Women’s MMA Report: Namajunas vs. VanZant (and loss of hair), Daly shines at home

Paige VanZant

Two of the UFC’s fastest rising strawweight stars will collide in a pivotal main event matchup on Dec. 10 at “UFC Fight Night 80: Namajunas vs. VanZant” in Las Vegas. “Th Ultimate Fighter 20” finalist Rose Namajunas squares off against popular prospect Paige VanZant, and both fighters made headlines this past weekend for actions outside of the cage.

Namajunas (3-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) followed up on her successful tenure with Invicta FC by submitting Alex Chambers, Joanne Calderwood and Randa Markos in succession to advance to the “TUF 20” tournament final this past December. Her title hopes were dashed by Carla Esparza, but Namajunas’ performance on the show established her as a top strawweight contender in spite of her limited professional experience. She returned to the octagon on Oct. 3 and easily submitted fellow “TUF 20” cast member Angela Hill at UFC 192, and now steps into the bout with VanZant in place of an injured Calderwood.

VanZant (6-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) has thus far spent most of her MMA career fighting to prove doubters wrong. Her path to the UFC initially hit a roadblock when she was pulled from the “TUF 20” roster due to her young age, but she earned a thrilling TKO victory in her UFC debut this past November and subsequently became one of the first UFC athletes to receive a Reebok sponsorship. In April, VanZant secured her biggest victory to date when she dominated veteran Felice Herrig at UFC on FOX 15, and she most recently submitted an overmatched Chambers in their main card bout at UFC 191 in September.

The bout between Namajunas and VanZant will propel the winner into strawweight title contention. During training for the important fight, Namajunas encountered an obstacle in the form of her own long hair. She shaved her head this past weekend, which quickly prompted VanZant to pledge to do the same if her fans can raise $10,000 for cancer research by Oct. 16.

In addition to the Namajunas-VanZant headliner, UFC Fight Night 80 also features a previously announced women’s strawweight bout between Kailin Curran and Emily Kagan.

Ireland rallies behind Daly following key UFC victory

Competing in front of a partisan hometown crowd in Dublin, Ireland, strawweight standout Aisling Daly picked up her second UFC victory on Oct. 24 at “UFC Fight Night 76: Holohan vs. Smolka.” The card underwent a number of late changes due to untimely injuries, which left some fans frustrated, but Daly was determined to put on a show in Dublin and she did just that by cruising to a unanimous-decision verdict over grappling specialist Ericka Almeida.

After receiving a thunderous reaction from the crowd, an amped Daly (16-6 MMA, 2-1 UFC) rushed forward and landed power punches that put Almeida (7-2 MMA, 0-2 UFC) on the defensive in Round 1, which later included a takedown and ground and pound from Daly.

The second round also started out well for Daly, who took Almeida down and threatened with an arm-triangle choke, but Almeida scrambled on the ground and she countered with a triangle choke that allowed her to transition to Daly’s back. She worked for a rear-naked choke, but Daly defended well until the bell.

While the middle stanza was a close one, Daly dominated Round 3. She rocked Almeida with punches in the opening seconds and dragged the Brazilian down to the mat. To the delight of the crowd, Daly dropped punches and elbows while standing over Almeida, and she finished the round strong by landing more right hands.

Scores were 30-27, 29-27 and 29-28 for Daly, who became one of the most talked-about Irish fighters on the card following her victory. Her lone UFC setback came in April when she was defeated by Randa Markos at UFC 186, and she remains a tough test for anyone in the UFC’s 115-pound women’s division.

Ansaroff vs. Kish booked for UFC 195

Nina Ansaroff

As the strawweight division continues to build momentum, matchmaker Sean Shelby has put together a 115-pound women’s matchup for “UFC 195: Lawler vs. Condit” on Jan. 2 in Las Vegas. Nina Ansaroff (6-4 MMA, 0-1 UFC) seeks her first UFC victory when she takes on “TUF 20” cast member Justine Kish (4-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC), who returns following a lengthy hiatus.

Ansaroff kicked off her UFC career this past November, but her debut was spoiled by a unanimous-decision loss to Brazilian contender Juliana Lima at UFC Fight Night 56. She had planned to return to the octagon in May against Namajunas, but a battle with the flu left Ansaroff unable to make weight and, ultimately, unable to compete. The bout with Namajunas was scrapped on event day, and Ansaroff now looks for redemption in January.

Kish built up a solid name for herself on the regional scene by winning each of her first four pro bouts, including a January 2014 victory over current UFC contender Randa Markos, and some felt that she would achieve great success on “TUF 20” this past year. Instead, an untimely knee injury ended Kish’s “TUF 20” run before it even began, and she was forced to the sidelines. Now fully recovered, Kish makes her UFC debut and hopes to keep her unbeaten record intact.

Berezikova, Anastasia victorious at EFN event in Russia

Julia Berezikova

Veteran flyweight contender Julia Berezikova (10-4) picked up an impressive second-round TKO victory on Oct. 23 at “Eurasia Fight Nights: St. Petersburg” in Russia. The talented Russian stopped Brazil’s Rosy Duarte (8-3) with punches and knees in the entertaining bout, which streamed live on UFC Fight Pass.

Berezikova repeatedly scored with right hands in the opening two minutes and rocked Duarte with a hard left hook. A bloodied Duarte survived a follow-up onslaught of punches and knees, but Berezikova continued to dominate the striking exchanges. Duarte eventually secured a takedown, but a quick standup from the referee left her with very little time to work.

In Round 2, Berezikova backed up Duarte with a counter combination and dropped her with a right hook. Duarte battled back to her feet, only to be overwhelmed by a barrage of punches and knees that prompted the referee to stop the fight at the 1:08 mark of the second round.

Berezikova has now won eight of her nine fights since August 2007, with the lone blemish coming in the form of a two-round decision loss to current UFC women’s strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk in mid-2013.

Earlier on the EFN card, flyweight prospect Anastasia Yankova (2-0) made short work of the debuting Chommanee Sor Taehiran (0-1). Yankova scored two takedowns in the opening minute, but the referee quickly brought the fighters back to their feet. Yankova stunned Taehiran with a body kick and took her down soon after. Taehiran escaped from an armbar and a triangle choke, but a second Yankova armbar forced Taehiran to submit at the 2:31 mark.

Kubota vs. Valentino, Garcia vs. Draughn set for Rizin

Four-time Shoot Boxing Girls S-Cup winner and reigning Shoot Boxing women’s flyweight champion Rena Kubota (0-0) is set to make her long-awaited MMA debut during next month’s three-day Rizin World Grand Prix event in Saitama, Japan. The popular and talented Kubota, who sports a 31-5-1 pro kickboxing and shoot boxing record, faces Italian kickboxer and fellow MMA debutant Jleana Valentino (0-0) in a 51-kilogram matchup.

Kubota is one of Japan’s most decorated female strikers, and she captured her fourth prestigious Girls S-Cup tournament title in August 2014 by defeating three opponents in one night. After racking up two more wins, Kubota headlined this year’s Girls S-Cup card and captured the promotion’s women’s flyweight (51-kilogram/112-pound) title by knocking out late replacement opponent Kane Chopirom. In preparation for her MMA debut, Kubota has been training alongside Invicta FC champion Ayaka Hamasaki at AACC in Tokyo.

Valentino enters next month’s clash with Kubota as a relative unknown, but she has racked up a number of impressive victories during her kickboxing career and is adept at using powerful kicks and knees to keep opponents on the defensive. Valentino’s ground game remains a complete mystery, however, and that may play a key factor in the bout with the heavily-favored Kubota.

Also confirmed for the Rizin World Grand Prix is a unique matchup between grappling world champion Gabi Garcia (0-0) and pro wrestler Seini Draughn (0-0), who is better known by her ring name of “Lei’D Tapa.” The bout is expected to be contested at 205 pounds.

Garcia is one of the world’s most accomplished female grapplers. She has won the Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC) championships on two occasions in the over-60kg division, and is also a nine-time IBJJF world jiu-jitsu champion, though her 2013 absolute division title was stripped when she tested positive for a fertility drug.

Draughn transitions to MMA following a four-year professional wrestling career that was highlighted by two stints with TNA Impact Wrestling in the U.S. The German-born Draughn also spent time competing in football prior to following in the footsteps of her father (WWF and WCW’s “The Barbarian”) by becoming a pro wrestler.

Both the Kubota-Valentino and Garcia-Draughn matchups are likely to take place on the final day of the Rizin World Grand Prix on Dec. 31. The event takes place at the famed Saitama Super Arena.

Quick results

Catchweight (97) – Satoko Shinashi (34-2-2) def. Hee Da Choi (0-1) via submission (rear-naked choke) at the 2:30 mark of Round 2 at “Deep: 73 Impact” on Oct. 17 in Tokyo.

Flyweight – Katarzyna Lubonska (3-0) def. Iren Racz (4-4) via submission (armbar) at the 2:04 mark of Round 1 at “Miedzychod Town Council: Fight Night 6” on Oct. 17 in Miedzychod, Poland.

Strawweight – Karine Silva (8-2) def. Bruna Rosso (0-1) via TKO (elbows) at the 3:28 mark of Round 2 at “Aspera Fighting Championship 25: Indio Brabo vs. Ribeiro” on Oct. 17 in Curitibanos, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

Flyweight – Ariane Lipski (5-3) def. Paula Vieira da Silva (3-3) via TKO (punches) at the 1:04 mark of Round 1 at Striker’s House Cup 55 on Oct. 17 in Curitiba, Parana, Brazil.

Strawweight – Also on the Striker’s House Cup 55 card, Anne Karoline Nascimento (5-5) def. Priscila Ferreira (3-2-1) via split decision.

Strawweight – Andrea Lugo (1-0) def. Stephanie Irurzo (0-1-1) via majority decision at Beat Down MMA 1 on Oct. 17 in Toluca, Mexico.

Flyweight – Montana Stewart (3-2) def. Katie Ross Scharmer (1-2) via submission (rear-naked choke) at the 2:41 mark of Round 2 at “Savage Entertainment: Oktoberfist 4” on Oct. 17 in Savage, Minn.

Strawweight – Danielle Taylor (6-1) def. Calie Cutler (4-2) via TKO (punches) at the 1:58 mark of Round 1 at “King of the Cage: Sinister Intentions” on Oct. 17 in Las Vegas.

Flyweight – Laura Salazar (4-1) def. Arlean Coleman (0-1) via submission (front choke) at the 1:36 mark of Round 1 at “Gladiator Challenge: California State Championship Series” on Oct. 17 in San Jacinto, Calif.

Bantamweight – Priscila de Souza (11-6) def. Luciana dos Passos Pereira (5-5-1) via KO (punches) at the 1:59 mark of Round 2 at “Shooto Brazil 58: Fight for BOPE 5” on Oct. 18 in Rio de Janeiro.

Strawweight – Also on the Shooto Brazil 58 card, Kakau Costa (2-3) def. Edivania Ailton (0-1) via unanimous decision.

Strawweight – Istela Nunes (1-0) def. Cynthia Candido (0-3) via KO (knees) at the 3:42 mark of Round 1 at “Parana Vale Tudo: Cascavel Top Fight 2” on Oct. 18 in Cascavel, Parana, Brazil.

Strawweight – Maria Oliveira Mota (1-1) def. Karina Heiss (0-1) via TKO (punches) at the 1:00 mark of Round 1.

Strawweight – Lindsay Garbatt (3-1) def. Valeria Mejia (1-2) via TKO (punches) at the 25-second mark of Round 3 at “Hard Knocks Fighting Championship: School of Hard Knocks 46” on Oct. 23 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Bantamweight – Eeva Siiskonen (4-3-1) def. Zaira Dyshekova (2-2) via majority decision at “Absolute Championship Berkut 24: Grand Prix Berkut 2015 Final” on Oct. 24 in Moscow.

Flyweight – Sylwia Juskiewicz (4-4) def. Klaudia Pawicka (0-1) via TKO (punches) at the 2:50 mark of Round 2 at “Incredible Fighting Night 1: Let’s Begin” on Oct. 24 in Czestochowa, Poland.

Flyweight – Kalindra Faria (16-5-1) def. Geisa Silva Sena (0-1) via TKO (punches) at the 3:07 mark of Round 1 at FEMMAESP Cup 1 on Oct. 24 in Sao Paulo.

Bantamweight – Amanda Oliveira de Lemos (4-0) def. Carolina Cunha (0-1) via submission (guillotine choke) at the 2:15 mark of Round 1 at Jungle Fight 82 on Oct. 24 in Sao Paulo.

Strawweight – Also on the Jungle Fight 82 card, Monique Bastos (1-3) def. Jennifer Gonzalez (2-2) via submission (triangle choke) at the 3:40 mark of Round 1.

Atomweight – Thaty Bergamaschi (5-0) def. Ana Beatriz Melo (1-3) via TKO (punches) at the 4:41 mark of Round 2 at New Corpore Extreme 2 on Oct. 24 in Rio de Janeiro.

In other action on the New Corpore Extreme 2 card, Paula Baack (2-4) def. Lohana Bahiense (0-1) via submission (rear-naked choke) at the 4:41 mark of Round 3 in a flyweight bout, and Nayara Hemily (2-3) def. Kakau Costa (2-3) via unanimous decision in strawweight action.

Catchweight (165) – Charmaine Tweet (7-5) def. Anna Barone (2-5) via TKO (retirement) at the 3:41 mark of Round 1 at “Prestige Fight Club 1: Atonement” on Oct. 24 in Weyburn, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Flyweight – Jin Tang (23-7-3) def. Mara Romero Borella (6-4) via TKO (punches) in Round 1 at Kunlun Fight 33 on Oct. 31 in Changde, Hunan, China.

Catchweight (128) – Juliete de Souza Silva (4-2) def. Denise Kielholtz (0-1) via submission (armbar) in Round 1 at Torarica Summer Fights 1 on Oct. 31 in Paramaribo, Suriname.

Flyweight – Jacquelline Santana (2-1) def. Wellen Taynara Sobrinho (0-4) via TKO (punches) in Round 2 at Jump Fight Show 1 on Oct. 31 in Brusque, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

Flyweight – Katlyn Chookagian (5-0) def. Sijara Eubanks (1-1) via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) at “CFFC 52: Horcher vs. Regman” on Oct. 31 in Atlantic City, N.J.

MMAjunkie.com publishes the Women’s MMA Report every few weeks. Its author, Robert Sargent, is a veteran MMA journalist who also runs MMARising.com. Feel free to email us at news [AT] mmajunkie.com with any questions, news tips or suggestions.