Invicta FC 47 : Ducote vs. Zappitella stawweight title bout headlines
Invicta Fighting Championships has revealed the fight card for Invicta FC 47: Ducote vs. Zappitella.
The event — which takes place Wednesday, May 11 — features a strawweight title bout between current champion Emily Ducote (10-6) and former atomweight titleholder Alesha Zappitella (9-3, 1 NC). Oklahoma’s Ducote is coming off one of the greatest knockouts in Invicta history, stopping UFC veteran Danielle Taylor via head kick to secure the 115-pound belt and a spot on Sportscenter’s Top 10. The Ohio native Zappitella is coming off a pair of battles with Brazilian Jéssica Delboni. Prior to the pair’s second meeting, the 27-year-old declared her intentions to move up to the strawweight division and the decorated wrestler will face an immediate test opposite the division’s champion.
In the night’s co-main event, Colorado’s Courtney “The Lion” King (4-2) collides with Stockton, California’s Chelsea Chandler (3-1) in a featherweight match-up. King was last in action opposite Olympic gold medalist Kayla Harrison in the Invicta FC 43 headliner. Chandler rides the momentum of three straight victories under the Invicta banner.
A pair of New York natives meet in the atomweight division as Lindsey “Damsel” VanZandt (7-5) will square off with “Lionheart” Jillian DeCoursey (4-3). The pair met previously as amateurs in 2016, with DeCoursey besting VanZandt by decision.
Former bantamweight title challenger Lisa “Battle Angel” Verzosa (6-2) returns to action opposite the surging Serena “The Southpaw Outlaw” DeJesus (4-2). Verzosa went five rounds with current champion Taneisha Tennant in her last outing, while DeJesus has scored back-to-back wins over UFC veterans Lauren Mueller and Elizabeth Phillips.
Rounding out the fight card, Brazil’s Janaisa “Evil Princess” Morandin (10-4) takes on countrywoman Liana “Li” Pirosin (7-4) in a flyweight bout, and boxing Olympian Jennifer “Dugwen” Chieng (1-1) welcomes Alyssa “Lightning” Linduska (debut) to the promotion at strawweight.
The location, ticketing details and broadcast information for Invicta FC 47: Ducote vs. Zappitella will be announced in the coming weeks.
The full fight card can be found below:
Strawweight Title: Emily Ducote vs. Alesha ZappitellaFeatherweight: Courtney King vs. Chelsea ChandlerAtomweight: Lindsey VanZandt vs. Jillian DeCourseyBantamweight: Lisa Verzosa vs. Serena DeJesusFlyweight: Janaisa Morandin vs. Liana PirosinStrawweight: Jennifer Chieng vs. Alyssa Linduska
