FRIDAY, APRIL 21
LFA 157: CRODEN vs. CAVALCANTI
TOP CANADIAN PROSPECT
MELISSA CRODEN
vs.
TOP PORTUGUESE PROSPECT
JACQUELINE CAVALCANTI
WOMEN’S BANTAMWEIGHT WORLD TITLE FIGHT
MYSTIC LAKE CASINO HOTEL
PRIOR LAKE, MINNESOTA
LIVE on UFC FIGHT PASS® at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT
Tickets are available NOW at Ticketmaster.com
LAS VEGAS, Nevada —LFA CEO Ed Soares announced today that the promotion will return to Minnesota in April. The main event of LFA 157 will feature the women’s bantamweight championship. The headliner will crown the second women’s bantamweight champion in LFA history. The first LFA title fight in this division saw both participants, Sarah Alpar and Joselyne Edwards, go on to sign with the UFC. LFA 157 will be the eighteenth LFA event to take place in the state.
LFA 157 takes place Friday, April 21st at the Mystic Lake Casino Hotel in Prior Lake, Minnesota. The main event will feature a women’s bantamweight title fight when top Canadian prospect Melissa “Scare” Croden faces top Portuguese prospect Jacqueline Cavalcanti. The entire main card will be available worldwide on UFC FIGHT PASS® at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
“We are excited to bring the women’s bantamweight championship to Minnesota at LFA 157,” stated Soares. “Canada’s Melissa Croden and Portugal’s Jacqueline Cavalcanti are the top two female 135-pound prospects in the world. They have identical records and have won regional titles in various countries. Now they are looking to stand alone as the top prospect in the division. The clearest and most concrete way to determine this is by winning the LFA title. The world will be watching when Croden and Cavalcanti meet at Mystic Lake on April 21st.”
Tickets for LFA 157: Croden vs. Cavalcanti are available for purchase through Ticketmaster.com.
Croden (4-1) has long been considered the next-big-thing when it comes to the women’s bantamweight division in Canada. This is a country that has produced Strikeforce title challenger Sarah Kaufman and UFC title challenger Alexis Davis, who both challenged Ronda Rousey during her legendary MMA career. Since that time, Canada has been searching for its next top contender in the division and many MMA pundits have pegged Croden to be just that. Hailing from the Rocky Mountains of Crowsnest Pass, Alberta, Croden trains out of Ravenhouse MMA in Crowsnest and Champion’s Creed MMA in Calgary. She has also spent time training stateside with UFC fighter and LFA great Hailey Cowan. “Scare” Croden went undefeated with a 5-0 record as an amateur before enjoying similar success as a pro. That success culminated in winning a regional crown in Canada this past August, when she defeated Swedish standout Cornelia Holm via TKO. Croden now hopes to join Lupita Godinez and Jamey-Lyn Horth as the third fighter from Canada to win LFA gold.
Cavalcanti (4-1) carries similar hopes of a nation as she is currently the top women’s MMA prospect from Portugal. Cavalcanti was born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil, but moved to Portugal with her family when she was 11-years-old. The Brazilian-Portuguese fighter has called Almada, Portugal home ever since. The city is located on the southern margin of the Tagus River on the opposite side of the river from the nation’s capital city of Lisbon. It is there where she trains at Reborn Fight Team and has honed her craft to quickly become one of Europe’s most promising prospects. In fact, her presence has already been felt around the world in her first five fights. That is because each of those fights has taken place in a different country. Those countries include Portugal, France, the United States, United Arab Emirates, and Spain. Cavalcanti’s crowning moment also came in her most recent fight, when she traveled to her Iberian neighbor to the east and captured a regional title in Spain. She now hopes to become the first LFA champion from Portugal.
Currently Announced Main Card (Available worldwide on UFC FIGHT PASS®):
Main Event | Women’s Bantamweight Title Bout (135 lb)
– Melissa Croden (4-1) vs. Jacqueline Cavalcanti (4-1)
Lightweight Bout (155 lb)
– Kegan Gennrich (5-2) vs. Richie Miranda (6-0)
Lightweight Bout (155 lb)
– Bobby Lee (13-7) vs. Arthur Estrázulas (13-5)
In 2017, RFA and Legacy FC merged to form LFA, the premier developmental organization in Mixed Martial Arts. The combined forces of LFA launched the careers of over 270 athletes that have reached the pinnacle of MMA by competing in the UFC. In 2018, the promotion joined the Imperial Family Companies group (formerly London Trust Media). In 2019, the promotion announced a broadcast partnership with UFC FIGHT PASS®. In 2021, the LFA expanded internationally by hosting multiple events in Brazil.
Please visit LFA.com for bout updates and information. Visit the official LFA Youtube page at @LFA_Fighting. LFA is on Facebook at Facebook.com/LFAfighting. LFA is also on Instagram at @LFAfighting and Twitter at @LFAfighting.
About LFA:
LFA is a professional Mixed Martial Arts promotion that gives rising stars and top contenders the opportunity to prove their talent to fans and leaders in the industry. LFA was formed by the powerhouse merger between RFA and Legacy FC. LFA presents live Mixed Martial Arts events on a monthly basis around the United States including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver, Dallas, and Houston. Based in Las Vegas, NV, LFA is one of the most active and respected MMA organizations in the fastest growing sport in the world. (The Octagon, Ultimate Fighting Championship®, UFC®, and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC. All rights reserved).
About UFC FIGHT PASS®:
UFC FIGHT PASS® is the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports. Since launching in 2013, UFC FIGHT PASS is now available in more than 200 countries and territories. FIGHT PASS provides its members with unlimited access to live UFC FIGHT PASS Prelims; live mixed martial arts and combat sports from around the world; original series and historical programming; special features; behind-the-scenes content; in-depth interviews; and up-to-the minute reports on the world of combat sports. UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers also have 24/7 access to the world’s largest fight library, featuring more than 20,000 bouts from dozens of combats sports organizations, as well as every fight in UFC history. Fight fans can access UFC FIGHT PASS on personal computers, iOS and Android mobile devices, Apple TV, Xbox One, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, LG Smart TVs, and Sony TVs with Android TV. For more information, please visit UFCFightPass.com.
About IMPERIAL FAMILY COMPANIES:
The Imperial Family Companies maintains a diversified portfolio with one common theme: bringing power to the people. The IFC is proud to partner with the LFA management team to showcase the greatest talents of tomorrow. Learn more about the IFC at ImperialFamily.com.
About MYSTIC LAKE CASINO HOTEL:
Mystic Lake Casino Hotel, the premier gaming facility in the Midwest, continually creates new, fun and exciting entertainment experiences for its guests. Mystic Lake® offers gaming, three lively bars, exceptional dining at seven restaurants, headline performers, unique special events and luxurious accommodations. Located 25 minutes southwest of Minneapolis / St. Paul in Prior Lake. Please visit MysticLake.com for more information.
