Analysis of Invicta FC 23

After announcing two more matches yesterday, I am going to do my usual analysis of Invicta FC 23 which will happen May 20 in Kansas City. It will air on  UFC Fight Pass. There are no championship matches on the show. So that automatically weakens the main card. The main event has been announced as Brazilian Vanessa Porto vs Agnieszka Niedzwiedz from Poland. Look, they are both decent fighters. Vanessa has been around a long time. But neither belongs at the top of any card. Vanessa is 18-7. The last time we saw her she lost an Invicta Flyweight Championship match to Jennifer Maia Mar. 2016. Agnieszka is from Karakow, Poland. Her record is 9-0. She has had one fight in Invicta so I know I have seen her fight. But I can't remember her. That's not a good sign. I looked at her record and competition level of her opponents and it's not good enough. I could see her being high on a KSW show in Poland but not here. I don't have a problem with the fight but it doesn't qualify as a main event. The co-main event has Roxanne Modafferi vs Sarah D'Alelio in a Flyweight match. I like this a little better as a main event just because of Roxanne's popularity maybe against a different opponent because I don't care much for Sarah. Meanwhile, the Flyweight champ Jennifer Maia hasn't fought since September so I guess that's the real problem. In the other main card matches, former Invicta Atomweight champ Herica Tiburcio will face Tessa Simpson. I don't think Tessa is experienced enough for the main card. She's from Austin, TX and her record is 5-1. In her one Invicta appearance, she beat the overrated Simona Soukupova. Also Herica beat Simona last time she was in Invicta. I want to see Herica face a more experienced fighter. Tessa should be in the prelims. In the other main card fight, Elizabeth Phillips will face Kelly Faszholz in a Bantamweight fight. Of course both are former UFC fighters. But the last time we saw Elizabeth, she was KOd by Leah Letson on the Jan. 14 Invicta show and then given a 60 day medical suspension. Instead she fought on Feb. 3 for ExciteFight in her home state of Washington. She was able to do this because the show was on a Native American casino which is not under the oversight of the Washington AC. And she has fought for that promotion several times so she's pals with them. With that behaviour in her recent past, why does the Missouri AC approve her to fight. And to put on my promoter's hat for a moment, I wouldn't book a fighter who ignores medical suspensions. That's unprofessional behaviour. I dunno what Invicta is thinking. There are plenty of other fish in the sea. Kelly went 0-2 in the UFC. She looked OK in her first fight but not in her second fight. And just because a fighter had a cup of coffee in the UFC doesn't mean Invicta should automatically sign her. Some need to go back to regional promotions. Let's get to the prelims. In a Flyweight bout, Andrea Lee will face Liz Tracy. I have seen enough of Andrea that she belongs on the main card. Liz is an Invicta newcomer so it seems like a step down. Liz trains at Team Oyama in California. Her record is 3-1 and she won her last couple of fights in Super Fight League. Puzzling matchmaking. Tiffany Van Soest will face Christine Ferea in a Strawweight bout. Of course Tiffany is an elite kickboxer but that doesn't mean she will be good at MMA. She lost her Invicta debut to Kal Holiday and now she's getting another chance. Christine won her Invicta debut over Rachael Ostovich. That's the girl who wears the Wonder Woman gear but she's not a very good fighter. Two matches were added yesterday. In a Welterweight bout, Brazilian veteran Ediane Gomes will face Pam Sorenson. Ediane is a veteran who has fought at 135 and 145. I think she prefers 145. She was supposed to fight in Invicta last year but she missed weight. These days she trains at American Top Team in Florida. Who doesn't? She might look at Welterweight as a route to the UFC. I don't think she's good enough. Pam won her Invicta debut over Aussie Jessy Jess Clark. This is her pro Welterweight debut. All her pro fights have been at Bantamweight. I think she may be looking at Welterweight as a route to the UFC as well. Pam is from Minneapolis and her record is 5-1. And in a Bantamweight bout Shaianna Rincon will face Brooksie Bayard. Shaianna is making her pro debut. She has a 4-0 amateur record. Brooksie is 1-1 as a pro making her Invicta debut. Both fighters are from California. Again, I think this show has a weak main event and it might affect ticket sales.