Two of MMA’s top amateur prospects, Jessica Philippus and “Lightning” Liz McCarthy, will turn pro and face off in a 105-pound bout at Invicta Fighting Championships 2 on July 28th in Kansas City, Kansas. MMARising.com confirmed plans for the matchup with multiple sources this week.
Philippus brings a seven-fight winning streak into her pro debut and most recently captured her third amateur title with a first-round submission victory earlier this month. McCarthy has yet to taste defeat in her MMA career and holds three amateur championships in three different weight classes.
Philippus (7-1-0) is one of the most skilled wrestlers in the 105-pound women’s division. Of her seven wins, five have come inside the distance and she has not lost since her MMA debut at 125 pounds against rising star Barb Honchak in 2009. Philippus has captured titles in each of her past three fights, beginning with a December 2010 submission win over Leslie Lockwood for the Griffins Den women’s title. Two months later, Philippus notched her biggest victory to date by stopping Sarah Goodlaxson in a Blue Corner title tilt. She returned to action this month for the first time since the birth of her daughter in January and needed less than three minutes to submit Kansas Super Fights champ Amanda Hein. The Missouri-based Philippus faces a tough test in her pro debut, but she will have fan support on her side when she competes in front of friends and family in July.
McCarthy (6-0-0) has become one of the most dominant amateur fighters in the western United States since making her debut in March 2010. Like Philippus, McCarthy is a multi-time champion and she too holds five stoppage victories. McCarthy captured the Budo Fights 105-pound title in early 2011 and she made a successful defence four months later. In her highest-profile bout to date, McCarthy employed a highlight-reel flying triangle choke to submit Jordan McDonald for the Tuff-N-Uff 110-pound women’s title this past August. McCarthy was taken the distance for the first time in her most recent bout in January, but she emerged victorious via a close Split Decision to become the Full Contact Fighting Federation champion at 115 pounds. The Oregon native brings a strong submission game and rapidly-improving striking into her pro debut and looks to keep her unbeaten record intact.
Both Philippus and McCarthy are widely seen as future stars in the women’s atomweight division and one will take a big step forward with a victory on the Invicta FC 2 card.
Invicta Fighting Championships 2 takes place on July 28th at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas.
- Sara McMann vs Shayna “The Queen of Spades” Baszler [135]
- Amanda “Lioness of the Ring” Nunes vs Milana Dudieva [135]
- Vanessa Porto vs Kelly “Blood Red” Kobold [135]
- Carla Esparza vs Sarah “White Tiger” Schneider [115]
- Jessica Philippus vs “Lightning” Liz McCarthy [105]
- Jocelyn “Lights Out” Lybarger vs Cheryl Chan [125]
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