Olympian Impressive Pro MMA Debut Plus More MMA News

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Welcome to the Fightergirls column brought to you by your source for women’s mma gear and clothing Fightergirls.com. Here is the news for this week.

Sara McMann at the UCC Weigh-ins Courtesy Adenei Photography

Olympic silver medalist Sara McMann only took 40 seconds to submit Christina Marks at the Universial Cage Combat Revolution card in Lawrenceburg, IN. A double leg takedown; ground and pound; and rear naked choke was the formula in McMann winning first pro encounter.

McMann is set next to face Julie Malenfant at a loaded Blackeye Entertainment card in Flethcer, NC June 17.

Damm and Deize face off at weigh-ins

In Brazil, Carina Damm snapped a three fight losing streak by defeating a debuting Maguilla "Gorilla" Deize at the Amazon Fight 8 with a first round key lock.

In the only other pro match this weekend, Jasminka Cive defeated Lilla Vincze via TKO in round two in the “Fight of the Night” card in Germany.

In amateur action, Sarah Goodlaxson continues to impress in the 105 pound division defeating Sam Winkler at the East Peoria Throwdown in Illinois. Goodlaxson would win via read naked choke in the second round. Also on the fight card, Cathy Snell defeated Lisa Wells via first round KO to become the new 115-lb Champion.

Tiffany VanSoest is about to make history. 

She will be facing Sanda practitioner Tang “Don King” Jin in the first ever women’s MMA fight in mainland China’s history, happening at a mixed kickboxing/MMA event hosted by WBC Muay Thai June 18.

There has been women’s MMA fights in Macau, but this will be the first time the mainland will get see a sanctioned women’s fight. China’s female Sanda/San Shou team has been a dominant force and quite a few of them have made the transition into MMA. This will be Jin’s MMA debut. 

Fighting out of the San Diego Sports Academy and an instructor at the Nogueira Brother’s Blackhouse MMA, VanSoest is familiar fighting in China. She had a kickboxing match there in early 2010. She is currenlty training for her fight with Strikeforce fighter Liz Carmouche.

"It is an honor to introduce women's MMA to China," VanSoest stated. "I was beyond stoked to get another MMA fight, let alone in China, but when I found out I am the first American Woman to do so, I was ecstatic. This is a tremendous opportunity and I am extremely grateful. Definitely looking forward to making WMMA and its supporters proud."

Strikeforce president Scott Coker announced this week they have inked a deal with HDNet to televise their preliminary fights at major events, starting with the June 18 card in Dallas. The Dallas prelim card includes #9 ranked 135 pounder Julie Kedzie facing the #3 ranked 145 pound contender Amanda Nunes.

Coker also announced that after the June 24 Strikeforce card in Washington, the Challengers series will make the Pearl at the Palms in Las Vegas their permanant home. The first Vegas Challengers event will be July 22, and it's not known of a women's fight will be booked on that card.

Sexton (left) and Gaff (right) face off for the title July 9

The #3 ranked 125 pounder and Cage Warrior’s star Rosi Sexton will face the #6 ranked Sheila Gaff for the company’s first ever women’s title July 9th, according to an article on MMARising.com. This match is signed, but Sexton is waiting on Bellator MMA’s approval.

Both fighters are coming off wins in the UK based organization, as Sexton defeated Roxanne Modafferi this past February, and Gaff defeated Ais "The Bash" Daly in April. The fight will be aired on The Fight Netowrk Canada and will be streamed online for US audiences.

Jessica Eye (left) and Ais "The Bash" Daly Square off in Cleveland

Speaking of Daly, she will face the #10 ranked 125 pounder Jessica Eye at the NAAFS: Fight Nite in the Flats VII in Cleveland, OH. Eye is 8-0 in her pro career, but will face her toughest opponent yet with Daly, who is hungry to get back on the winning track. The fight will be streamed on NAAFS.tv for $10.

In other pro matches this week:

Kelly Warren faces Sarah Lacina at Extreme Challenge: Battle at the Ballpark in Cedar Rapids, IA

and

Kyane Hampton faces Jessica Doerner at FCP: Bakken Battle 2 in Minoit, ND

A reminder that the G2 Women's MMA Summit is coming to Vegas July 1-3. The event will feature fights, grappling tournaments, seminars, and networking events to help up and coming female fighters in the sport. All nine seminars are $120, which is a huge bargin. More information on the seminars, sponsorship for the event, and accomedations can be found at http://www.G2Fight.com. 

That is all for now. Please check out Fightergirls for all your women’s mma news and interviews. Plus follow us on twitter @fightergirls with the most up to the minute breaking news stories in women’s mma.

Also check out the Fightergirls store of all your mma gear and clothing. We also carry Everlast and Cleto Reyes boxing and mma gear.

Until next week.

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