Recent flyweight title challenger Vanessa Porto looks to get back into the championship hunt when she competes at Invicta Fighting Championships 7 on December 7th in Kansas City, Missouri. Porto is set to face off against former Bellator champion Zoila “The Warrior Princess” Frausto Gurgel.
Invicta FC officials announced the 125-pound bout today. Porto earned a shot at the vacant Invicta FC flyweight title by defeating Tara LaRosa in October, but dropped a decision to Barb “Little Warrior” Honchak at Invicta FC 5. Frausto Gurgel looks to rebound from a loss in her Invicta FC debut.
Porto (15-6-0) has been fighting professionally since February 2005 and the long-time Brazilian standout has battled many of MMA’s best female fighters. In March 2012, Porto became the inaugural Pink Fight 132-pound champion when she knocked out Luana Teixeira in 41 seconds. Having won 13 of her past 15 fights, Porto signed with Invicta FC. A submission loss to Sarah “The Monster” D’Alelio at Invicta FC 2 prompted Porto to make the move down to 125 pounds, and she dominated LaRosa in a lopsided fight. Porto’s bid to capture Invicta FC gold then ended in a close decision loss to Honchak in April.
Frausto Gurgel (12-3-0) won her first five fights before falling to current UFC star Miesha “Cupcake” Tate in Strikeforce. Following the bantamweight loss, Frausto Gurgel defeated Michelle “T-Cat” Ould and Rosi “The Surgeon” Sexton at 125 and 121 pounds, respectively. She then endured drastic weight cuts in order to compete in the Bellator 115-pound women’s tournament and became the promotion’s first female champion by winning three straight fights. Frausto Gurgel has fought sparingly in recent years due to a torn ACL and she dropped a Unanimous Decision to Jennifer Maia at Invicta FC 5.
With Porto eyeing a second shot at the Invicta FC Flyweight Championship and Frausto Gurgel looking to once again establish herself as one of the sport’s premier female fighters, the bout in December could be a pivotal one for the future of the Invicta FC flyweight division.
Invicta Fighting Championships 7 takes place on December 7th at Ameristar Casino Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri.
Invicta Fighting Championships 7 Fight Card (to date; subject to change):
– Barb “Little Warrior” Honchak vs Leslie “The Peacemaker” Smith [Invicta FC Flyweight Title]
– Carla “Cookie Monster” Esparza vs Claudia “Claudinha” Gadelha [Invicta FC Strawweight Title]
– Lauren Murphy vs “The Queen of Mean” Miriam Nakamoto [Invicta FC Bantamweight Title]
– Felice “Lil’ Bulldog” Herrig vs Tecia “The Tiny Tornado” Torres
– Joanne “JoJo” Calderwood vs Katja “Killer Bunny” Kankaanpää
– Julia “The Jewel” Budd vs Charmaine “Not So Sweet” Tweet
– Vanessa Porto vs Zoila “The Warrior Princess” Frausto Gurgel
– Kelly “Blood Red” Kobold vs Tonya “Triple Threat” Evinger
– Munah “The Perfect Storm” Holland vs Nina “The Strina” Ansaroff
(Photo Credit: Esther Lin, AllElbows.com / InvictaFC.com)