Latest news with #Invicta
Daily Record
7 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Record
Scots MP blasted for accepting cash donation from lobbyist
The donation came from a company owned by one of the country's top lobbyists. A Scottish MP is being urged to explain why she accepted a cash donation from a political lobbyist. Lib Dem MP Susan Murray received a £2000 donation from MFGC Holdings Ltd just three weeks after her election. The firm is owned by Mark Cummings – an ex-East Dunbartonshire Tory party chairman – who now runs one of Scotland's most prolific lobbying firms, Invicta Public Affairs. Invicta advocates for clients including supermarket giant Lidl, Graeme Souness 's firm Orchard Brae and housebuilders Miller Homes. Anti-corruption group Transparency International has demanded the rules be tightened. Juliet Swann, its nations and regions programme manager said: ' Lobbyists should not be making payments to elected officials and Parliament needs to do more to make this activity more open and accountable.' Mid Dunbartonshire MP Murray's register of interests shows she declared the £2000 donation last July 30 – three weeks after the General Election. The Scottish Lib Dems claimed the donation was from a 'long term supporter of the party' but according to the Electoral Commission MFGC donated £6000 to the Tories just six weeks earlier, on May 22. MFGC also sponsored Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie's Christmas cards last year and, in 2023, took now-Tory leader Russell Findlay and fellow Tory MSP Murdo Fraser to the Scottish FA Cup semi-final at Hampden. Invicta, owned by MFGC, donated £2400 to Scottish Labour in April last year and gave the Tories £12,000 in 2018, the Electoral Commission said. Invicta is one of the most active lobbying firms in Scotland, recording 227 incidences of lobbying parliamentarians since 2018. It has also hired a number of politicians including former SNP MP Richard Thomson, who is its Scotland Associate Director, ex-SNP MSP Richard Lyle – a consultant who attends meetings with MSPs – and current Tory MSP Stephen Kerr, who was a consultant until 2021. Lyle came under fire last year when it emerged he had been using a pass provided to former MSPs to access Holyrood. Asked about the donation to Murray, Cummings said: 'I live in the constituency that Susan Murray MP now represents. I supported her election campaign because I felt she was the best candidate for the job. 'I understand Susan has declared my donation in line with all relevant legislation.' Asked if he was now a Lib Dem supporter, he did not comment. A Scottish Lib Dem spokesman said: 'The firm in question belongs to a long term supporter of the party. All donations are recorded and declared in line with the relevant legislation.'
Metro
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Ex WWE star wraps first film role after shock exit and Invicta move
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Former WWE superstar Sonya Deville has revealed she's finished work on her first movie role. The 31-year-old ex-Raw and SmackDown star, who will make her commentary debut tonight at women's mixed martial arts event Invicta FC 62 under her real name Daria Berenato, is exploring all her options after her WWE contract wasn't renewed earlier this year. She exclusively told Metro: 'I always say to my wife [Toni], she hates the saying, but I'm always like, 'the world is our oyster', because that's truly how I feel and how I've always felt. 'I feel like manifestation is key, and anything you put your mind to, anything you can think of, you can do. 'So yeah, acting is something that I'm actively pursuing, and I've just wrapped a movie a couple weeks ago, so that'll be coming out soon. So that's fun. [I'm] taking it day by day.' When it comes to giving any more details, Daria insisted she's 'not allowed to yet', but that there'll be more information 'when the time is right'. However, the former WWE Women's Tag Team Champion did offer a hint of the kind of roles she could take on given her own tastes. 'I love thrillers. I love action thrillers, psychological thrillers. I'm a really big fan of series,' she smiled. 'I like Breacher, I like Tracker, shows like that that I can kind of follow along and get into the action with them.' She feels like the work she did over a decade with WWE has shown her 'versatility and diversity', from her sports-based presentation and later a stint as General Manager to the work she did as part of Mandy Rose, Otis and Dolph Ziggler's love triangle. 'I'm kind of excited to put some of those skills to use now, hopefully this Friday night,' she added with a nod to her Invicta commentary debut tonight. Daria is 'surprised' by the way her life changed, admitting she didn't expect WWE not to renew her contract before it expired in February – but her reaction might surprise people. 'It was almost like an immediate sigh of relief. Because when you're there, you're in that world, it's so competitive, and you're always having the looming [thought], 'When is the day going to come?' Not if, because everyone at some point gets let go or leaves,' she pointed out. 'I had been there for a decade. My entire 20s were spent there from 21 to 31 so I really felt like I got to show what I can do, and I got to experience so many things, and I just left with gratitude. I was like, 'That was amazing. Chapter one's over. Now it's time for chapter two.' ' For that second chapter, Daria is going back to her MMA roots after talks with Shannon Knapp had her sold on being part of a promotion she first watched at shows over a decade ago. 'As I was fighting MMA, and kind of trying to blaze my own path in the sport, I always dreamed of fighting at Invictus,' she beamed. 'It's a very full circle moment.' Daria was 'really devastated' when she left the MMA world behind for reality show WWE Tough Enough in 2015, which led to her contract with the sports entertainment giant. After feeling like she was in a 'time warp for 10 years' laser-focused on that career, Daria is delighted to be heading back. '[MMA] was kind of my identity at the time,' she reflected. 'That's why I feel like this moment, joining Invicta on the commentary team, is so special, and it's somewhere so deep in my heart.' That's not to say she's closed the door on pro wrestling, and she's well aware that people will make connections between Invicta and WWE partner TNA, given they both fall under the Anthem banner. 'There's definitely something about [TNA] that intrigues me. I'm not blind to the fact that the same company owns Invicta and TNA,' she quipped. 'I will just say, I think the best is yet to come. So we will see. I don't have answers right now to give you, but I think that there's conversations to be had.' More Trending Whether it's MMA or pro wrestling – or even the Unwrapped podcast with her wife Toni – Daria is leaving all doors open and staying open minded. 'I feel like the best is yet to come for me. I feel like in every aspect, I'm better than I've ever been. My body feels great, I feel more athletic than I was in my 20s,' she said. 'Maybe I'm a late bloomer, I don't know, but I just feel better than I've ever felt. And I feel like the options are endless, but I'm really enjoying what I'm doing right now.' View More » Invicta FC 62 airs live at 1am via YouTube PPV. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: 'Perfect' Netflix show renewed for season 2 but fans worry it won't be the same MORE: WWE legend Jim Ross, 73, diagnosed with cancer after years of health struggles MORE: 'Unhinged' new TV series compared to Little Britain horrifies Netflix fans
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
UFC Des Moines Preview and Prediction: Miesha Tate
In the featured prelim at UFC Des Moines, we are going to see the return of a former world champion. Former bantamweight champion Miesha Tate (20-9) is back as she takes on 10th ranked Yana Santos (15-8). Starting with Santos, she will be looking for her second straight win. The last time we saw her was last August when she defeated Chelsea Chandler. That win snapped a three-fight losing streak for Santos. Santos made her octagon debut back in 2018 against Cris Cyborg when she was an Invicta champion. After going 4-2 in her first six fights, she's just 1-3 since. Advertisement She'll be taking on former champion Miesha Tate. After Tate lost to Raquel Pennington in November 2016, she retired from the sport and focused on her family. Tate ultimately decided to return back in 2021 and won her first fight. She faced Ketlen Vieira in her next fight and had she won, she probably would've gotten a title shot. However, she lost and then she decided to move down to flyweight for one fight. Tate lost to Lauren Murphy and then she moved back up to bantamweight. She faced Julia Avila in December 2023 in her last fight and the former UFC champion scored a second round submission. She's hoping that with a win over Santos tomorrow night, she'll only be a win or two away from another title shot. UFC Des Moines Prediction This fight is ultimately going to come down to takedowns. Yana Santos is a good striker and Miesha Tate can hold her own on the feet. However, we know what Miesha Tate's game plan is. She's going to look to close the distance and she's going to look for takedowns. Advertisement Tate has really good ground control and I think that if she gets the fight there, she'll be able to keep it there for extended periods of time. With that, I think she's only two takedowns away from winning a decision in this fight. I expect Santos to land the better shots on the feet, but I think I'm more comfortable picking Miesha Tate at UFC Des Moines. I think she'll be able to gain control of at least two rounds and she'll be able to get a decision here. Prediction: Miesha Tate by Decision
Associated Press
25-03-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
PFL MMA Champion Cris Cyborg Now Ranked 15th in the World as Professional Boxer
Las Vegas, NV March 25, 2025 --( 17x MMA World Champion Cris Cyborg is attempting to accomplish something that has never been done in combat sports; She is looking to hold a World Championship in the sports of MMA and Boxing - simultaneously. While Combat sports Legend Holly Holm held multiple Boxing World titles and captured the UFC Belt, no fighter; male or female has held a MMA and Boxing World Championship at the same time. Currently ranked 15th the World in professional Boxing, Cris Cyborg has found a home in the Super Welterweight division after scoring a pair of KO victories in Colombia during the month of March that improved her professional Boxing record to 4-0 (3Ko's). The current Professional Fighters League PFL MMA Champion, Cris Cyborg is expected to make her return to MMA and the PFL MMA Smart Cage sometime this fall, which would make a Crossover Mega Fight between MMA Great Cris Cyborg and Boxing legend Cecilia Braekhus possible for this winter. When asked about the possibility of fighting Cecilia Braekhus, Cris Cyborg had this to say, 'Cecilia is a legend in the sport of Boxing. in 2017 when I was UFC Champion I wanted to give fans this fight. We are both later in our careers but still competing at the top. I think a cross over fight between Cecilia Braekhus and myself is the type of event that will help elevate all Women Combat Sports. There is a big section of Female MMA fights who have not been introduced to Women's Boxing and vice versa. It would be an honor to face Cecilia Braekhus in the boxing ring. When you attract the female fan you inevitably attract the entire family' A fight between Cris Cyborg and Cecilia Braekhus would be huge for Female Combat Sports. Cris Cyborg is the only fighter to hold 5 World Championship belts in the sport of MMA having captured the PFL MMA, Bellator, UFC, Invicta, and Strikeforce Championships. Cecilia Braekhus was the 1st female in any weight class to unify the WBA, WBC, IBF, and WBO World titles simultaneously. Jerry McClane
