The actual fights during ‘International Fight Week’ are going to expand beyond just the weekend, as Invicta FC 13 will kick everything off on Thursday night. The seven-fight card will be airing on UFC Fight Pass starting at 11pm ET and features three title bouts at the top of the event. The main event features the second biggest star in women’s MMA, as Cristiane ‘Cyborg’ Justino defends her featherweight belt against Faith Van Duin. ‘Cyborg’ will be celebrating her 30th birthday on fight day, and extending her winning streak to 14 bouts and nearly 10 years would be quite the present. Van Duin has only competed once in Invicta, picking up a second round submission over Amanda Bell at Invicta 12. Prior to that she boasted a 4-1 record from the Australian regional scene, which mostly consisted of winning an eight-woman, one-night tournament in 2013. The co-main event will determine a champion in the bantamweight division, which has primarily served as a feeder to the UFC’s division at the same weight. If Tonya Evinger captures the belt, she may be the only woman who decides to stay with Invicta rather than making the jump. Her opponent Irene Aldana will almost certainly move to the UFC, as she could be a key part in their Mexican expansion moving forward. Both women are undefeated in Invicta, but picked up losses in their most recent forays outside of the organization. Herica Tiburcio’s atomweight title is the third belt on the line, and perhaps it could serve the champion well to lose the belt, as both her predecessors (Jessica Penne and Michelle Waterson) have moved on to the UFC after dropping the strap. Her challenger Ayaka Hamasaki will do her best to make that a reality, and erase some of the memories of her other Invicta appearance, a drubbing at the hands of Claudia Gadelha. MMA oddsmaker Nick Kalikas opened the betting lines for these three title fights along with the other four Invicta FC 13 bouts today at Several Bookmakers. Check them out below: ——————– MAIN CARD (UFC Fight Pass, 11pm ET) Invicta Featherweight Title Cristiane Justino -2150 Faith Van Duin +1050 Invicta Bantamweight Title Irene Aldana -120 Tonya Evinger -120 Invicta Atomweight Title Herica Tiburcio -180 Ayaka Hamasaki +140 Pannie Kianzad -505 Jessy Rose-Clark +335 Catherine Costigan -160 Amber Brown +120 Jamie Moyle -265 Amy Montenegro +185 Marina Shafir -300 Amber Leibrock +220 ——————– Brad’s Analysis: With all of the other fights going on this week, this card has not been at the top of my priority list, so I know very little about a few of these fighters. Some of the fights, you really don’t need to know. For instance, the main event. Faith Van Duin is going to get smashed. If you’re losing to .500 fighters on the Australian regional circuit, chances are you’re not going to hold up particularly well against ‘Cyborg’. It’s been over five years since the champion has been less than a -1000 favorite in a fight, and this one should go no differently than most. If there’s anything to bet on this fight, it will be the assumption that Van Duin isn’t as durable as Coenen or Finney, and ‘Cyborg’ gets her out of there before the fight hits the 1.5 mark. From what we’ve seen of these two women, Tonya Evinger is more well-rounded than Irene Aldana, but the Mexican has the edge on the feet (despite her last two wins coming via first round submission). I think that Aldana is able to put some punches together on the feet and force Evinger into some sloppy grappling exchanges, where she’s been vulnerable to submissions in the past. Aldana will have to capitalize and put her away early though, as I think Evinger has the cardio edge, and could wear Aldana down much like Larissa Pacheco did in Aldana’s only career loss. The third title fight should be an interesting match between a pair of grapplers. Both women have lost to Claudia Gadelha in the past, but largely been successful otherwise. Tiburcio has an advantage with her youth, as she should still be improving at just 23, while Hamasaki has likely peaked already at 33. I think Tiburcio may also have a slight cardio edge, which will likely play a role as I expect this bout to go into the championship rounds. I do lean slightly towards the champ to retain, but can’t see myself laying the type of price required to bet her. As far as the other fights go: -Pannie Kianzad should roll. -I think Amber Brown has upset potential against the hyped Catherine Costigan who has yet to beat anyone of note. -I really know nothing about either Moyle or Montenegro. -It always seems like a good idea to bet against Ronda Rousey’s friends.
