Straight after the fight in November, I went straight up to (Invicta FC President) Shannon (Knapp) and said to her, ‘Can I have the title shot now after that performance?’, and she said, ‘I can’t see why not.’
For several months, Danni McCormack has been waiting for this chance at a strap. Come Wednesday night, two days before St. Patrick’s Day, she gets her shot. Will Irish eyes be smiling on McCormack, whose camp is based out of Ireland?
Analysis, Film Study, and Prediction
Stylistically, the Invicta FC 52 main event on Wednesday night looks to be a toss-up. Both of these women have been known to score the stoppage. Thus, it stands to reason that the first significant strike of the contest might be the only significant strike of the contest.
Valesca Machado Can Get the Job Done in A Hurry
Although a Valesca Machado knockout has accounted for just one-third of her total victories in MMA, when it’s happened, it can be an amazing thing to watch. She faced Janaina Soares in 2019, and although the fight was slated to be three rounds at five minutes each, Machado only needed 60 blistering seconds to write an exclamation point that night.
Machado quickly got to work by landing a two-punch combination. Even though Soares was able to respond with strikes of her own, Machado took all the momentum for herself by landing a barrage of strikes up against the cage fence. The match referee almost wasn’t quick enough to call a halt to the proceedings and rule it a standing TKO for Machado.
If Valesca Machado is able to land copious punches, you can expect the night at the office to be a quick one for her. The Invicta FC 52 main event may be finished before you have a chance to open up that can of cola.
Danni McCormack Can Also Knock Someone Out
In the other corner, it might have only happened once in her professional MMA life, but don’t let it fool you: Danni McCormack can also strike with the best of them and get the knockout. On the Bellator 275 undercard, she faced Audrey Kerouche.
Deep into the third and final round, McCormack, who had been landing ground and pound shots earlier on in the fight and was in complete control throughout the third period, postured up and landed an unending flurry of punches to the face from the top mount.
Kerouche had absolutely no chance to even try and answer the strikes. Referee Kevin Macdonald mercifully stepped in and ended the fight with a minute and two seconds remaining.
All Danni McCormack has to do to take the Invicta FC Strawweight Championship in the Invicta FC 52 main event on Wednesday night is take Machado down and secure top mount. From there, she can rain down ground and pound shots and get the W.
Final Thoughts
With the Invicta FC 52 main event being the lone title fight on the docket this Wednesday, your mission, should you choose to accept it, is simple: Sit down and watch the fight. It’s going to be an amazing battle.
Prediction: Valesca Machado by Unanimous Decision.
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