Regional MMA

When promotions fly under the radar in combat sports, so do the young prospect they aim to build over time. With just the right amount of noise, however, fans do begin to sit up and take notice of these promotions, as well as the prospects contractually obligated to compete for those promotions. Of course, once spectators witness the talent and the potential of the prospects themselves, the inevitable question arises.

When will they cross over to the UFC?

This question should not surprise anyone. At least once a year, an MMA fan will ask that about at least one fighter whose talents do not reside under the UFC, but most fans normally ask the question in regards to a touted champion or former champion of a rival promotion.

Few prospects make enough noise to create the same demand as those more well-known fighters.

However, Ed Soares' Resurrection Fighting Alliance played a hand in bringing two undefeated prospects into prominence in recent months. In fact, the RFA crowned a new flyweight champion in 19-year-old Roufusport prodigy Sergio "The Phenom" Pettis and a new featherweight champion in Team Alpha Male standout Lance Palmer almost two weeks ago.

Pettis scored a KO win over Dillard Pegg while Palmer took a split-decision win from Jared Downing.

Some raise the question over whether Downing should still hold the gold, thanks in part to a number of groin strikes that went uncalled during the bout. Still, Palmer's game plan proved effective enough to where he won the fight on two scorecards out of three, despite the point-deduction controversy.

Still, does that mean that the UFC should send a contract to either Palmer or Pettis at this point? After all, Pettis did dominate Pegg and unquestionably stood a strong chance of scoring a big win over original opponent Jeff Curran. Also, eliminate the groin shots from the equation and Palmer made a case towards coming back to win the fight.

Both of RFA's newly crowned champions made their cases towards a move to the UFC, but their time remains a win or two away. The two proved what they could do against solid up-and-comers, but for Pettis and Palmer to elevate to that all-important "next level" of competition, no better time exists aside from now for them to get a step-up in competition.

Until they get it, any rumors about Pettis or Palmer to the UFC will remain rumors until someone allows them the chance to cement themselves as major players in the future of the sport.

Despite an enormous amount of controversy, Fallon Fox is now officially set for her upcoming match at Championship Fighting Alliance 11.

Fox (2-0) came in comfortably under the 145-pound limit (via Facebook), where she'll face Allanna Jones (2-1) during the CFA 11 women's featherweight tournament semifinals.

In addition to Fox vs. Jones, the event also features Strikeforce and Bellator veterans, including former UFC fighter Mike Kyle, facing late replacement Travis Wiuff.

Kyle was originally scheduled to fight Valentijn Overeem, but that bout was scrapped shortly after Overeem injured himself during training (via MMA Mania).

CFA 11 Main Card

• Mike Kyle vs. Travis Wiuff
• Fallon Fox vs. Allanna Jones
• Luis Palomino vs. Robert Washington
• Elvin Brito vs. Sean Soriano
• Czar Sklavos vs. Alexis Vila
• Oscar Delgado vs. Mike King

Media attention around the event has dramatically spiked since Fox came out as the sport's first openly male-to-female transgender athlete, brought to the public eye in an ESPN profile piece by veteran MMA journalist Loretta Hunt.

Several prominent names have negatively responded to Fox's decision to compete in the women's division, including Joe Rogan, heavyweight Matt Mitrione (via The MMA Hour) and UFC champion Ronda Rousey (via The New York Post).

Moreover, the controversial fighter also gained a PR black eye last April, when Australian star Bec Hyatt detailed a heated confrontation at Invicta FC 5.

According to sources with knowledge of the event, Fox was trespassing at the Kansas City-based all women's MMA promotion, reportedly threatening Hyatt and other female fighters while being asked to leave by the Invicta FC staff.

That kind of press may follow Fox throughout the CFA 11 women's 145-pound tournament, where the eventual winner will earn both a championship belt and a $20,000 prize.

CFA 11 takes place on May 24 at the BankUnited Center in Coral Gables, Florida, with the card to be broadcast at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT on AXS TV.

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McKinley Noble is an MMA conspiracy theorist. His work has appeared in NVision, PC World, Macworld, GamePro, 1UP, MMA Mania and The L.A. Times.

Regional MMA fighter Nick Newell has been laboring for a shot in the UFC, but his campaign has taken a major step backward.

According to a press release from the Florida-based "Xtreme Fighting Championships" (XFC) promotion, the one-armed fighter has been stripped of the promotion's lightweight title for allegedly refusing to make his very first title defense at XFC 24.

As XFC president John Prisco relayed to MMA media on Friday morning, Newell wouldn't face challenger Scott Holtzman, demanding an ex-UFC opponent instead.

Prisco expressed his disappointment in Newell, who has struggled to find competition in the regional MMA circuit due to his physical handicap—but a new belt will be on the line for Holtzman, with a new opponent soon to be named:

Listen, when Nick came to us at the XFC Tryouts, his biggest complaint was that no one would take a fight against him. Everyone was telling him, it's a no-win situation taking the fight. If you beat him, you beat a guy with half an arm… and if you lose, you just lost to a guy with half an arm. He knew by signing with our promotion that he was going to be guaranteed fights, as our fighters fight the person I put in front of them.

Nick built his name on fighters who were willing to step up and fight him. And now, the opportunity he received, he is not willing to extend to Scott, even though they both carry the same XFC record (4-0). To me, that's hypocritical and I have zero respect and no room for any individual that acts like that in my organization.

Although Newell is undefeated at 9-0 in his MMA career, his opponents prior to winning the XFC title had a combined record of 21-37.

Prisco further claimed that Newell wouldn't accept the fight because he knew "he couldn't defend himself" against a fighter like Holtzman, an undefeated wrestler who is currently training with UFC champion Benson Henderson in Arizona.

This also appears to be the end of Newell's XFC run for good, with Prisco wishing the one-armed fighter the best on "future endeavors" elsewhere.

Despite the controversy, XFC 24: Collision Course is still scheduled for its AXS TV broadcast on June 14 with six televised main-card fights, including a variety of former Strikeforce and Bellator talents across five different weight divisions.

Update: Newell has now responded to the XFC's claims, telling MMA Fighting that leaving the promotion was his sole decision. In effect, that would mean that Newell willingly vacated his XFC championship.

As he recounts, the decision was prompted by a low-ball offer for an extended contract, in addition to his contract only requiring three fights, with two more as an option:

"My contract is up and I chose not to go back to XFC," he said. "It's not about Scott Holtzman, certainly not. It's more so about me wanting to go somewhere that will guide me where I want to go. I want to go to the UFC.

"There was an interview with Dana White. I'm sure many people remember, and he said, 'Well, has he beaten anyone that was in the UFC?' And the answer's no, because I haven't had the opportunity to fight someone that was in the UFC. At 27 years old, I want to get to the top as soon as I can. No more playing around. I want to fight the guys who will get me where I want to be."

Newell added that he had no hard feeling with the XFC about the split, stating that Prisco chose his words "because he has a fight to promote."

Reportedly, Newell is now training with American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida, which includes some major names like UFC fighters Tryon Woodley, Thiago Alves, Cole Miller, Dustin Poirier, Brad Pickett and Bellator's Ben Saunders.

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McKinley Noble is an MMA conspiracy theorist. His work has appeared in NVision, PC World, Macworld, GamePro, 1UP, MMA Mania and The L.A. Times.

Sometimes things don’t go the way you want them to and an unfortunate surprise forges your path in a new direction.  That seems to be the case for former Bellator bantamweight champion Zach Makovsky, as he returns to regional action and makes his 125-lb debut at CFFC 24 vs. Claudio Ledesma.

Makovsky lost a split decision to Anthony Leone back in December at Bellator 83.  It was his second consecutive loss after losing his belt to Eduardo Dantas several months earlier and the first losing streak of his career.  He was looking for answers—future fights—and suddenly, another promotion to fight for.

“I was very surprised at the release, explained Makovsky as a guest recently on Darce Side Radio.

After waiting over a year to defend his title in the loss to Eduardo Dantas, Makovsky said, “They really weren’t going to give me another fight in 2012.”  He also explained he had to “beg” to get another fight, which was the loss to Anthony Leone.

“I lost a split decision, Makovsky said.  “It is what it is. I knew it wasn’t good, but I didn’t think I would be released.”

Two weeks later, he was given his release from the promotion.  Makovsky never spoke much about it, but his good friend Eddie Alvarez spoke up recently on Twitter about how Bellator bullied him into taking less money for his last fight.  

Not to mentioning how @ZachFunSize WAs bullied to take a smaller pay day than contextually agreed or just sit.after being champ

— Eddie Alvarez (@Ealvarezfight) May 4, 2013

Makovsky shed some light on that and his release:

So I had a price range in my contract, which is what I fight for.  If you win, your purse goes up by a $1,000; if you lose, it’s supposed to stay the same.  I signed an additional part to the contract before my fight with Dantas.  If I would win that fight with Dantas, my pay scale would have increased significantly and if I lost the fight to Dantas, it would’ve gone back to where it was originally.

Makovsky lost the fight to Dantas and his purse was “supposed to stay the same.”  According to Makovsky, that isn’t what happened.

They sent me the contract and it was for $2,000 on the show and $2,000 less on the win bonus each from what I believed my pay scale was at.  So I called my manager and said, 'What’s going on?' and he said, ‘I’m going to call them and figure this out.’  Because he is one who negotiated the additional part of the contract for me.  He came back and said, 'They said they can’t afford to pay you what your pay scale is.'

At this point, Makovsky had only fought three times in almost two years, and he wasn’t exactly making huge money.  He didn’t want to “sit out and make zero money,” so he had a tough decision on his hands.

They basically ended up telling me that if I wanted to fight this year that this is what they could offer and it was up to me if I wanted to accept it or not.  I’d only fought Dantas that year.  I lost, so I didn’t make my win bonus.  This is what I’m doing full time, so I really needed at least one more fight.  I regretfully accepted those terms.   I would’ve done it again.  It was just not exactly fair.  That’s really the only issue I had with Bellator.  Bellator always treated me very well up until that point, but I don’t understand why they did that.  Over $2,000 and $2,000—I mean, what are they offering some of the other guys?

Before the fight with Anthony Leone, Makvosky explained he “added in a clause to keep him more active,” where he would get “at least three fights in 14 months.” 

Not only was it hard to deal with the loss, as it is with any fighter, but that same clause would turn out to be one of the reasons Bellator stated for his release.  Sounds like a perfect example of adding insult to injury.

“What they said was they released me because of the loss, and because they couldn’t keep me active enough from what my contract said, that was the other reason they gave," Makovsky explained.  “If you can’t give fighters three fights in 14 months…You are the second-biggest promotion out there. Figure it out.”

Telling words by the former champion known as “Funsize.”  He explained, “It wasn’t the manner in which he wanted but kind of the result he wanted.”  A move to 125 was something he had thought about, and a desire to fight more often wasn’t exactly a mystery.

Unless you’re in a tournament, you fight very rarely in Bellator.  They pretty much only have time to run tournaments and the title fights.  If you are not involved in a current tournament, you are pretty much not active as a fighter.  I needed to get more fights in and 125 was a good option for me, and now it’s becoming a more popular weight class.

So Makovsky returns to regional action in New Jersey for the first time since fighting for the Adrenaline promotion back in February of 2010.  He explained that signing to Cage Fury Fighting Championship wasn’t a difficult decision.

“I was obviously looking for a new promotion to fight for," Makovsky said.  “CFFC has always been probably the best promotion in the Northeast.  They have great shows.  They have a lot of good fighters.  They’re broadcast on cable TV on Comcast.  It was kind of an easy choice.”

Makovsky is a tireless worker and consummate student of the game.  He has been splitting up his time at Martinez BJJ in northeast Philadelphia, Marcelo Garcia’s Academy in New York City and has made several trips up to the famed Tri-Star Gym in Montreal, Canada.

“Funsize” appears to be excited about the new direction his path has taken and the opportunity and challenge that awaits him.  It may not have been the way he originally intended it to be, but he seems to have a bigger sense of freedom in his continued journey to be an ever-improving mixed martial artist.

It begins at CFFC 24 vs. Claudio Ledesma on Saturday night.

I wanted to continue to develop, which I think is the most important thing that I continue to do—fight people who are going to push me and make me get better.  I think this is the right path.  I’m very happy to be with the CFFC and happy to have a tough opponent like Claudio.

Michael Stets is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.  All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

Toronto is a proud sports town. We produce great athletes and are some of the most loyal, diehard fans on the planet. The honourable tradition of supporting homegrown talent is now reaching out into a new forum: mixed martial arts. Substance Cage Combat is bringing MMA to Toronto.

Currently, there are very few opportunities for MMA competitors based in Ontario to fight at home.  The majority travel to Quebec, out west or south to the U.S. to get experience and exposure. This is curious as Toronto is a world-class sports city that staunchly supports MMA.

Consequently, Ontarian athletes are at a distinct disadvantage as they are at the mercy of other promoters. They are dependent upon other organizations to give them an opportunity to showcase their skills and to get the chance to ply their trade. For those who know the fight game, or competitive athletics, usually people like to see their own local talent succeed at the expense of others. Foreign fighters are selected, more often than not, to be chum for the sharks.

The travel also can take its toll financially and emotionally. It is more challenging for mixed martial artists to get sponsorships and recognition when people in their city cannot see them fight. They are also usually placed in the “heel” role when fighting on the road, as they face crowd favourites who are heavily supported by fans. Having the local judges, fans and promoters against them makes the prospect of winning a cage fight even that much more daunting.

Ontario needs a developmental program. One in which local athletes can compete on equal footing against like-skilled opponents without being the proverbial “lambs to the slaughter.” In order to be successful at the grassroots level, one must prioritize competition over profit. Enter Substance Cage Combat.

Substance Cage Combat’s (SCC) goal is to provide Ontario fighters with an opportunity to fight in Toronto. Their mandate will be achieved via small venues and inexpensive ticket prices. The program sacrifices profit for exposure.

SCC strays from traditional models by adhering to a unique philosophy: the more events, the more opportunities for athletes to gain recognition; the smaller the venue, the lower the ticket cost. 

SCC is loading up their inaugural card with the best non-UFC fighters in Ontario on a blockbuster card.

The athletes selected have made names for themselves by fighting wherever they could get on a card. As gladiators bled their way through local sands on the anonymous circuits to get to the Coliseum, these men are battling to reach larger promotions. Fighting is hard enough as it is; they at least deserve to fight on fair footing.

Some Ontarians that are recognizable to Canadian MMA fans who are scheduled on this historic event are: Adrian Wooley (7-3), Todd Stoute (4-0), Alex Ricci (6-1) and Elias Theodorou (6-0). There will also be amazing new talent ready to explode in front of their friends and family as they forge their identities on the scene.

On June 29th, at George Bell Arena (215 Ryding Avenue), Toronto will have a voice. A forum to cheer, encourage and appreciate their brethren as they compete in high-level professional MMA.

With affordable pricing at $35 and $45, fighters get a chance to fight and all supporters have the chance to support. The fifth-largest city on the continent can now step out from the shadows and cast its civic pride upon the MMA universe. Fighters and fans alike can now align to showcase the grit and class of this stellar city.

This is an opportunity for people to be a part of the movement from the ground floor. Buy your ticket in advance. Follow the event on Twitter: @substancecombat and on Facebook: substancecombat.

Although there was seemingly no end to the highlights of Invicta FC 5, it turns out that there was more action brewing in the locker room.

Several rumors from within the all-women's MMA promotion claim that infamous transgender fighter Fallon Fox was trespassing at the April 5 card in Kansas City, reportedly attempting to bully several of the female competitors in attendance.

According to Bec Hyatt (via Facebook), Fox even sought her out to personally threaten her.

Hyatt's husband first noticed Fox in the event area on the morning of the card, "staring daggers" at the one-time Invicta FC strawweight contender—which lead to both athletes having the following exchange:

As you'd all know though, I have a chip on my shoulder myself & am very stubborn, so I gladly partook in the silent staring contest for a minute or so until I inquired as to why she was actually staring at me. Fallon replied with "I'll do what I want", to which I laughed, said she is a joke & went back to my Facebook training in preparation of the nights contest.

I can't remember exactly what Fallon then said, but it was along the lines of "I'm coming down there" in an angrier tone & as she went to put on her jacket, Invicta Fighting Championships matchmaker Janet Martin came out of an elevator & started talking to me. When I looked back up, Fallon & her friend were gone. The second half of our exchange was caught on camera but I won't be releasing it :)

Hyatt also relayed that Fox appeared at the Invicta FC 5 after-party, attempting to apologize for her actions.

MiddleEasy first made the story public in their Sunday Rumor Mill column, stating that an "aggressive" Fox was trying to confront Invicta fighters (unknown to CEO Shannon Knapp), claiming that she had a crew from AXS TV with her:

Fallon Fox showed up to the last Invicta FC event and managed to get inside the area designated for fighters. She acted aggressive towards some of the fighters, so an Invicta FC exec asked her to leave but she refused.

Allegedly Fox claimed she had an AXS TV crew with her (which was false) and from what I've been told she wanted to get a confrontation with a fighter on camera to set up a future fight in Invicta.

Robert Sargent of women's MMA-focused website MMA Rising further corroborated the report, claiming that his own sources attested to the rumor.

Of course, this incident is far from the first time that the 37-year-old Fox, a male-to-female transgendered former Navy operations specialist, has made major headlines for herself in the MMA community.

Fox's gender status was first given public notice in an ESPN profile earlier this March, prompting outspoken reactions from many prominent UFC personalities.

Stand-up comedian and UFC color commentator Joe Rogan had the most to say about Fox during an episode of "The Joe Rogan Experience" podcast, arguing that she was "a man without a dick" and should be fighting with men.

Former NFL player and heavyweight prospect Matt Mitrione was suspended by the UFC after expressing his distaste for Fox on The MMA Hour (via MMA Fighting), calling her "a disgusting freak" who lied on a license application to "beat up" women.

Even Ronda Rousey commented on the entire issue in an interview with the New York Post, saying that while she didn't agree with Mitrione's tone, she also thought that Fox had no business competing in the women's MMA division.

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McKinley Noble is an MMA conspiracy theorist. His work has appeared in NVision, PC World, Macworld, GamePro, 1UP, MMA Mania & The L.A. Times.

In a quick turnaround from their sellout show in March, the World Fighting Federation put on another stellar event for Arizona MMA fans. With a card that featured both amateur and pro fights, the WFF and their athletes made their first-ever appearance at the Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Casino as the proud guests of the Gila River Indian Community.

With their cage featured front and center in the intimate venue, the fighters took full advantage of a rabid MMA crowd and treated them to an amazing night of competition and fireworks. All the matchups had something to offer, but a few in particular were really memorable.

One performance that really stood out was that of amateur Justin Rascon who earned his second win in as many months. Fighting out of Boxing Inc. of Tucson, Arizona this young man made his MMA debut on March 2 and quickly made it clear that his lack of experience would not reflect in his competition.

Coming off a debut which saw the young fighter taken into deep waters and tested as he won a very impressive unanimous decision, he returned to the cage little more than a month later and seized another victory.

Securing a first-round armbar, Rascon was able to finish James Ramirez after a heated early exchange and scramble which saw the young Rascon again find his hand raised. It was the type of performance that makes fight fans remember a name and anticipate his next appearance.

In a potential fight-of-the-night performance, amateurs Jesse Van Dyke and Carlos Castro put on an all-out war that had the Arizona fight fans on their feet on more than one occasion. With repeated aggressive exchanges these two guys hooked up in the middle of the cage and really looked to bring the pain.

While Van Dyke had many strong moments that saw his striking really shine, it was the footwork, takedowns and mobility of Castro that really dictated the tone of the fight. Both fighters had strong moments in which they both performed well but in the end Castro leaned the opinion of the judges ever so slightly in his favor. Still, both fighters walked out of the cage proud and with their heads held high after putting on such an amazing scrap for the fans sitting cage-side.

In the first title fight of the evening, undefeated pro and local fan favorite Benny Madrid put his WFF lightweight strap on the line against Shawn Fitzsimmons of Las Vegas. Fitzsimmons traveled deep into enemy territory to face the champion Madrid and for his trouble was battered with precision and relentless striking.

Madrid was able to dictate the pace and control the exchanges all while showcasing an elevated prowess for striking as he defended his title yet again. Then Fitzsimmons succumbed to strikes midway through the second as the knees and strikes of Madrid forced the third man in the cage to call a stop to the action.

Madrid advanced to 8-0 and one has to imagine with his flair for the finish and deep following in the Arizona desert that it is only a matter of time before the phone rings and he is invited to compete at a higher level.

In a fight that can only be described as inspirational, amputee Matt Betzold looked to defend his flyweight WFF title against Gene Perez. Betzold did exactly that and once again he toppled the odds and the doubt when he answered the questions anyone may have had as they watched him dominate Perez on his way to a vicious guillotine choke in under a minute.

At first glance, Betzold may leave an MMA fan scratching their head as they watch a man without one of his legs take his corner inside a cage. Yet, win, lose or draw, every time he competes there isn’t a question left in the room other than "When is this guy competing again?"

He has been involved in many wars in front of his fans, but his last two bouts have been dominant performances that ended in lethal first-round submission finishes. The changes he has made to his training and approach to fighting have been paying healthy dividends and it will be exciting to see how he moves forward from this most recent title defense.

In the main event of the evening, Olympic Gold Medalist Henry Cejudo made his third appearance inside the cage since his debut in early March. Across the cage from him this time was Anthony Sessions of Jackson’s MMA.

There is no gentle way of putting it other than to say that Cejudo looked like a man among boys as he absolutely dominated Sessions to win the WFF bantamweight title. Repeated takedowns were the expectation and they came with a certain degree of ease which should be demanded of an Olympic medalist.

It was really the striking of Cejudo that left the strongest impression on those looking on. His lightning quick speed combined with powerful aggression was apparent in striking exchanges on both the feet and from the guard as he towered over his opponent.

His ground and pound was flawless and lightning quick, which is a testament to his commitment to becoming the total package, not just another great wrestler making the transition to MMA. The self-proclaimed “Inspiration” showed how capable he is of transitioning to MMA and to meet the demand of a sport that has such high expectations of even its most promising athletes.

Make no mistake, Cejudo is the real deal and it is only a matter of time before his career escalates. At the pace he is improving already, it won’t take long at all.  It is worth noting that in the corner of Sessions was former UFC flyweight title contender John Dotson. While Cejudo just won the WFF bantamweight title, it was at 121 pounds that he won Olympic gold.

One has to wonder if Dotson was looking on wondering if it will only be a matter of time before he could be looking across the Octagon at the rise of the MMA career of Henry Cejudo.

While Cejudo was the celebrity of the night, it was a solid performance by all those who showed up to compete for the WFF and their guests this past Friday evening. Each and every athlete should have taken something back to their gyms with them to either build on or be proud of.

It was yet another step in the forward progress of one of Arizona’s premier MMA organizations. The staff of the WFF was able to live up to the reputation they have established as they put on another phenomenal show. The next one can’t come soon enough.

Several UFC fans have come to know and like Pat Barry for his electric attitude toward his life as a fighter, but the kickboxing star was just as hyped for his girlfriend, Rose Namajunas, and her amazing win at Invicta FC 5.

Moreover, the fierce strawweight remains undefeated in six amateur and professional MMA bouts.

Namajunas sealed her second Invicta FC victory in Kansas City during the all-women's fight card on Friday, pulling off a stellar flying armbar to put away fellow strawweight prospect Kathina Catron in the very first round.

As shown in a mobile video recorded from the event by That MMA Show (via MiddleEasy), an estatic Barry scaled the Invicta cage as the 12-second bout came to end, dangling off the edge as Namajunas celebrated the stoppage.

That scene was very reminiscent of Namajunas' professional debut at Invicta FC 4 last January, where the 20-year-old female fighter notched a third-round rear-naked-choke victory against the more seasoned Emily Kagan, a Greg Jackson's MMA team member.

(See the full fight right over here.)

During that bout, Barry was filmed bombastically shouting critical corner advice to his girlfriend, as Namajunas reversed a clinch from Kagan to score a standing submission win.

"Hype or Die" Barry and "Thug" Namajunas are regarded as a solid "power couple" in mixed martial arts, often posting videos online for their fans and social media followers.

Barry and Namajunas will attempt to keep their undefeated run in 2013 alive, as Barry is currently scheduled to face another Greg Jackson's MMA fighter in Shawn Jordan at UFC 161. Barry has yet to score back-to-back wins since joining the UFC in 2008, although he holds a notable four post-fight bonuses in his career with the promotion.

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McKinley Noble is an MMA conspiracy theorist. His work has appeared in NVision, PC World, Macworld, GamePro, 1UP, MMA Mania and The L.A. Times.

Even though she's been fighting in the women's featherweight division for all five fights of her young career, Fallon Fox is heading for bantamweight.

That's 135 pounds, or "The Ronda Rousey Division", as it's also called by UFC fans.

But fighting Rousey—or any female UFC talent, for that matter—seems impossible due to intense amount of controversy surrounding the transgendered MMA fighter.

Moreover, the 37-year-old Fox is also too old to attempt earning her way into the UFC by trying out for Season 18 of The Ultimate Fighter, as MMA Fighting highlighted during a recent interview with Fox's manager, Brett Atchley:

According to the UFC, you must be 35 years old or younger try out for the reality show, which will be holding tryouts for its 18th season on April 15 in Las Vegas. Fox will be turning 38 later this year.

However, Atchley said Fox's ultimate goal is to someday fight in the UFC. "I think everybody [dreams of fighting in the UFC]," he said, "and of course she does. If her career allows it, she would do it."

Fox also has her sights set on the all-women's MMA promotion Invicta Fighting Championships, where she attended its latest card in Kansas City.

"That's where she wants to end up," Atchley told MMA Fighting. "She's very vocal about that. It just all depends on what happens with her licensing."

Licensing has held up Fox's career during the last month, but the Florida State Boxing Commission formally closed their investigation against her, freeing Fox up for future bouts.

Fox, originally born male, has been faced with strong criticism for her decision to compete in MMA against women, drawing notable fire from the likes of UFC color commentator Joe Rogan and several other fighters around the sport.

Fox began her male-to-female transition in 2006 during a trip to Thailand (via ESPN), where she underwent "gender reassignment, breast augmentation and hair transplant surgeries" at the Bangkok National Hospital.

Since her transition, Fox has gained a 2-0 professional record in MMA, with a 3-0 amateur record to boot. According to MMA Fighting, her next fight is scheduled for May 24 in the Championship Fighting Alliance, where Fox will continue to compete in a tournament for the regional Florida-based promotion's featherweight title and a $20,000 winner's prize purse.

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McKinley Noble is an MMA conspiracy theorist. His work has appeared in NVision, PC World, Macworld, GamePro, 1UP, MMA Mania & The L.A. Times.

Pulling off the biggest win in her MMA career, Michelle Waterson won the Invicta Fighting Championship's atomweight championship in a thrilling victory over Jessica Penne on Friday during Invicta FC 5.

"Karate Hottie" Waterson was a notable underdog in the match, giving up several inches in arm- and leg-length against the dangerous Penne.

Throughout the match, Penne put Waterson in trouble multiple times with various submissions and some heavy striking, beating down on her undersized opponent at several intervals. 

Waterson nearly lost the bout in Round 3, as Penne managed to sink in an extremely tight armbar attempt with her challenger completely exposed on her back.

But Waterson refused to tap, instead letting her arm pop in and out of position, surviving to the third round and eventually making her comeback with a submission of her own.

Just under three minutes into the fourth round, Waterson managed to grab Penne with a strong armbar, tightening up the hold in a split-second motion. Penne quickly tapped, giving Waterson the hard-fought win.

Once referee John McCarthy stopped the bout, an incredibly happy Waterson broke down in tears, huddled over in wracking sobs before celebrating with famed MMA coach Greg Jackson.

As a visibly dejected Penne looked on, Waterson gave a tearful post-fight interview, pouring her heart out after Invicta FC president and founder Shannon Knapp placed a brand-new Invicta title belt around the champion's waist:

You just can't quit. Even when you feel like you can't go on. Jessica Penne is a f***ing awesome fighter, and I really want to thank her for thanking the fight.

You just gotta believe in yourself. Don't let nobody take that away from you. Throughout my whole training camp, I had to tell myself I could hang with her, that I could push back. It was a great fight.

Waterson's win marks a fifth straight victory on her 11-3 professional MMA record, as well as her first-ever MMA world championship.

Competing in various martial arts practices (karate, muay Thai, wushu) over the years, Waterson is a seasoned veteran of several regional MMA promotions, including Ring of Fire, King of the Cage and Strikeforce.

Along with her combat sports background, the Colorado native is also notable for her modeling work.

Moreover, Waterson has also solidified herself one of the best female MMA fighters in the world, with Jessica Penne losing just a handful of months after first capturing the Invicta atomweight title against formerly undefeated Jewels featherweight champion Naho Sugiyama of Japan.

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McKinley Noble is an MMA conspiracy theorist. His work has appeared in NVision, PC World, Macworld, GamePro, 1UP, MMA Mania & The L.A. Times.