Invicta FC’s sixth event just got some New Mexico flavor added to the July 13th fight card and it comes in way of Jackson-Winklejohn fighter Norma Rueda Center (2-0).
The 115-pound Strawweight fighter will be a late replacement to fight in the place of Sarah Schneider (6-6) to pair up with undefeated Joanne Calderwood (6-0). This will be the second replacement for Calderwood as she has seen the injury bug nearly derail her Invicta 6 fight for weeks.
Fight fans should recognize Center as one of the most successful amateur WMMA fighters in our state. Center went perfect with five wins as an amateur spanning a two-year span. In that time, she showed her versatility in the forms of victories by decision, technical knockout and submission.
As a professional, Center has gone 2-0 in her two-month professional career with fights in March and May. In March, she took a hard fought decision over Reign MMA standout Rachael Cummins and she followed up in May with an armbar finish of Olga Otero in Juarez, Mexico. Both of her professional opponents have been heavier then Center as Cummins and Otero were 125-pounds and 135-pound fighters respectively.
The 25-year old Center will now fight at her best suited weight class and will undoubtedly be a strong Strawweight. Opposing her, Scotland’s “JoJo” Calderwood is a two-fight veteran of Invicta FC and has shown her strength to be in the form of powerful striking as she has finished four of six opponents with strikes. Her victory over Ashley Cummins at Invicta 3 came after Calderwood landing a brutal knee to the body that immediately grounded Cummins.
This will be an incredible match up between two ultra talented young women with unblemished records. Since Calderwood is an established named within the biggest organization for Women’s MMA, the fight is a huge opportunity for Center now that she will have the opportunity to use Calderwood’s status in the organization to make a name for herself. A win over Calderwood almost assuredly pencils her name into more Invicta match ups and while this is the premier stop for all WMMA fighters, it is also the launching pad to eventually take the walk into the UFC’s octagon.
Center undoubtedly will be able to showcase that patented technical stand up arsenal that the women out of the Jackson-Winklejohn camp possess. With teammates like Julie Kedzie, Sarah Kaufman and Michelle Waterson, it will come as no surprise to see Center place her name firmly alongside her counterparts within talks of reputable MMA fighters coming out of Albuquerque. Center is also very crafty on the ground much like Waterson, as she will hunt out submissions when on the ground.
Invicta FC 6 takes place July 13 at Ameristar Casino Hotel in Kansas City, Mo. The event airs via regular pay-per-view in North America, and international viewers can watch via an online PPV stream with the event being priced at $14.95. This is the first event for Invicta to air via PPV and the support of Center’s New Mexico fan base can truly make an impact on buy rates helping the promotion gain steam in order to insure they keep scheduling more quality events.
The main event of this event will be a clash between two of the most elite women talent as Marloes Coenen faces off with Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos for the promotions first ever 145-pound title. Also on the card, Center’s Jackson-Winklejohn teammate Emily Kagan battles Ashley Cummins. Stay tuned to SWFight.com for more event coverage, breakdowns and analysis! We encourage all of our local fight fans to support Invicta FC and our two hard working fighters.
