Invicta Fighting Championship has been a foundation for women's mixed martial arts since its launch in 2012. Name a high-profile women's fighter or rising contender and they've likely made a stop through Invicta's proving grounds.
Invicta launched after UFC's parent company Zuffa acquired rival promotion Strikeforce. At its height, Strikeforce had an arguably stronger roster than UFC in key divisions. Notable Strikeforce champions include Ronda Rousey, Nick Diaz, Cris Cyborg, Alistair Overeem, Miesha Tate and Dan Henderson.
One thing Strikeforce had that UFC didn't at the time were women's divisions. UFC CEO Dana White had previously claimed women would never fight in his promotion. That meant opportunities for female fighters were scarce following the acquisition.
"I was with Strikeforce when Zuffa bought Strikeforce," Invicta president Shannon Knapp told CBS Sports ahead of Friday's card airing at 9 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network. "That's how the decision to build Invicta came about: women's lack of opportunity."
White changed his stance one year after acquiring Strikeforce. Rousey defeated Liz Carmouche on Feb. 23, 2013, in the main event of UFC 157, the first women's fight in UFC history. Rousey became one of the sport's all-time biggest stars and women have become regular fixtures on UFC cards.
UFC's acceptance of women fighting has changed Invicta's role in MMA. Invicta is no longer the final destination for women, but a pivotal place to ply their trade for careers that can shine on the biggest stage.
"Today there are more opportunities for women in the space but if you look at a fight card, you'll see one or two female bouts. You're not going to see a lot of females on the card," Knapp said. "I think Invicta is important to continue fostering growth for women in that space.
"I always say Invicta is so important to the space. We can identify talent early and create opportunities to help them hone their skills. That's really where that comes in with building legends. We're giving the foundations."
Elisandra Ferreira (7-2) and Andressa Romero (7-4-1) will headline Friday's card at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Missouri. The vacant Invicta atomweight championship is at stake, a division absent from larger promotions. UFC alum Michelle Waterson -- known fondly to fans as "The Karate Hottie" -- is a former Invicta atomweight champion who moved up to strawweight upon signing with UFC. The 105-pound division is one Knapp says is better than the recognition it gets.
"I think that atomweight is a very good weight division," Knapp said. "There are a lot of women, especially younger women, that fall in that category and weight class. I think it's continuing to grow talent and show people that it's a viable division."
A legendary roster of UFC champions and contenders have walked through Invicta's hall on their way to glory. Amanda Nunes, Cyborg, Rose Namajunas, Alexa Grasso, Raquel Pennington, Carla Esparza and Kayla Harrison are among them. Knapp sets her sights on fostering more fighters' careers in 2025 and branching into other martial arts.
"The reason I got into this was to make a difference," Knapp said. "Of course, when I stepped into combat sports it was heavily male-dominated. The whole reason was to come into this space and maybe be one female voice, but one that makes a difference.
"It's a proud moment when you look over and see their success or very personally gratifying being part of their successes and helping them along the way."
