Danni McCormack produces epic comeback to win Invicta FC gold

Danni McCormack is the new Invicta FC strawweight champion after defeating Velesca Machado via Unanimous Decision at Invicta FC 52 in Denver, Colorado.

McCormack may also have captured the comeback of the year after coming through the fire to take home the gold.

In round one, McCormack was knocked down hard twice and carried a bloodied, reddened face for the remainder of the fight. At one point it looked as if the referee was about to step in and stop the fight following some heavy ground and pound but McCormack survived and escaped towards the end of the opening round.

And that’s when it all changed.

McCormack ploughed forward with pressure in round two, and it told. Machado looked noticeably slower and Roscommon native McCormack won the frame with clinching and strikes as she controlled her Brazilian opponent.

Machado did manage to find her second wind in round three. But that was only enough to lead her into exchanges with McCormack which looked a lot more even than the early goings. That, along with her dominant clinch work was the difference after three.

The championship rounds though – were all McCormack. Clinches lead to elbows, punches and takedowns as the pressure told even more. As Machado wilted, McCormack blossomed and was barely troubled by some last gasp submission attempts as she magnificently pummelled her way to victory on her birthday.

The raising of her hard in victory was all but a formality by the final bell as she became Ireland’s first ever Invicta FC champion.

“I spent my whole life trying to prove something to myself that I was good enough, and look at me now.” McCormack said in her post fight interview.

“Ireland, wake up, because you’ve got a new world champion, and she’s the first ever Irish world champion, and her name is Danni McCormack”

Fight starts at 2:55:25 below