Despite late changes, Crowbar MMA: “Fall Brawl” will still move ahead with two women’s bouts on September 11th. Wand Fight Team representative Michele “Diablita” Gutierrez will battle 12-fight veteran Tammie Schneider, while SNMMA Women’s Flyweight Champion Catia “Cat Woman” Vitoria takes on American Top Team’s Nina Ansaroff in Ansaroff’s pro debut.
Gutierrez was initially set to square off with Shimone Brooks, but now faces Schneider in a 120-pound bout. Vitoria and Ansaroff will compete at 125 pounds in a replacement fight for Kaitlin Young vs Liz Carmouche.
Gutierrez (2-1-0), who is also a teammate of Vitoria’s as part of The Vixen Crew in Las Vegas, made her pro debut last November in a losing effort against fellow striker Felice Herrig. She rebounded with a 17-second stoppage of Amy Stacey in May and defeated Cassie Roddish ten days ago on August 14th. The Muay Thai specialist will give up a significant experience edge to Schneider (3-9-0), but holds a decided advantage in striking ability. Schneider has faced high-level opposition in nearly every one of her fights and all nine losses have come against notable opponents, but she has dropped four straight fights and will have all she can handle against Gutierrez.
Vitoria (2-1-0) became an overnight sensation in April after she stopped the previously unbeaten Elena “Babydoll” Reid in the third round of a Sovereign Nations Women’s Flyweight Championship bout. Even more impressively, Vitoria had just made her pro debut two weeks earlier and entered the title fight on extremely short notice. She suffered her first loss in a June bout with Bellator standout Jessica “Jag” Aguilar, but now looks to rebound against American Top Team’s Ansaroff (0-0-0), who was 2-0 as an amateur. Ansaroff’s two amateur victories both came by way of stoppage due to strikes, but she has not fought since April 24, 2009 and ring rust could definitely be a factor.
Crowbar MMA: “Fall Brawl” takes place on September 11th at the Urban Plains Center in Fargo, North Dakota. The event is headlined by a middleweight bout between UFC veteran Jesse “Kid Hercules” Forbes and Anthony “Lionheart” Smith. TUF 10 alum Zak Jensen faces Zach Thumb in a featured heavyweight bout, while 29-fight veteran Matt Delanoit battles Jos Eichelberger in welterweight action.
(Photo Credit: WomenBoxing.com)