Carla Esparza encara Bec Hyatt pelo cinturão até 52kg (115 libras). Fotos: Esther Lin/Invicta Fighting Championships

Evento de MMA exclusivo para mulheres, o Invicta FC 4 será realizado neste sábado, em Kansas City, no estado americano do Kansas.

Na quarta edição do torneio, 13 combates agitam o cage e entre os destaques está Carla Esparza, que faz a luta principal contra Bec Hyatt, pelo título até 52kg.

A californiana Carla, 25 anos, tem oito vitórias em dez duelos na carreira e vem embalada com dois nocautes seguidos sobre Sarah Schneider e Lynn Alvarez. A ex-lutadora do Bellator mostrou um pouco de sua academia para a equipe do GRACIEMAG.com, como você vê no vídeo abaixo.

As brasileiras Amanda Nunes e Ediane “Índia” Gomes também estão no card, e vão enfrentar Sarah D´Alelio e Hiroko Yamanaka respectivamente.

Rival de Kyra Gracie na Jiu-Jitsu Expo 2012, Alexis Davis finge que atira em Shayna Baszler.

Invicta FC 4
Kansas City, Estados Unidos
5 de janeiro de 2013

Carla Esparza vs Bec Hyatt
Shayna Baszler vs Alexis Davis
Raquel Pennington vs Leslie Smith
Sarah D’Alelio vs Amanda Nunes
Ediane Gomes vs Hiroko Yamanaka
Joanne Calderwood vs Livia Von Plettenberg
Stephanie Frausto vs Cassie Rodish
Amanda Bell vs Tamikka Brents
Jodie Esquibel vs Liz McCarthy
Emily Kagan vs Rose Namajunas
Tecia Torres vs Paige VanZant
Katalina Malungahu vs Veronica Rothenhausler
Cassie Robb vs Laura Sanko

Melendez in action against Jorge Masvidal / Photo: Esther Lin

The 2011 Strikeforce season came to a close this Saturday in San Diego, California, and there was plenty of action on display.

Cris Cyborg was merciless against Hiroko Yamanaka in defending her middleweight strap. The Brazilian knocked her Japanese challenger just 16 seconds into the fight, thus maintaining her number-one status.

“It’s incredible. I love fighting, love training, and I want to fight more. I’m grateful to Strikeforce for the opportunity, and this is a Christmas present for you,” said Cyborg after the fight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LArl8xAHTZo

In the main event of the evening, Gilbert Melendez defended his lightweight title against Jorge Masvidal. Melendez who trains under black belt Cesar Gracie, dominated the action throughout their five-round affar, winning a unanimous decision that ups his chances of departing for the UFC.

Now Gegard Mousasi took on Haiti’s Ovince Saint-Preux and nearly sealed the deal in the opening round. Mousasi went lukewarm in the rounds that followed, however, but still managed to eke out the unanimous decision. The same went for K.J. Noons’s encounter with Billy Evangelista, which Noons took by decision after an evenly-matched three rounds.

The standout from the under card was Roger Bowling, who needed just 42 seconds to lay out Jerron Peoples with strikes, while Caros Fodor was even quicker still, knocking out Justin Wilcox in just 13.

Check out the complete results:

Strikeforce Melendez vs Masvidal
San Diego, USA
December 17, 2011

Gilbert Melendez defeated Jorge Masvidal via unanimous decision;
Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos defeated Hiroko Yamanaka via KO in R1;
Gegard Mousasi defeated Ovince St. Preux via unanimous decision;
K.J. Noons defeated Billy Evangelista via unanimous decision;
Caros Fodor defeated Justin Wilcox via KO in R1;
Roger Bowling defeated Jerron Peoples via KO in R1;
Devin Cole defeated Gabriel Salinas-Jones via unanimous decision;
Eddie Mendez defeated Fernando Gonzalez via split decision;
Herman Terrado submitted Chris Brown via armbar in R3.

Confira tudo nas imagens de Esther Lin:

[flickr set=72157628468204003]

Cris Cyborg to defend belt / Photo: Esther Lin

This Saturday, Strikeforce will be bringing the 2011 season to a close in San Diego, California. In the evening’s main event, Gilbert Melendez will defend his lightweight crown against Jorge Masvidal.

Melendez, black belt Cesar Gracie’s trusty sidekick, has his eyes on a UFC contract. Now Masvidal has 22 wins in 28 career fights.

I think it’s inevitable I’m heading there [to the UFC]. I’m an entertaining fighter, I put on good shows and they see that. I’m just really happy that they’re recognizing me. Any time Dana White mentions my name it’s awesome,” Melendez told MMAWeekly.com.

Now Cris Cyborg will be putting her welterweight belt on the line against Japan’s Hiroko Yamanaka. The Brazilian is coming off a 10-fight win streak, while Hiroko hasn’t tasted defeat since 2008.

In other match-ups on the card, Gegard Mousasi takes on Haiti’s Ovince Saint-Preuxe, and KJ Noons squares off with Billy Evangelista.

Check out the card:

Strikeforce Melendez vs Masvidal
San Diego, USA
December 17, 2011

Gilbert Melendez vs Jorge Masvidal
Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos vs Hiroko Yamanaka
Gegard Mousasi vs Ovince St. Preux
K.J. Noons vs Billy Evangelista
Justin Wilcox vs Caros Fodor
Roger Bowling vs Jerron Peoples
Devin Cole vs Gabriel Salinas-Jones
Fernando Gonzalez vs Eddie Mendez
Herman Terrado vs Chris Brown

Cris Cyborg defende o cinturão. Foto: Esther Lin.

O Strikeforce encerra a sua temporada em 2011, neste sábado, em San Diego, Estados Unidos. O cercado cinza recebe como luta principal o duelo válido pelo cinturão da categoria leve, entre o campeão Gilbert Melendez e o desafiante Jorge Masvidal.

Melendez é o fiel escudeiro do faixa-preta Cesar Gracie e está prestes a acertar contrato com o UFC. Já Masvidal tem 22 vitórias em 28 lutas na carreira.

“Eu acho que é inevitável, que eu estou indo para lá (para o UFC). Eu sou um lutador de entretenimento, eu faço boas lutas e eles vêem isso. Estou muito feliz que eles estão me reconhecendo. A qualquer momento, Dana White mencionará meu nome”, disse Melendez ao site MMAWeekly.

Já Cris Cyborg coloca o cinturão dos meio-médios em jogo contra a japonesa Hiroko Yamanaka. A brasileira vem numa sequência de 10 triunfos e Hiroko não sente o gosto amargo da derrota desde 2008.

Nas outras lutas, destaque para Gegard Mousasi que encara o haitiano Ovince St. Preux e KJ Noons, que mede forças contra Billy Evangelista.

Confira o card:

Strikeforce Melendez vs Masvidal
San Diego, Estados Unidos
17 de dezembro de 2011

Gilbert Melendez vs Jorge Masvidal
Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos vs Hiroko Yamanaka
Gegard Mousasi vs Ovince St. Preux
K.J. Noons vs Billy Evangelista
Justin Wilcox vs Caros Fodor
Roger Bowling vs Jerron Peoples
Devin Cole vs Gabriel Salinas-Jones
Fernando Gonzalez vs Eddie Mendez
Herman Terrado vs Chris Brown