If you love MMA but are looking for something a little different, then you should really check out Invicta’s Phoenix Series 4 on Friday night. It is a fast-paced, exciting event that will likely be unlike anything you have ever seen before. The event features 8 Atomweight female fighters going head-to-head in a tournament style setup that will see one woman left standing when all is said and done. The first-round matchups were voted upon by the fans and will consist of a single 5-minute round. The 4 winners move on, with those who won quickest getting to choose their semi-final opponent. The semi’s are also a single round affair, with the final taking place over 3 rounds. We know the opening round draw, so let’s take a look at the matchups, as chosen by the fans. Will that said, let’s jump right into action so you can get ready to bet against their Invicta odds.
MMA Betting Preview for Invicta FC: Phoenix Series 4
Jessica Delboni Vs Tabatha Watkins
There is a reserve bout taking place ahead of the opener in the event that a fighter needs to drop out, but this is the first official quarter-final fight. Delboni is 10-3 and has some experience under the Invicta banner. The problem that she faces is that she is just 3-3 in her last 6 fights. Watkins started her pro career with 3 straight wins, but things have gone off the rails of late, as she has lost each of her last 3 fights. That is going to be a tough slump to break out of, which is why I would lean towards Delboni.
Lindsey VanZandt Vs Katie Perez
VanZandt comes into this one with a 7-4 career mark, but she is on a run that has seen her lose 2 in a row and 3 of her last 4. Interestingly enough, she will be looking at the opening fight here knowing that she has previously beaten Watkins and lost to Delboni. Perez started her pro career with a loss, but she shook that off quickly and is now coming into this one on the heels of back-to-back wins. She is still a little short on experience, though, which is why I am on VanZandt to win here.
Jillian DeCoursey Vs Linda Mihalec
With these fights limited to a single round, anything can happen, which is why these matchups are so hard to handicap. These two are very well matched, with DeCoursey coming into this one after losing her last fight to fall to 4-3 overall. She has a little more experience at this level than Mihalec, who is 2-1 and also trying to bounce back after taking a loss. This is a tough one to call, but I am leaning towards DeCoursey.
Paulina Granados Vs Marisa Messer-Belenchia
We close out the quarterfinals with another well-matched fight, but this is one that seems a little more clear cut to me than the rest. Granados comes in with a 4-4 record, but she has also lost 2 in a row ahead of this fight. Messer-Belenchia is also coming in off a loss, but that one was the first of her pro career. It is always hard to break out of a losing slump, so I think that Granados could well be in trouble here.
