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History Lesson: The Journey of the Invicta Strawweight Title

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On Friday, Nov. 20, Invicta Fighting Championships will host its 43rd event from Kansas City, Kan. The event will crown the eighth strawweight champion in promotional history. Let’s take a look back at the belt’s history.

SETTING THE PACE

Invicta FC 4 was the stage where the first-ever Invicta strawweight champion was crowned.

The main event was expected to feature Carla Esparza and Claudia Gadelha. Unfortunately, Gadelha was forced from the bout because of a broken nose and needed to be replaced.

Also training for a fight that night was Australian Bec Rawlings — neé Hyatt. Rawlings was set to take on Joanne Calderwood on the undercard, but got the call to face Esparza.

Rawlings was the underdog in the fight, especially considering the late notice. However, Rawlings showed up to fight the highly touted Esparza.

While Rawlings proved to be a tough opponent, Esparza proved why she was regarded as one of the best 115-pounders in the world. For five rounds, Esparza used her solid boxing and vastly superior wrestling to stifle Rawlings. When the buzzer went off at the end of round five, there was no doubt in anyone’s mind that Esparza was the first-ever Invicta strawweight champion.

It was a short run though…

FINNING THE VOID

Esparza’s championship win was quickly followed by the UFC opening its own women’s strawweight division. With that, the champion decided to join the new season of The Ultimate Fighter, where they had a tournament to crown the first-ever UFC strawweight titleholder (which Esparza would go on to win).

Esparza’s departure left a void. And that void was to be filled at Invicta 8.

Europe’s top 115-pounder, Katja Kankaanpää of Finland, was matched against top American prospect Stephanie Eggink. The bout was paired with an atomweight title affair for championship doubleheader.

Kankaanpää’s experience figured in heavy into this fight by many, and their assertions proved to be correct. Kankaanpää, the tough and gritty vet, was able to mostly stifle Eggink throughout the fight. The big X-factor was her grappling.

The fight went into the fifth round and Kankaanpää decided to hit the gas, preferring to score a finish over letting the judges decide. She got Eggink to the ground, slapped on a D’Arce choke and tapped out Eggink just over two minutes into the final round.

The title win was huge, but she was then tasked with being the first strawweight champ to defend her title.

GANGSTER’S PARADISE

Kankaanpää’s win was huge, but she had a big task ahead of herself, as the Invicta strawweight division was brimming with talent. Her first challenger would be a highly touted newcomer from Brazil named Livia Renata Souza, the self-described Brazilian gangster.

The struggle for the champion would be matching her ground game with that of Souza, as Souza is known for her top-level submission grappling. Unfortunately for the champ, that would be on display in this match-up.

After four rounds of fighting, Souza was able to slap on a triangle choke, forcing a tap from Kankaanpää, thus ending her brief championship run. Kankaanpää would retire from the sport a few fights later with that championship accolade to her name.

Now, it was the task of Souza to be the first strawweight champ to defend the belt. Her first opponent as champ was DeAnna Bennett, a respected veteran that has been in the position of big fights more than a few times. Bennett also happened to be 8-0 at the time, making this a battle of the unbeatens.

The co-main event of Invicta 15 figured to be the BJJ of Souza vs. the boxing and wrestling of Bennett. However, just 1:30 into the first round, Souza landed a brutal body kick that folded Bennett. Souza followed up with several punches and just like that, she had defended her title with a highlight-reel finish.

The UFC would eventually be in the future of Souza, but not before her next fight at Invicta 17.

QUEEN OF THE HILL

Souza would be matched up in her second title defense against Angela Hill, a young fighter in the sport that had made The Ultimate Fighter despite having just one pro fight. Hill had washed out of the UFC not long after, and was ready to regroup under the Invicta banner.

Hill had begun her comeback with Invicta, scoring TKO victories in two bouts over Alida Gray and the aforementioned Eggink. Those two wins allotted her the resume to warrant a title shot against Souza.

Invicta 17 came around with Souza and Hill populating the co-main event in support of the bantamweight title in the main slot. Fans anticipated a clash of styles.

What they saw was a highly competitive bout. Hill used her solid Muay Thai skills and excellent athleticism to contrast with the top-level ground game and strength of Souza. Both fighters had their moments, but after 25 minutes it would come down to the judges’ scorecards.

The judges were split in who they thought took the victory; with two judges scoring the fight in favor of Hill, netting her the title and dethroning Souza in an upset.

Hill’s first title defense would take place at Invicta 20 against powerhouse Kaline Medeiros. The Brazilian Medeiros was known for her fierce knockout power and was a threat to put Hill out with one shot.

In a more clear-cut title fight for Hill, she was able to outpoint Medeiros on all the scorecards, defending her title and continuing her career resurgence after her initial UFC ouster.

Hill vacated the title after the win and headed to the UFC, as she received a late-notice opportunity. She’s been there ever since.

BLACK BELT, TITLE BELT

With the departure of Hill, Invicta again needed to fill a vacancy. So, the company looked to two of it’s top international stars to fill that need: Mizuki Inoue of Japan and Virna Jandiroba of Brazil.

Invicta 28 was the site where that vacant title would be filled. Mizuki was known to Invicta fans for her exciting style and impressive resume, while Jandiroba was an undefeated 13-0 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt looking to make a name for herself.

Like many of the title fights before it, Mizuki-Jandiroba was a competitive fight that had fans in attendance on their feet. Mizuki’s striking and Jandiroba’s grappling were both on display, in a great contrast of style.

For the second time in Invicta strawweight championship history, the judges were split on their choice for the winner. However, it was Jandiroba who got the judge’s tilt, making her the second Brazilian champ in the division’s history.

With that win, Jandiroba was then matched up with a fellow Brazilian Janaisa Morandin at Invicta 31 in her first defense of the gold. However, this time, she made sure to leave no doubt in the minds of the judges and fans.

In the second round, Jandiroba really made the grappling disparity apparent, as she dominated her countrywoman. She secured a beautiful arm-triangle choke, coercing a tap from Morandin and successfully defending her title.

As with the previous champ, Hill, Jandiroba would be offered a UFC contract and would then vacate the title to pursue that endeavor.

ONE NIGHT, THREE FIGHTS, ONE BELT

To fill the void left behind by Jandiroba, Invicta decided to hold an eight-woman, one-night tournament to crown a new champion. The tournament would consist of UFC veterans Kailin Curran, Juliana Lima and Danielle Taylor; international stars Sunna Davidsdottir and Manjit Kolekar; Invicta mainstays Sharon Jacobson, Amber Brown; and top regional fighter Brianna van Buren.

Each quarterfinal and semifinal bout was one round, with the final being a three-round affair. The winner of that three-round fight would earn the Invicta gold.

The opening round saw Curran and Lima score split decisions over Davidsdottir and Taylor, respectively. Jacobson defeated Brown by unanimous decision and van Buren scored an armbar finish over Kolekar.

The semifinals saw two more definitive wins than the first round, though there were no finishes. Van Buren bested the favored Lima by unanimous verdict, while Curran did the same over Jacobson in what was seen as an upset.

The main event came and both fighters could taste victory. It was just 15 minutes (or less) away.

In what was an outstanding performance, van Buren completed the Cinderella run in which she outlasted UFC veterans and other top prospects to dominate Curran in the finals and choke her out in the second round. With that, the championship void was filled with a young, exciting star.

However, we would never see van Buren defend that title, as the UFC offered her a fight on late notice, effectively vacating the belt.

LAND OF THE RISING STAR

With the belt without a home, Invicta again had to put together two stars to square off for the gold. Invicta 38 was the site, and competing for the title would be Japanese phenom Kanako Murata and scrappy veteran Emily Ducote.

Murata had gained fame fighting for top Japanese organization Rizin and was known for her excellent wrestling. Ducote, on the other hand, was a former Bellator MMA flyweight championship challenger who had ransacked Janaisa Morandin in her Invicta debut to earn this slot.

This was another great fight. Murata had her moments where she showed off underrated striking and good grappling. Ducote showed off her good striking as well, as well as her scrappiness. They threw down for five rounds, warranting a call to the judges.

In what we can call another piece of brilliant matchmaking by Invicta FC, we saw another split decision decide the Invicta 115-pound strap. That decision went the way of Murata, making her the first Japanese strawweight champion in Invicta. It also, in the process, proved the worth of Ducote, who is now one of the best 115-pounders.

Murata never defended the title, though. She vacated the title and signed with the UFC, leaving the belt without an owner once more.

That’s where Ducote and Montserrat Ruiz come in. The belt is on the line at Invicta 43. Who will add to the rich history of Invicta’s strawweight lineage?

This piece is a special contribution from Riley Kontek, a veteran combat sports writer whose work has appeared on Bleacher Report MMA, Combat Press and the MMA Intel Blog. You can follow Riley on Twitter.

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Invicta FC 38 Results: Murata Edges Ducote, Porto Tops Rodríguez

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Kansas City, Kan. — On Friday, Nov. 1, Invicta Fighting Championships hosted Invicta FC 38: Murata vs. Ducote from Memorial Hall. The entire fight card aired exclusively on UFC Fight Pass.

There’s a new strawweight champion as Japan’s Kanako Murata edged Oklahoma’s Emily Ducote over the course of five rounds. Ducote opened the title match-up with low kicks to the calf of Murata. The Japanese fighter faked a superwoman punch and secured a body lock, but Ducote remained upright. Murata then ducked under a punch and powered the fight to the ground. Ducote quickly latched onto an arm and forced Murata to defend the armbar. Ducote worked back to her feet, but it was short lived as Murata dragged her back to the mat late in the round. The low kick of Ducote continued to land in round two, frustrating Murata. A deep single-leg attempt by Murata was shrugged off by Ducote. The Oklahoma fighter used her reach to land punches to Murata’s midsection. Murata powered into a takedown as the round neared its end, but Ducote again forced her to defend an armbar attempt. In the third round, Ducote was able to land straight punches with regularity. Murata landed a nice combination from boxing range, but struggled to get inside with any consistency. Ducote shrugged off multiple takedown attempts, but Murata got her to the canvas late in the round. Ducote pushed forward in round four, driving Murata against the fence with her punches. A lead-leg head kick from Ducote caught Murata flush. She followed it with a second head kick that appeared to stun Murata. Ducote attacked with more punches, forcing Murata to look for a takedown. She latched onto Ducote’s arm and pulled her to the ground. Ducote locked onto an arm, but Murata escaped. Murata tried to cartwheel past Ducote’s guard as the round expired. Ducote peppered the face of Murata with punches in the final round. Murata scored with a takedown midway through the round, but found herself in another armbar attempt. The fight was sent to the judges for the decision, who were split in favor of Murata.

In what was originally scheduled to be the night’s headliner, flyweight champion Vanessa Porto took on Mexico’s Karina Rodríguez in an all-out war. Unfortunately, Rodríguez missed weight for the bout and fight became a non-title affair. The reach advantage of Rodríguez came into play early, as she was able to connect with Porto from range. The Brazilian answered with a strong right hand and then changed levels for a big slam. Rodríguez showed great scrambling ability to get back to her feet, but Porto was able to secure more takedowns. The latter part of the round was controlled by Porto and her wrestling. The left eye of Rodríguez swelled badly to open round two. The Mexican fighter was unfazed, securing the clinch and kneeing Porto multiple times in the face. Blood poured from Porto’s nose, but she moved forward aggressively. A right hand from Porto damaged Rodríguez’s nose midway through the frame. Another big knee from Rodríguez landed, prompting a late takedown from Porto. Both fighters wore plenty of damage entering the final round. Rodríguez became more confident, moving forward and firing punches. Porto tried repeatedly to bring the fight to the ground, but was met with more knees. The nose of Porto leaked blood and her right eye swelled, but she was able to secure a late takedown. The fight was sent to the judges for a verdict and it was Porto who walked away with the victory.

Strawweight Mallory Martin continued her winning ways, defeating Cynthia Arceo on the scorecards. Arceo scored with a short left hand early as she bounced on her feet. Martin closed the distance and secured a takedown with an outside trip. After a series of left hands, Arceo worked back to her feet. The Texas fighter used her kicking arsenal to control the range late in the round. The second round started well for Arceo as she cracked Martin with a straight right hand. However, she threw a kick that Martin caught and was planted on the ground once again. Martin patiently passed to side control and eventually the mount. Once in mount, Martin delivered heavy ground and pound, battering the promotional newcomer with elbows and punches. Arceo showed heart to survive the round. Arceo found success early in round three by using her kicks to stay on the outside. Martin countered with her lead hook, but eventually changed levels and returned the fight to the mat. She again earned the mount and rained more elbows, but could not find the finish. Martin moved to 6-2 with the decision win.

Flyweights Shanna Young and Maiju Suotama met for a second time, with Young again coming out victorious. The opening round was a flashback to the pair’s previous bout at Phoenix Rising 2, as Finland’s Suotama was able to get Young to the canvas and take her back. Suotama tried to soften up Young with punches and looked for a rear-naked choke. Young was able to survive and the fight went to a second round. Young took control with her striking, dropping Suotama with a massive left hand. She continued to damage Suotama with punches, bloodying her nose. Suotama tried to get the fight back to the ground, but Young showcased a great sprawl. Young gained top position late in the round and delivered heavy punishment. Suotama pulled guard early in round three, attacking with an armbar. Young punched her way free and pounded on the Finn from side control. Late in the round, Young moved to mount and unleashed punch after punch. Suotama made it to the final bell, but Young walked away with the decision nod.

Bantamweight Lisa Verzosa remained unbeaten after a three-round war with New Hampshire’s Kerri Kenneson. Verzosa pressured forward from the opening bell, delivering a right hand along the cage. She looked to follow it up with more punches, but Kenneson caught her with a clean right hand that sent her crashing to the canvas. Verzosa recovered and continued to march forward. Kenneson scored with a left hook to the body and closed the round with a takedown attempt. The pair exchanged early in round two, with Verzosa attacking the body of Kenneson in the clinch. Kenneson threw a variety of kicks, trying to slow the unrelenting advance of Verzosa. In the last five minutes, both fighters had their moments. Verzosa stayed in the face of Kenneson, causing her nose to bleed with punches. A left hook to right straight combination from Verzosa forced Kenneson to shoot for a takedown, but Verzosa countered with a guillotine choke attempt. The back-and-forth battle went the distance, with Verzosa claiming victory.

Auttumn Norton picked up her first career win after battering Shaianna Rincón over three rounds in their featherweight match-up. After taking turns landing heavy shots in the fight’s first stanza, Norton stunned Rincón with a right hand. The fight swung heavily in Norton’s favor in round two as Norton caught a kick and dumped Rincón to the ground. Once on top, Norton unleashed a barrage of punches and elbows that split open Rincón. Despite the onslaught, Rincón survived the round. Round three was largely a carbon copy of the second, as Norton put Rincón on the mat and landed more ground and pound. The fight saw the final bell, but it was a clean sweep for Norton on the scorecards.

The night kicked off with a clash of bantamweight newcomers as New York’s Taneisha Tennant met Las Vegas-based Serena DeJesus. After a brief feeling-out process, Tennant dropped DeJesus with right hand. DeJesus would survive and fire back with kicks. In round two, DeJesus turned the tables, stunning Tennant with a left hand and landing numerous low kicks. With the fight in the balance in the final frame, Tennant bloodied the nose of DeJesus with a big left hook. She finished strong with a right hand that hurt DeJesus. All three judges rewarded Tennant the decision victory.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
Kanako Murata def. Emily Ducote by split decision (48-47, 47-48, 49-46) – for strawweight title
Vanessa Porto def. Karina Rodríguez by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Mallory Martin def. Cynthia Arceo by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-27)
Shanna Young def. Maiju Suotama by unanimous decision (29-27, 28-27, 28-26)
Lisa Verzosa def. Kerri Kenneson by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Auttumn Norton def. Shaianna Rincón by unanimous decision (30-26 x3)
Taneisha Tennant def. Serena DeJesus by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

About Invicta FC:

Invicta Fighting Championships is a world championship, all-pro mixed martial arts (MMA) fight series dedicated to providing female athletes with a major platform to hone their skills on a consistent basis. Founded in 2012 by longtime MMA executive Shannon Knapp, Invicta is committed to pioneering the future growth of women’s MMA by promoting the best possible match-ups between female competitors and identifying and developing future superstars of the sport. Follow Invicta on Twitter (@InvictaFights), Facebook (Facebook.com/InvictaFights), and Instagram (@InvictaFC) for all the latest information.

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Invicta FC 38: Murata vs. Ducote Official Weigh-in Results

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Kansas City, Mo. — On Thursday, Oct. 31, Invicta Fighting Championships hosted the weigh-ins for Invicta FC 38: Murata vs. Ducote. The event takes place from from Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan., on Friday, Nov.1 , with the entire card streaming live on UFC Fight Pass beginning at 7 p.m. CT.

In the night’s main event, Japan’s Kanako Murata (10-1) battles veteran Emily Ducote (8-5) for the vacant strawweight championship. Murata submitted Liana Pirosin in her promotional debut at Invicta FC 35. Oklahoma’s Ducote impressed in her first Invicta appearance, stopping former title challenger Janaisa Morandin in the first round.

The co-main event pits flyweight champion Vanessa Porto (21-8) against contender tournament winner Karina Rodríguez (8-3) in a non-title affair, after Rodríguez failed to make weight. The Brazilian Porto captured gold at Invicta FC 34, defeating UFC veteran Pearl Gonzalez. Mexico’s Rodriguez most recently earned a hard-fought decision victory over UFC alum DeAnna Bennett at Invicta FC 36.

Below are the results of the event’s weigh-ins.

Strawweight Title: Kanako Murata (114.9) vs. Emily Ducote (114.2)
Flyweight: Vanessa Porto (124.2) vs. Karina Rodríguez (126.1)*
Strawweight: Mallory Martin (115.8) vs. Cynthia Arceo (116)
Flyweight: Shanna Young (125.7) vs. Maiju Suotama (124.2)
Bantamweight: Lisa Verzosa (135.5) vs. Kerri Kenneson (135.6)
Featherweight: Shaianna Rincón (143.8) vs. Auttumn Norton (146)
Bantamweight: Serena DeJesus (135.7) vs. Taneisha Tennant (135.9)

* – Rodríguez missed the flyweight championship limit of 125 pounds and was fined 25 percent of her fight purse. Her bout against Porto is now a three-round, non-title bout.

About Invicta FC:

Invicta Fighting Championships is a world championship, all-pro mixed martial arts (MMA) fight series dedicated to providing female athletes with a major platform to hone their skills on a consistent basis. Founded in 2012 by longtime MMA executive Shannon Knapp, Invicta is committed to pioneering the future growth of women’s MMA by promoting the best possible match-ups between female competitors and identifying and developing future superstars of the sport. Follow Invicta on Twitter (@InvictaFights), Facebook (Facebook.com/InvictaFights), and Instagram (@InvictaFC) for all the latest information.

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Invicta FC 38 Features Two Title Fights on Nov. 1

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Kansas City, Mo. – The fight card for Invicta FC 38 will feature a pair of title bouts.

Flyweight champion Vanessa Porto (21-8) will make the first defense of her 125-pound title against contender tournament winner Karina Rodríguez (8-3). The Brazilian Porto captured gold at Invicta FC 34, defeating UFC veteran Pearl Gonzalez by decision. Mexico’s Rodriguez earned her shot at gold with a hard-fought decision victory over UFC alum DeAnna Bennett in the Invicta FC 36 main event.

The co-main event also features gold on the line as Japan’s Kanako Murata (10-1) battles veteran Emily Ducote (8-5) for the vacant strawweight championship. Murata, a decorated wrestler, submitted Liana Pirosin in her promotional debut at Invicta FC 35. Oklahoma’s Ducote has faced some of the toughest flyweights in the world and now seeks a title at 115 pounds after stopping former title challenger Janaisa Morandin at Invicta FC 36.

Joining the two title fights will be a strawweight clash between Contender Series veteran Mallory Martin (5-2) and Texas newcomer Cynthia “Sin” Arceo (5-1-1), a flyweight rematch between recent Phoenix Series 2 quarterfinalists Shanna Young (6-2) and Maiju Suotama (8-4), a bantamweight bout featuring undefeated Lisa “Battle Angel” Verzosa (4-0) — formerly Spangler — and “Scary” Kerri Kenneson (3-1), the return of California’s Shaianna “Yaya” Rincón (2-0) against Nevada’s Auttumn Norton (0-1) at featherweight, and the debut of Las Vegas bantamweight Serena de Jesus (1-0), who takes on fellow newcomer Taneisha “Triple Threat” Tennant (1-0) of New York.

Invicta FC 38 takes place Friday, Nov. 1, from Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan. The event will stream live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass beginning at 7 p.m. CT. Tickets for the event can be purchased now through Eventbrite.

The current Invicta FC 38 fight card can be found below:

Flyweight Title: Vanessa Porto vs. Karina Rodríguez
Strawweight Title: Kanako Murata vs. Emily Ducote
Strawweight: Mallory Martin vs. Cynthia Arceo
Flyweight: Shanna Young vs. Maiju Suotama
Bantamweight: Lisa Verzosa vs. Kerri Kenneson
Featherweight: Shaianna Rincón vs. Auttumn Norton
Bantamweight: Serena DeJesus vs. Taneisha Tennant

About Invicta FC:
Invicta Fighting Championships (invictafc.com) is a world championship, all-pro mixed martial arts (MMA) fight series dedicated to providing female athletes with a major platform to hone their skills on a consistent basis. Founded in 2012 by longtime MMA executive Shannon Knapp, Invicta is committed to pioneering the future growth of women’s MMA by promoting the best possible match-ups between female competitors and identifying and developing future superstars of the sport. Follow Invicta on Twitter (@InvictaFights), Facebook (Facebook.com/InvictaFights), and Instagram (@InvictaFC) for all the latest information.

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Invicta FC 35 Results: Rodríguez Gets Revenge, Edges Bennett to Claim Title Shot

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Kansas City, Kan. — On Friday, June 7, Invicta Fighting Championships hosted Invicta FC 35: Bennett vs. Rodríguez II from Memorial Hall. The entire fight card aired exclusively on UFC Fight Pass.

There’s a new No. 1 contender in the flyweight division as Karina Rodríguez defeated DeAnna Bennett to earn a title shot against champion Vanessa Porto. The pair had met previously at Invicta FC 28, with Bennett earning a decision victory. The rematch began with a tightly contested first round. Rodríguez popped her jab over and over to keep Bennett at range. Bennett took her time adjusting, but eventually found her range and scored with punches of her own. The pair traded combinations throughout the frame, as the entire round was spent on the feet. In the second frame, Bennett used her boxing to set up her takedown attempts, but unlike the pair’s first meeting, Rodríguez was able to keep the fight upright. Bennett’s control along the fence changed the flow of the fight. The last stanza began with a big body kick from Rodríguez. That prompted Bennett to shoot and eventually secure the fight’s first takedown. That would be the story of the remainder of the fight, as Bennett worked relentlessly to bring the fight to the mat. The fight went the distance and it was Rodríguez’s name called when the scorecards were revealed.

UFC veteran Viviane Pereira put the first blemish on the record of atomweight Alesha Zappitella with a dominating performance in the night’s co-main event. Zappitella came out firing punches, but despite her clear speed advantage, she could not get inside the range of the former strawweight Pereira. The Brazilian used her counter striking to batter the smaller Zappitella at range. A series of jabs forced the face of Zappitella to swell. Zappitella tried to implement her wrestling attack, but Pereira stuffed all of her attempts to get the fight to the mat. In round two, the constant shots from Pereira appeared to break the nose of Zappitella, as it poured blood and she was forced to breathe through her mouth. Pereira dropped Zappitella with a right hand just as round two came to a close. The final round was more of the same, as Pereira cruised to the lopsided decision victory.

Japan’s Kanako Murata put the strawweight division on notice in her promotional debut, submitting Brazilian Liana Pirosin inside the first round. Murata powered into a quick takedown and looked for a choke. Pirosin scrambled free and briefly took Murata’s back and worked for a choke of her own. Murata squirmed free and regained top position. She passed to Pirosin’s back, trapping her left arm with a leg. That allowed her to slap on a rear-naked choke and coerce the tap from the Brazilian less than halfway through the opening frame.

Lisa Spangler remained unbeaten, edging former bantamweight title challenger Katharina Lehner by unanimous decision. The fight was spent on the feet throughout its entirety with neither fighting wanting to give an inch. Spangler threw low kicks in the opening frame as Lehner peppered with jab, as both looked to find their range. The technical striking chess match continued throughout the first round. In round two, both fighters took turns opening up and firing overhand rights. The low kicks of Spangler took their toll on the German fighter as the fight progressed. In the final stanza, Lehner’s pace slowed and she took deep breaths. Spangler threw with more volume in the fight’s final minutes, putting the finishing touches on a decision victory to remain undefeated.

Minnesota’s Kaitlin Young used her striking prowess to get the better of former featherweight title challenger Faith McMah. Young went to work right away with kicks to the lead leg of the Kiwi fighter. McMah stayed on the outside, absorbing each kick. Young was able to close the distance and score with elbows over the top of McMah’s guard. In round two, McMah earned a brief takedown, but she could not keep Young down. Young continued to batter McMah’s lead leg, slowing her movement. In the third round, Young poured it on with a barrage along the fence. The onslaught hurt McMah, who crumbled to the canvas, forcing the referee to intervene.

In a clash of California bantamweights, it was Stockton’s Chelsea Chandler who stopped Los Angeles fighter Brittney Victoria by second-round TKO. The pair threw heavy punches right away. Chandler waded through Victoria’s punches and initiated the clinch. When they separated, Chandler cracked Victoria with a heavy right hand that hurt her. She followed her to the mat and unleashed a barrage of elbows and took Victoria’s back as the round expired. Round two began much the same, but another right hand from Chandler hurt Victoria badly. Chandler again dropped heavy elbows, but Victoria was able to survive. An armbar attempt from Chandler allowed Victoria to scramble to her feet. That was short lived, however. Chandler dropped Victoria once again and put her away with a flurry of punches.

Atomweights Kelly D’Angelo and Jillian DeCoursey put on a show in the night’s third bout. The power punching of D’Angelo was the story of the first round. She battered DeCoursey with punches and scored with heavy hammerfists when DeCoursey looked for a takedown. The tide turned early in round two, as DeCoursey was able to change levels and get the fight to the ground. She couldn’t keep it there, as D’Angelo scrambled back to her feet. The pair continued to trade heavy shots and takedowns throughout the final frame, but it was D’Angelo who was able to frequently find top position. A late heel hook attempt from DeCoursey was too little, too late, as the fight was sent to the judges at cageside, who returned a unanimous verdict for Missouri’s D’Angelo.

Thailand’s Loma Lookboonmee returned to the Invicta cage and spoiled the promotional debut of Brazilian Monique Adriane after three, hard-fought rounds. The kicking arsenal of Lookboonmee was on full display as she spun Adriane around like a top just moments into the fight with a body kick. The Brazilian countered the kicks with heavy punches to keep the fight close. Lookboonmee secured the fight’s first takedown with a trip. She dropped heavy elbow from half guard. The second round was electric, as both fighters turned up the pace. Adriane caught a kick and planted Lookboonmee on her back, but the Thai fighter scrambled to her feet. Adriane tried to repeat the feat moments later, but Lookboonmee reversed it and put the Brazilian on her back. The final round was spent largely on the feet with Lookboonmee repeatedly kicking the midsection of Adriane. A late takedown from Lookboonmee sealed the deal as she swept the scorecards.

Kicking off the night’s action was a battle of debuting strawweights as Kentucky’s Genia Goodin took on California’s Valerie Wong. Goodin’s height and reach advantage was quickly neutralized as Wong looked for a takedown. However, it was Goodin who brought the fight to the ground and maintained top position. Wong was active from her back, looking for submissions, but Goodin showcased good defense. It was more of the same in the second frame, as Goodin looked for a leg lock, but Wong countered with a rear-naked choke attempt. The third stanza was all Goodin, who used her clinch game to keep Wong pinned against the fence. The judges were split, but it was Goodin who left the cage victorious.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
Karina Rodríguez def. DeAnna Bennett by unanimous decision (29-28 x3) – flyweight tournament final
Viviane Pereira def. Alesha Zappitella by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
Kanako Murata def. Liana Pirosin by submission (rear-naked choke). Round 1, 2:10
Lisa Spangler def. Katharina Lehner by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Kaitlin Young def. Faith McMah by TKO (strikes). Round 3, 3:52
Chelsea Chandler def. Brittney Victoria by TKO (punches). Round 2, 3:58
Kelly D’Angelo def. Jillian DeCoursey by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Loma Lookboonmee def. Monique Adriane by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Genia Goodin def. Valerie Wong by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

About Invicta FC:

Invicta Fighting Championships is a world championship, all-pro mixed martial arts (MMA) fight series dedicated to providing female athletes with a major platform to hone their skills on a consistent basis. Founded in 2012 by longtime MMA executive Shannon Knapp, Invicta is committed to pioneering the future growth of women’s MMA by promoting the best possible match-ups between female competitors and identifying and developing future superstars of the sport. Follow Invicta on Twitter (@InvictaFights), Facebook (Facebook.com/InvictaFights), and Instagram (@InvictaFC) for all the latest information.

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Invicta FC 35 Features DeAnna Bennett vs. Karina Rodríguez II

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Kansas City, Mo. — The lineup for Invicta Fighting Championships 35 has been finalized.

On Friday, June 7, the promotion again touches down at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan. The event will stream live on UFC Fight Pass at 7 p.m. CT.

In the night’s main event, the flyweight contender tournament will come to a close as UFC veteran DeAnna Bennett (10-4-1) rematches Mexico’s Karina Rodríguez (7-3). The pair met previously at Invicta FC 28, with Bennett edging Rodríguez by decision. The pair meet again with a flyweight title shot on the line. Bennett defeated Missouri’s Miranda Maverick and Rodriguez topped UFC veteran Milana Dudieva in the tournament semifinals at Invicta FC 34 in February. The winner will be the next to challenge Brazilian champion Vanessa Porto.

The co-main event will take place in the atomweight division as undefeated wrestling stalwart Alesha Zappitella (5-0) takes on four-fight UFC alum Viviane Pereira (13-3), who makes her debut in the 105-pound division. Zappitella bested former title challenger Amber Brown in her last outing, while Pereira took on top strawweight MIZUKI in her promotional debut.

Joining the top two match-ups will be seven additional bouts. Japan’s Kanako Murata (9-1) meets fellow strawweight newcomer Liana Pirosin (7-2), former bantamweight title challenger Katharina Lehner (7-1) returns to take on undefeated Lisa Spangler (3-0), featherweight Kaitlin Young (9-9-1) clashes with New Zealand’s Faith McMah (6-3), California bantamweights collide as Stockton’s Chelsea Chandler (1-1) meets undefeated Los Angeles fighter Brittney Victoria (3-0), Missouri’s Kelly D’Angelo (3-2) takes on New York’s Jillian DeCoursey (2-1) in an atomweight affair, Thailand’s Loma Lookboonmee (2-1) welcomes Brazilian atomweight Monique Adriane (4-1) to the Invicta cage, and strawweights Valerie Wong (0-0) and Genia Goodin (0-0) make their professional debuts.

The current Invicta FC 35 fight card can be found below:

Flyweight Contender Bout: DeAnna Bennett (10-4-1) vs. Karina Rodríguez (7-3)
Atomweight: Alesha Zappitella (5-0) vs. Viviane Pereira (13-3)
Strawweight: Kanako Murata (9-1) vs. Liana Pirosin (7-2)
Bantamweight: Katharina Lehner (7-1) vs. Lisa Spangler (3-0)
Featherweight: Kaitlin Young (9-9-1) vs. Faith McMah (6-3)
Bantamweight: Chelsea Chandler (1-1) vs. Brittney Victoria (3-0)
Atomweight: Kelly D’Angelo (3-2) vs. Jillian DeCoursey (2-1)
Atomweight: Loma Lookboonmee (2-1) vs. Monique Adriane (4-1)
Strawweight: Valerie Wong (0-0) vs. Genia Goodin (0-0)

Tickets for Invicta FC 35 are on sale now through Eventbrite.

About Invicta FC:

Invicta Fighting Championships is a world championship, all-pro mixed martial arts (MMA) fight series dedicated to providing female athletes with a major platform to hone their skills on a consistent basis. Founded in 2012 by longtime MMA executive Shannon Knapp, Invicta is committed to pioneering the future growth of women’s MMA by promoting the best possible match-ups between female competitors and identifying and developing future superstars of the sport. Follow Invicta on Twitter (@InvictaFights), Facebook (Facebook.com/InvictaFights), and Instagram (@InvictaFC) for all the latest information.

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Kay Hansen Replaces Kanako Murata, Faces Sharon Jacobson at Invicta FC 33

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Kansas City, Mo. — The fight card for Invicta FC 33 has changed due to injury.

Strawweight newcomer Kanako Murata (8-1) has been forced out of her promotional debut against fellow wrestler Sharon Jacobson (5-3). Stepping in on short notice will be 19-year-old Kay Hansen (3-2).

Hansen was last in action in November, falling via hard-fought decision to Erin Blanchfield at Invicta FC 32. The Californian has finished all three of her career wins, including two inside the Invicta cage.

Jacobson has compiled a 3-1 record with the promotion, most recently defeating Ashley Nichols on the scorecards at Invicta FC 27 in January.

Invicta FC 33 takes place Saturday, Dec. 15, from the historic Scottish Rite Temple in Kansas City, Mo. The card is headlined by an atomweight title rematch between champion Jinh Yu Frey (7-3) and Minna Grusander (6-2). The pair met previously in July, with the Texas fighter Frey edging Finland’s Grusander on the scorecards.

The updated fight card for Invicta FC 33 can be found below:

Atomweight Title: Jinh Yu Frey (7-3) vs. Minna Grusander (6-2)
Strawweight: Danielle Taylor (9-4) vs. Monserrat Ruiz (8-0)
Strawweight: Sharon Jacobson (5-3) vs. Kay Hansen (3-2)
Atomweight: Amber Brown (7-4) vs. Alesha Zappitella (4-0, 1 NC)
Strawweight: Jamie Moyle (4-3) vs. Brianna Van Buren (4-2)
Bantamweight: Sarah Kleczka (2-1) vs. Brittney Victoria (2-0)
Atomweight: Ashley Medina (0-1) vs. Anastasia Nikolakakos (2-0)
Flyweight: Chantel Coates (0-0) vs. Ashlynn Kleinbeck (0-0)

Tickets for Invicta FC 33 are on sale now and available for purchase at Ticketfly.com.

About Invicta FC:

Invicta Fighting Championships is a world championship, all-pro mixed martial arts (MMA) fight series dedicated to providing female athletes with a major platform to hone their skills on a consistent basis. Founded in 2012 by longtime MMA executive Shannon Knapp, Invicta is committed to pioneering the future growth of women’s MMA by promoting the best possible match-ups between female competitors and identifying and developing future superstars of the sport. Follow Invicta on Twitter (@InvictaFights), Facebook (Facebook.com/InvictaFights), and Instagram (@InvictaFC) for all the latest information.

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Invicta FC Strengthens Roster, Signs Eight Fighters to Contracts

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Kansas City, Mo. — Invicta Fighting Championships has signed eight fighters to contracts, further strengthening its roster.

Returning to the promotion will be strawweight Jamie Moyle (4-3) and featherweight Faith McMah (formerly Van Duin, 6-3). Moyle has four previous appearances in the Invicta cage. She made her professional debut at Invicta FC 9 before competing on The Ultimate Fighter and fighting three times in the UFC. New Zealand’s McMah is a former Invicta featherweight title challenger. The 32-year-old last competed in 2016 at Invicta FC 19.

In addition to the returning veterans, the strawweight division will see a boost in the form of a talented Japanese wrestler and two recent UFC combatants. Twenty-five-year-old Kanako Murata (8-1) joins the promotion on the heels of wins over Ultimate Fighter veterans Angela Magana and Lanchana Green under the Rizin Fighting Federation banner. She will fight exclusively for Invicta FC when not competing for Rizin in her native Japan. Fellow 115-pound fighter Danielle Taylor (9-4) will make her promotional debut following a five-fight stint in the Octagon that included victories of former Invicta champion Jessica Penne and current Road FC titleholder Seo Hee Ham. Joining Murata and Taylor in the strawweight ranks will be Brazilian Viviane Pereira (13-2). “Sucuri” holds wins over former UFC title challenger Valerie Letourneau and current UFC fighter Poliana Botelho.

Entering the featherweight division will be France’s Zarah Fairn Dos Santos (6-2). The 31-year-old has stopped four of her six victories with strikes, most recently stopping UFC veteran Izabela Badurek inside the first round.

Finally, California’s Valerie Wong (0-0) and Florida’s Caitlin Sammons (0-0) will make their professional debuts for Invicta FC. Wong, who also competes in the strawweight division, has gone 5-1-1 as an amateur. Sammons, meanwhile, is a flyweight, who has compiled a 7-1 resume in the amateur ranks.

Fight announcements for all eight fighters are expected to be revealed in the near future.

About Invicta FC:

Invicta Fighting Championships is a world championship, all-pro mixed martial arts (MMA) fight series dedicated to providing female athletes with a major platform to hone their skills on a consistent basis. Founded in 2012 by longtime MMA executive Shannon Knapp, Invicta is committed to pioneering the future growth of women’s MMA by promoting the best possible match-ups between female competitors and identifying and developing future superstars of the sport. Follow Invicta on Twitter (@InvictaFights), Facebook (Facebook.com/InvictaFights), and Instagram (@InvictaFC) for all the latest information.