CANADA'S FIRST ALL-FEMALE MMA LEAGUE ANNOUNCES SECOND WOMEN'S FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT OF THE YEAR

Pallas Athena Women's Fighting Championship creates unprecedented opportunities for female athletes

CALGARY, AB, Aug. 11, 2022 /CNW/ - Canada's first and only women's mixed martial arts ("MMA") league, Pallas Athena Women's Fighting Championship ("Pallas Athena"), is pleased to announce that its next fight event, Pallas Athena WFC II, will be held on August 27^th, 2022, at Calgary, Alberta's WinSport Event Centre. The day follows closely on the heels of Pallas Athena's inaugural fighting championship, which was held in Calgary earlier this year. The female-forward organization offers women in MMA from all over the world the opportunity to showcase their abilities as athletes as they compete for a championship title.

Founded in 2020 by former MMA fighter Clayton Belitski, Pallas Athena was spurred by Belitski's desire to create opportunities for female athletes to experience professional success in the sport, while building a better industry for future athletes. At the time Belitski was active on the MMA circuit, there were little to no opportunities for female MMA athletes to compete in the sport. Although this has slowly changed over time, women still tend to fall to the background in the world of MMA. Belitski felt there was still a need for the industry to better support female athletes, and he has used his passion for MMA as a springboard to launch Pallas Athena and build a brighter future that will ensure athletes can both participate and evolve in the sport.

Pallas Athena's mission is to connect female MMA athletes with sponsorships that translate into gainful employment opportunities, including access to revenue-sharing, that will allow them to solely focus on their craft and eliminate the need for them to pursue secondary vocations.

"In the world of MMA, female athletes have often been viewed as second tier. At Pallas Athena, we wanted to create a company that put women at the forefront and offer them a platform to elevate themselves and their careers within the industry," says Jennica Wheeler, COO of Pallas Athena Women's Fighting Championship. "Pursuing a career in MMA can be challenging when athletes, particularly female athletes, have had to choose between following their passion and making a living. With Pallas Athena's profit-sharing model, our vision is to forge a new future for the industry in partnership with our athletes that will offer them longevity during and beyond their fighting years."

Pallas Athena is working towards a first-of-its-kind business model that shares profits from ticket and pay-per-view sales with athletes and also offers retiring fighters the opportunity to re-enter the industry, repurposing their extensive experience as valued members of Pallas Athena's corporate and coaching teams. Athletes on Pallas Athena's roster are also not bound by exclusivity agreements and thus have the chance to participate in other leagues, further enhancing their ability to turn their passion into a profitable career.

Canada's second-ever all-women's MMA ticket will feature 20 Canadian and international athletes, with notable matchups including, Anastasia Nikolakakos vs Elisandra Ferreira Oliveira, Andy Nguyen vs Larissa Mayara Carvalho, and Melissa Croden fighting for the banton weight title. Special guest Cris Cyborg, the only Grand Slam Champion in the history of women's MMA, and celebrity commentator Felicia Spencer, former Invicta FC Featherweight Champion, will also be in attendance.  

With capacity for 3,400 spectators, the competition will take place August 27^th from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m., with a pre-show beginning at 1:30 p.m., at the WinSport Event Centre, located at 151 Canada Olympic Road SW, Calgary, AB, and will also be available to watch on pay-per-view on FITE TV. Tickets are available to purchase online through Ticketmaster. For more information, please visit https://pawfc.com/.

Pallas Athena Women's Fighting Championship (Pallas Athena) is the first professional all-women mixed martial arts corporation in Canada. They will be hosting competitive sporting events that showcase the world's best professional female mixed martial artists and aim to bring women's MMA to the forefront of the sport.

SOURCE Pallas Athena Women's Fighting Championship Inc.