DXM_0724

Phoenix Series 3 Results: Stoliarenko Claims Gold in Thriller, Tennant Captures Tournament

Kansas City, Kan.ย โ€” On Friday, March 6,ย Invicta Fighting Championships hosted its third Phoenix Series tournament plus a bantamweight title headliner in a historic night at Memorial Hall. The event aired exclusively on UFC Fight Pass.

The Phoenix Series 3 main event was an instant classic as Lithuaniaโ€™s Julija Stoliarenko battled Lisa Verzosa in one of the bloodiest fights in Invicta history. Stoliarenko scored with a head kick early, stunning Verzosa. The American responded with a stiff right hand that put Stoliarenko on the ground. Verzosa followed her down, but was forced to defend an armbar. Blood began to pour from Stoliarenkoโ€™s nose, setting the tone of the fight. A second armbar attempt was unsuccessful, but Stoliarenko took the round. Verzosa fought back hard in round two, repeatedly scoring with her right hand. The nose of Stoliarenko bled badly in round three, but she was unfazed, slicing Verzosa open with an elbow. Both fighters sported a crimson mask for the remainder of the fight, pushing the pace and looking to put the other away. The mouthpiece of Stoliarenko frequently hit the canvas from the right hands of Verzosa. A finish never came and the fight was sent to the judges to determine a new champion. They were split in their scores, but Stoliarenko took the fight on two cards to capture the belt.

Taneisha Tennant picked up her third win of the night, defeating Taylor Guardado in the Phoenix Series 3 bantamweight tournament final. Tennantโ€™s pinpoint striking was on display from the onset, peppering Guardado from range with counter strikes. Guardado came forward with pressure, but Tennantโ€™s footwork kept her just out of range. Tennant caught Guardado with a strong right hand that sent her mouthpiece flying to the mat. Guardado never backed down, marching forward. A takedown attempt by Guardado was met with a great sprawl by Tennant. Blood poured from Guardadoโ€™s nose in round three and her corner told her she was down on the judgesโ€™ scorecards. She pushed the action, but Tennantโ€™s nightlong showcase of technique continued throughout the final frame. Guardado came up short on her punches, but did score with heavy leg kicks. It wasnโ€™t enough, as Tennant took home the decision and tournament trophy to remain undefeated.

The strawweight contest between Kay Hansen and Liana Pirosin became the first fight in modern MMA history to utilize open scoring. Hansen showcased her strong grappling game throughout the fight, taking down the Brazilian at will. Pirosin did her best to stay active off her back, but Hansen repeatedly got the better of the scrambling exchanges. The second round was the most dominant round of the fight for Hansen, who took Pirosinโ€™s back and briefly secured a body triangle. She scored with short punches from top position and earned a 10-8 round from one of the judges in real time. The third round was again a display for Hansenโ€™s grappling, but Pirosin went for broke knowing she was down on the scorecards. She threatened Hansen with an armbar just as time expired, but could not find the finish. Hansen took the clean sweep from the judges. โ€œIt was nice knowing the scores, so I didnโ€™t have to guess,โ€ said the victorious Hansen of the open format.

In the second tournament semifinal, Taneisha Tennant used a measured striking attack and great takedown defense to edge Hope Chase. The forward pressure of Chase had no impact on Tennant early in the fight as she stayed on the outside and looked to counter. Chase powered into a double-leg attempt, but Tennant shrugged her off. The pair traded flashy techniques as a question-mark kick from Tennant was followed by a wheel kick attempt by Chase. Late in the fight, Chaseโ€™s takedown attempts worked against her, as Tennant battered her with elbows along the fence. That proved to be the difference on the scorecards as Tennant moved to the tournament final.

The first semifinal match-up featured Taylor Guardado against Serena DeJesus. Guardado powered the fight to the fence early and tried to secure a takedown. DeJesus landed short knees and elbows to stay upright. When the pair separated, DeJesus was able to score with kicks from range. The pair returned to the clinch and DeJesus scored with more elbows. Guardado continued to apply pressure, flurrying with punches in the fightโ€™s waning moments. The judges were split in their verdict, handing Guardado a spot in the final.

The second tournament reserve bout was largely a one-sided affair as veteran Mitzi Merry topped newcomer Morgan Hickam. Merry controlled range early before catching Hickam with a series of right hands. Hickam kept her chin high as she absorbed multiple shots. The Tennessee fighter put Merry against the cage and worked hard to secure a takedown. Merry used an active guard from bottom, attacking with an armbar, then an omoplata. The ensuing scramble saw Merry take Hickamโ€™s back and threaten with a choke attempt. She couldnโ€™t score the finish, but Merry took home the decision victory.

In tournament reserve action, Kelly Clayton battered fellow newcomer Florina Moeller en route to a submission win. Moeller barreled forward recklessly, eating right hand after right hand. She was undeterred, getting inside and pushing Clayton to the cage. Clayton showcased great balance, preventing Moeller from getting the fight the ground. Clayton continued to score with power punches on the feet before earning a late takedown. She took Moellerโ€™s back and applied a rear-naked choke to coerce a tap before the final bell.

The final tournament quarterfinal fight pitted Taneisha Tennant against Brittney Victoria. Tennant showcased her crisp striking from the opening bell. Victoria tried to use her boxing, but Tennant kept her at range with kicks. Tennant put together a series of punches that backed Victoria to the cage. The diverse arsenal of Tennant kept Victoria guessing, as she battered the body with a kick and punches. Victoria sought a takedown late in the fight, but Tennant punished her with a combination of punches. The fight saw the scorecards, with Tennant becoming the fourth and final semifinalist.

Hope Chase and Julia Ottolino engaged in a highly competitive fight in the third tournament quarterfinal bout. Chase came out and applied pressure right away. Ottolino scored with a series of kicks, but Chase flurried forward and brought the fight to the ground. Chase applied ground and pound before Ottolino threatened with an armbar. Chase defended, but ate an upkick in the process. She allowed Ottolino to stand and again flurried with a series of punches along the fence. Ottolino tried to counter, but she could not match the volume of Chase, who punched her ticket to the semifinals by decision.

In the nightโ€™s second match-up Taylor Guardado outworked Claire Guthrie to capture the second spot in the tournament semifinals. Guardado was aggressive to start, powering Guthrie to the fence. She brought the fight to the mat, but Guthrie attacked with a triangle choke attempt. Guardado navigated the submission and the referee stood up the fight after a brief stalemate. A right hand from Guthrie found the mark, but the strike left her open to a level change from Guardado, who dragged the fight back to the ground. The fightโ€™s final minute was spent in the clinch, with all three judges rewarding Guardado for efforts.

The tournament quarterfinals kicked off with a battle between Serena DeJesus and Kerri Kenneson. The more experienced Kenneson immediately went for a takedown and put DeJesus on her back. DeJesus did not panic and worked back to her feet. Kenneson landed short uppercuts in the clinch, but DeJesus responded with knees and big elbows. When the pair separated, Kenneson threw a body kick which allowed DeJesus to time a takedown of her own. She dropped an onslaught of short punches to Kennesonโ€™s face. The fight returned to the feet briefly, but Kenneson earned a late trip takedown and took the back of DeJesus. DeJesus spun into the full guard to finish the fight on top. The judges were in agreement, sending DeJesus to the semifinals.

OFFICIALย RESULTS
Julija Stoliarenko def. Lisa Verzosa by split decision (48-46, 46-49, 49-46) – for bantamweight title
Taneisha Tennant def. Taylor Guardado by unanimous decision (30-27 x3) – bantamweight tournament final
Kay Hansen def. Liana Pirosin by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)
Taneisha Tennant def. Hope Chase by unanimous decision (10-9 x3) – bantamweight tournament semifinal
Taylor Guardado def. Serena DeJesus by split decision (10-9, 9-10, 10-9) – bantamweight tournament semifinal
Mitzi Merry def. Morgan Hickam by unanimous decision (10-9 x3) – tournament reserve bout
Kelly Clayton def. Florina Moeller by submission (rear-naked choke). Round 1, 4:51 – tournament reserve bout
Taneisha Tennant def. Brittney Victoria by unanimous decision (10-9 x3) – bantamweight tournament quarterfinal
Hope Chase def. Julia Ottolino by unanimous decision (10-9 x3) – bantamweight tournament quarterfinal
Taylor Guardado def. Claire Guthrie by unanimous decision (10-9 x3) – bantamweight tournament quarterfinal
Serena DeJesus def. Kerri Kenneson by unanimous decision (10-9 x3) – bantamweight tournament quarterfinal


About Invicta FC:

Invicta Fighting Championships is a world championship, all-pro mixed martial artsย (MMA) fight series dedicated to providing female athletes with a major platform toย hone their skills on a consistent basis. Founded in 2012 by longtime MMA executiveย Shannon Knapp, Invicta is committed to pioneering the future growth of womenโ€™sย MMA by promoting the best possible match-ups between female competitors andย identifying and developing future superstars of the sport.ย Followย Invicta on Twitterย (@InvictaFights), Facebook (Facebook.com/InvictaFights), and Instagramย (@InvictaFC) for all the latest information.

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Phoenix Series 3 Official Weigh-in and Tournament Draw Results

Kansas City, Kan.ย โ€” On Thursday, March 5, Invicta Fighting Championships hosted the weigh-ins for PHOENIX SERIESยฉย 3. The eventย takes placeย from Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan., on Friday, March 6, with the entire card streaming live on UFC Fight Pass beginning at 7 p.m. CT.

The event is headlined by a bantamweight title fight between undefeated 24-year-old Lisa โ€œBattle Angelโ€ Verzosa (5-0) and The Ultimate Fighter alumna Julija Stoliarenko (8-3-1) of Lithuania. Verzosa โ€” nรฉe Spangler โ€” has earned four of her five career victories inside the Invicta cage. The Washington-based fighter most recently defeated Kerri Kenneson at Invicta FC 38. Stoliarenko will make her promotional debut riding the momentum of a four-fight winning streak since leaving the TUF house. All eight of her career wins have come via first-round armbar submission.

Joining the title match-up is aย one-night, eight-woman tournament, also in the bantamweight division.ย The single-elimination tournament will feature one-round fights in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds, with the tournament final being a three-round affair to determine the tournament champion.

The tournament participants were matched up during a random draw during the event’s weigh-ins.

In the first quarterfinal bout, Las Vegas-based Serena “The Southpaw Outlaw” DeJesus (1-1) meets the most experienced fighter in the tournament, โ€œScaryโ€ Kerri Kenneson (3-2). The second match-up pits the debuting Taylor “No Mercy” Guardado (0-0) against Colorado’s โ€œGrizzlyโ€ Claire Guthrie (1-0). In the third pairing, โ€œHurricaneโ€ Hope Chase (2-1) squares off against Julia “Chicago” Ottolino (1-0). Finally, California’s Brittney โ€œBombshellโ€ Victoria (3-1) takes on Taneisha โ€œTriple Threatโ€ Tennant (2-0).

As was previously announced, the event will utilize open scoring.

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

Bantamweight Title:ย Lisa Verzosa (134.2) vs. Julija Stoliarenko (134.2)
Strawweight:ย Kay Hansen (115.9) vs. Liana Pirosin (116)
Bantamweight Reserve Bout No. 2:ย Mitzi Merry (135.5) vs. Morgan Hickam (135.6)
Bantamweight Reserve Bout No. 1:ย Kelly Clayton (135.5) vs. Florinaย Moeller (135)
Bantamweight Tournament Quarterfinal No. 4:ย Taneisha Tennant (135.7) vs. Brittney Victoria (135.1)
Bantamweight Tournament Quarterfinal No. 3:ย Julia Ottolino (134.7) vs. Hope Chase (135.8)
Bantamweight Tournament Quarterfinal No. 2:ย Claire Guthrie (135.7) vs. Taylor Guardado (135.8)
Bantamweight Tournament Quarterfinal No. 1:ย Kerri Kenneson (135.5) vs. Serena DeJesus (135.3)


About Invicta FC:

Invicta Fighting Championships is a world championship, all-pro mixed martial artsย (MMA) fight series dedicated to providing female athletes with a major platform toย hone their skills on a consistent basis. Founded in 2012 by longtime MMA executiveย Shannon Knapp, Invicta is committed to pioneering the future growth of womenโ€™sย MMA by promoting the best possible match-ups between female competitors andย identifying and developing future superstars of the sport.ย Followย Invicta on Twitter (@InvictaFights), Facebook (Facebook.com/InvictaFights), and Instagramย (@InvictaFC) for all the latest information.

DeJesus

Serena DeJesus Elevated to Phoenix Series 3 Tournament After Gillian Noll Withdraws

Kansas City, Kan.ย โ€“ The lineup for theย PHOENIX SERIESยฉย 3 bantamweight tournament on March 6 has undergone a last-minute change.

Gillian Noll has been forced to withdraw from the eight-woman, single-elimination tournament. Stepping into the tournament field will be Las Vegas fighter Serena “The Southpaw Outlaw” DeJesus (1-1), who was previously slated to compete in one of the night’s reserve bouts.

Taking the place of DeJesus oppositeย Florinaย Moeller (1-1) in the tournament reserve match-up will be Washington’s Kelly “Skittles” Clayton (1-2). Clayton picked up a win over the aforementioned Noll in her last bout.

In addition to the bantamweight tournament, the event is headlined by a bantamweight title clash between undefeated 24-year-old phenom Lisa โ€œBattle Angelโ€ Verzosa (5-0) andย The Ultimate Fighterย alumna Julija Stoliarenko (8-3-1) of Lithuania.

As was previously announced, all fights for the event will utilize open scoring.

PHOENIX SERIESยฉย 3 takes place from Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan. The event streams live on UFC Fight Pass at 7 p.m. CT. Tickets to the event can be purchased through Eventbrite.

The updated fight card can be found below:

Bantamweight Title:ย Lisa Verzosa vs. Julija Stoliarenko
Bantamweight Tournament Final:ย TBD vs. TBD
Strawweight:ย Kay Hansen vs. Liana Pirosin
Bantamweight Tournament Semifinal:ย TBD vs. TBD
Bantamweight Tournament Semifinal:ย TBD vs. TBD
Bantamweight Reserve Bout No. 2:ย Mitzi Merry vs. Morgan Hickam
Bantamweight Reserve Bout No. 1:ย Kelly Clayton vs. Florinaย Moeller
Bantamweight Tournament Quarterfinal:ย TBD vs. TBDย (Randomly Drawn)
Bantamweight Tournament Quarterfinal:ย TBD vs. TBDย (Randomly Drawn)
Bantamweight Tournament Quarterfinal:ย TBD vs. TBDย (Randomly Drawn)
Bantamweight Tournament Quarterfinal:ย TBD vs. TBDย (Randomly Drawn)

PHOENIX SERIESยฉ 3 Quarterfinalists
Brittney Victoria
Claire Guthrie
Hope Chase
Julia Ottolino
Kerri Kenneson
Serena DeJesus
Taneisha Tennant
Taylor Guardado


About Invicta FC:
Invicta Fighting Championships (invictafc.com) is a world championship, all-pro mixed martial artsย (MMA) fight series dedicated to providing female athletes with a major platform toย hone their skills on a consistent basis. Founded in 2012 by longtime MMA executiveย Shannon Knapp, Invicta is committed to pioneering the future growth of womenโ€™sย MMA by promoting the best possible match-ups between female competitors andย identifying and developing future superstars of the sport.ย Followย Invicta on Twitter (@InvictaFights), Facebook (InvictaFights), and Instagramย (@InvictaFC) for all the latest information.