Catherine ‘The Alpha Female’ Costigan will take her 5-0 record to the world’s biggest stage for female atomweights, Invicta Fight Championships, having signed a deal the world-renowned promotion that exclusively caters for women’s mixed martial arts.

Having bounced back from a neck injury that side-lined her from the sport for two years, Costigan has looked impressive since returning taking four wins including a fantastic first round armbar victory over Noelia Molina in her last outing in August 2014.

Costigan is confident that this is the perfect time for her to take the step up, and she has already targeted Herica Tiburcio’s 105 lbs title as her main goal for her time with the promotion.

“It’s been a long road, but it’s been a good road in a way,” insisted Costigan on her signing with Invicta. “I think it prepared me for the next level and having fought for Cage Warriors, the big events, that’s prepared me for these big shows like Invicta.

“It made me mature as a mixed martial artist, and I think it’s the perfect time for me to sign with Invicta. Every part of my body and my mind are ready to take that title.”

Cage Warriors were trying to build an atomweight category around the Limerick woman before the promotion hit some complications earlier this year.

‘The Alpha Female’ admitted that the news of the promotion’s demise was ‘heart-breaking’ for her, but she will now focus on trying to get Invicta to put on a show on the Emerald Isle as she looks to get the feeling of walking out in front of the manic Irish support on home soil again.

“Invicta has always been there. They’re a worldwide show and even when we were with Cage Warriors Graham Boylan was always very fair with us, he said he would let me go and fight for them if he couldn’t get me fights. To be honest, I’m gutted that I never got to fight for a Cage Warriors title – I adored that show,” revealed Costigan.

“I’ll forever be grateful for what they did for the sport in Ireland. They gave up and coming fighters a chance to shine. Guys like Conor McGregor proved that we need that kind of show to build us for the next level like UFC and Invicta.

“It was kind of heart-breaking when I heard about Cage Warriors because I knew something was happening when they cancelled the New Year’s Eve show. That was one of their biggest shows and they would never usually miss out on that.

“Fighting in Ireland is such an amazing thing to do and I really hope that I will get the opportunity to bring a show to Ireland like Conor McGregor did with UFC. I know it will happen, but to be able to walk out in front of them fans again would be a dream come true.”

Costigan also stressed the importance of putting on entertaining fights under the Invicta banner, a lesson she learned from ‘The Irish Hand Grenade “ himself, Marcus Davis.

She said: “Marcus Davis was the first UFC fighter I ever sparred. I always remember that it felt like a wall was hitting me when he was landing shots, and that was him taking it easy and being careful.

“He told me that at the highest levels like UFC, you have to be an entertainer as well as a top-level martial artist. Back then I wasn’t at that level, but I knew how I was going to achieve it. Now I’m ready to entertain the Invicta fans.”

With Invicta FC 13 happening on July 10 in Vegas, the day before Conor McGregor tries to topple featherweight king Jose Aldo, although none of the details of her first fight have been established yet Costigan believes the event would be an ideal time for her to make her promotional bow.

A card that also boasts the bantamweight debut of Cris ‘Cyborg’ Justino for the main attraction, with the addition of Costigan and given the amount of Irish in Sin City that weekend, the event would surely be one of the most attended events in the promotion’s history.

“We’ve just signed the contract but we have to discuss the different fights and opponents and that. I’m pretty sure that they’ll be smart about this and go after the money. There’s a date there on July 10 in Vegas and I’m ready for that. I’m constantly on a diet, I’m constantly training – this is the game, at some point a fight is always going to happen. There’s no point in being lazy in between fights.

“My Irish fans are amazing and it would definitely be the perfect weekend for a debut, I could have all of the travelling support for McGregor’s title fight in watching me. I feel like I’ve gathered a lot of fans all over the world, there are a lot of people pulling for me from England and America too and it’s absolutely amazing.

“I owe these people. Whenever I get out there, and whoever is shouting for me, I’ll do exactly what I’m supposed to do and I will make sure I give them the performance that they deserve.

“All of the Irish fans should be getting on to Invicta on Twitter and Facebook to let them know that they want to see me make my debut on July 10 in Vegas. I want to put on a show for the fans the day before Conor McGregor meets Jose Aldo,” she said calling the Irish MMA faithful to action.

Interestingly, atomweight champion Tiburcio is also set to make her first title defence on the July 10 card when she meets Ayaka Hamasaki in the co-main event.

“Herica Tiburcio is the end goal – I want that title now. I’ve been working hard my whole life. I think I’m at the peak in my career and I’m ready to step up and take the belt.

“I could fight her tomorrow, obviously the cut would have to be done, but I know that I’m world class already. Now I’ve got to go out and show this promotion that they were dead right to sign me. I know I can really make waves in that division. I really feel that atomweight is so strong that it could be another division that might be added to UFC some day. I’ll fight anybody, they can line up the opponents and I will knock them down.

“I’ve already been out for seven or eight months and I’m not happy about that at all, I just want to be in there. In saying that, you have to be clever like Ronda Rousey was, she took smart fights at the start of her career to build her momentum. I’ll have to sit down and discuss it with my coaches, but I think they know that I can beat everyone in the division,” declared the Pankration Kickboxing Academy starlet.

Finally, Costigan explained how she is very confident that once Invicta see her fight, they will put her straight into a title showdown based on her performance in her debut.

“If they give me a debut on July 10 I will make a statement within the fight. Honestly, I think I will scare people. They will all know that I’m the most obvious opponent for the champion,” she said.

“Invicta need valuable challengers, they need people who have undefeated records, who have fought other girls from different countries and have put in some good performances in doing so. I think I have the right to call out Tiburcio, but my debut fight should speak for itself.

“There is no disrespect intended, I know how hard it is to get into that cage. But if you want it, you have to go and get it. I’m not going to be shy and quiet. You know I was always at Graham Boylan for a chance to fight for a belt and now Invicta are going to be hearing me campaign for a shot at theirs.”

@PetesyCarroll

“All of the Irish fans should be getting on to Invicta on Twitter and Facebook to let them know that they want to see me make my debut on July 10 in Vegas. I want to put on a show for the fans the day before Conor McGregor meets Jose Aldo.”

#Costigan4Invicta13