July 2020 - Invicta Fighting Championships

Invicta FC 41 Results: Ruiz Runs Through Morandin, Blanchfield Bests Sanchez

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — On Thursday, July 30, Invicta Fighting Championships hosted Invicta FC 41: Morandin vs. Ruiz. The entire fight card aired exclusively on UFC Fight Pass.

Mexico’s Montserrat Ruiz put on the most dominant performance of the night in the main event, submitting former title challenger Janaisa Morandin in the first round. Ruiz barreled forward at the opening bell, looking to clinch. The Brazilian Morandin kept her range and scored with heavy leg kicks. Ruiz was able to clinch, but Morandin spun her to the fence and separated. After a brief exchange, Ruiz again flurried forward and backed Morandin to the fence. She secured a head-and-arm throw to put Morandin on the mat. From the scarf hold position, Ruiz attacked the right arm of Morandin with a keylock and coerced the tap.

Flyweight phenom Erin Blanchfield extended her winning streak to three, topping veteran Brogan Sanchez after a three-round battle. Sanchez utilized quick footwork and feints early, popping the head of Blanchfield with a right jab. Blanchfield turned the tide with a heavy right hand of her own. She swarmed Sanchez with punches and a big kick, but the Guam native was able to recover. The 21-year-old Blanchfield spammed her right kick against the opposite stance Sanchez. A late takedown sealed the frame for Blanchfield. It was another aggressive start from Sanchez in round two, but Blanchfield continued to throw her right kick. She powered Sanchez to the fence and snapped her to the ground. Sanchez was able to escape and evade, but it was short lived. Blanchfield scored with a punching combination and ducked under for a takedown. She passed to mount and rained elbows. Blanchfield jumped to the crucifix position and landed another heavy elbow. She looked for a keylock, but Sanchez defended as the round expired. Blanchfield avoided the fast start from Sanchez in the final frame by securing a body lock and eventually earning a single-leg takedown. From side control, Blanchfield sought a kimura. After controlling the entire round, Blancfield passed to mount late and dropped an onslaught of punches. She nearly got the stoppage, but the result was never in doubt as she earned 30-26 scores from all three judges.

Former featherweight title challenger Kaitlin Young welcomed Texas native Latoya Walker back to the Invicta cage after a lengthy layoff. Walker showed no ring rust, unleashing her hands right away. As she found a home for her jab, Young began to counter with body kicks. That slowed the advance of Walker, allowing Young to then target the lead leg of Walker. The right hand of Walker lost its effectiveness as the round progressed and Young was able to mix up her kicking attack. The second round began with a flurry from Walker, but Young circled away and went back to her kicks. After a series of low kicks, Walker switched to southpaw and Young began attacking her other leg. Young earned a brief takedown, but allowed Walker to return to her feet. It was all Young in the closing moments of the frame. Walker was down, but not out in the final round. She came out with another flurry and caught Young with punches in boxing range. That prompted Young to secure the clinch. She scored with a left elbow and right hand that stunned Walker. Young followed with knees and punches. Despite being controlled in the clinch, Walker never wilted. The fight saw the scorecards, but it was a clean sweep for Young.

In a match-up of unbeaten flyweights, Florida’s Caitlin Sammons outworked Colorado’s Claire Guthrie to capture a split-decision victory. Guthrie was active early with her jab and low kicks. Sammons closed the distance and pushed the fight to the fence. She worked hard for position, but Guthrie was able to separate. The pair maintained a measured pace as they traded combinations. In round two, Sammons went back to the clinch and looked for a takedown. Guthrie used a whizzer to remain upright and delivered knees to the body. When the pair separated, Guthrie connected on a solid right hand and continued to score from range. The final stanza saw Sammons work hard for a takedown and brought the fight to the mat for the first time. She quickly transitioned to Guthrie’s back. Once in the dominant position, Sammons would not give it up, taking the round and the fight on the scorecards.

The opening bout of the evening featured the pro debuts of Alexa Culp and Natalya Speece. Speece threw a kick early, but Culp caught it and took the fight to the ground. A brief triangle choke attempt from Speece allowed Culp to transition to her back. Once there, Culp was glued to her back for the remainder of the frame, but she could not find a finish. Round two began with some solid clinch work from Speece, who landed knees and elbows. Culp was able to muscle the fight back to the canvas and methodically passed to half guard. Speece tried to work back to her feet, but Culp again took her back and this time, she was able to secure the fight-finishing choke.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
Montserrat Ruiz def. Janaisa Morandin by submission (scarf hold keylock). Round 1, 3:28
Erin Blanchfield def. Brogan Sanchez by unanimous decision (30-26 x3)
Kaitlin Young def. Latoya Walker by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-27)
Caitlin Sammons def. Claire Guthrie by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)
Alexa Culp def. Natalya Speece by submission (rear-naked choke). Round 2, 3:59

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 (InvictaFights), and Instagram (@InvictaFC) for all the latest information.

Invicta FC 41 Loses Kelly D’Angelo vs. Itzel Esquivel

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – The fight card for Invicta FC 41 has lost a bout.

The strawweight bout between Texan Itzel Esquivel (4-2) and former atomweight contender Kelly “Wildfire” D’Angelo (4-3) has been removed from the event. A pre-fight COVID-19 test came back positive after the initial test result was determined to be a false-negative. The individual testing positive is asymptomatic, but as a precaution to all of the fighters, their corners, Invicta FC staff and commission officials, Esquivel and D’Angelo will not compete tonight. The fight card will proceed with five fights.

Invicta FC 41 takes place tonight, Thursday, July 30 in Kansas City. The event will stream live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass at 7 p.m. CT and is headlined by a strawweight bout between former title challenger Janaisa “Evil Princess” Morandin (10-3) of Brazil and Mexico’s Montserrat “Conejo” Ruiz (8-1).

The updated Invicta FC 41 fight card can be found below:

Strawweight: Janaisa Morandin vs. Montserrat Ruiz
Flyweight: Erin Blanchfield vs. Brogan Sanchez
Featherweight: Kaitlin Young vs. Latoya Walker
Flyweight: Caitlin Sammons vs. Claire Guthrie
Flyweight: Natalya Speece vs. Alexa Culp

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 (InvictaFights) and Instagram (@InvictaFC) for all the latest information.

Invicta FC 41: Morandin vs. Ruiz Official Weigh-in Results

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — On Wednesday, July 29, Invicta Fighting Championships hosted the weigh-ins for Invicta FC 41: Morandin vs. Ruiz. The event takes place in Kansas City, Kan., on Thursday, July 30, with the entire card streaming live on UFC Fight Pass beginning at 7 p.m. CT.

In the night’s main event, former strawweight title challenger Janaisa “Evil Princess” Morandin (10-3) of Brazil will battle Mexico’s Montserrat “Conejo” Ruiz (8-1). The 25-year-old Morandin will be making her fifth appearance in the Invicta cage and hopes that her experience of facing former titleholders Virna Jandiroba and Livia Renata Souza will carry her to victory. Ruiz returns to action after suffering her first career defeat to UFC veteran Danielle Taylor at Invicta FC 33. Prior to the setback, she had won eight straight with four finishes.

The co-main event will feature flyweight contenders as 21-year-old phenom Erin “Cold Blooded” Blanchfield (5-1) tangles with Guam’s Brogan “Killer Bee” Sanchez (6-1).

As with any Invicta event, safety is of the utmost priority. All athletes and corners participating in the event were tested for COVID-19 and all results were negative.

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

Strawweight: Janaisa Morandin (116.9)* vs. Montserrat Ruiz (114)
Flyweight: Erin Blanchfield (125.5) vs. Brogan Sanchez (125.5)
Featherweight: Kaitlin Young (145.9) vs. Latoya Walker (144)
Strawweight: Kelly D’Angelo (115.7) vs. Itzel Esquivel (114.9)
Flyweight: Caitlin Sammons (124.6) vs. Claire Guthrie (125.9)
Flyweight: Natalya Speece (125.1) vs. Alexa Culp (124.8)

* – Morandin missed the strawweight limit of 116 pounds and was fined 25 percent of her fight purse.

About Invicta FC:

Atomweight Title Clash Headlines Invicta FC 42 on Sept. 17

Kansas City, Kan. – The world’s premier combat sports organization for women will continue its action-packed summer schedule on Thursday, Sept. 17.

Invicta Fighting Championships 42 will crown a new atomweight champion as longtime Invicta combatant Ashley “Smashley” Cummins (7-5) takes on world-class wrestler Alesha “Half Pint” Zappitella (7-2) for the vacant 105-pound belt. The Missouri-born, California-based Cummins is no stranger to the Invicta cage, debuting at the promotion’s inaugural event in April of 2012. Since then, she’s made a total of nine appearances under the Invicta banner, battling the likes of current UFC fighters Joanne Calderwood, Alexa Grasso and most recently, former atomweight champion Jinh Yu Frey. Cummins came up short in a hotly contested affair with Frey, but will get a second opportunity to claim gold. Michigan’s Zappitella is just 25 years old, but has already compiled a championship-worthy resume. She’s been victorious in four of her five Invicta bouts, including back-to-back wins over Lindsey VanZandt and Kelly D’Angelo to cement her status as a title contender.

The co-main event will take place in the bantamweight division as former title challengers Lisa “Battle Angel” Verzosa (5-1) and Raquel Canuto (6-6) — née Pa’aluhi — collide. Verzosa was last in action at Phoenix Rising 3 in March, engaging in a “Fight of the Year” battle with Julija Stoliarenko. The split verdict was the first defeat of the 24-year-old’s career. Canuto returns to MMA action for the first time since Invicta FC 25 in 2017. The Hawaii native has since achieved her black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and is ready to step back into the cage where she’s faced the likes of current two-division UFC champion Amanda Nunes, Sara McMann, Pannie Kianzad and Yana Kunitskaya.

Also on the card, Brazilian veteran Jéssica Delboni (9-2) faces former atomweight champion Herica Tiburcio (11-4) in a strawweight match-up, flyweight Victoria “Fury” Leonardo (6-2) takes on Liz “The Titan” Tracy (5-3), bantamweight Auttumn Norton (1-1) welcomes Brittney Cloudy (2-2) back to the promotion, and New York newcomer Jennifer “Dugwen” Chieng (1-0) meets Tahiti native Flore “Aito Hine” Hani (2-1) at strawweight.

Invicta FC 42 will be overseen by the Kansas Athletic Commission and will feature open scoring. The event will air live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass at 8 p.m. CT. With the ongoing pandemic, Invicta FC 42 will take place in Kansas City behind closed doors — sans fans and media. As with any Invicta event, the safety of its fighters, their corners, its staff and commission officials is of the utmost priority. All participants will be tested for COVID-19 prior to the event.

The full fight card can be found below:

Atomweight Title: Ashley Cummins vs. Alesha Zappitella
Bantamweight: Lisa Verzosa vs. Raquel Canuto
Strawweight: Jéssica Delboni vs. Herica Tiburcio
Flyweight: Victoria Leonardo vs. Liz Tracy
Bantamweight: Auttumn Norton vs. Brittney Cloudy
Strawweight: Jennifer Chieng vs. Flore Hani

04_Alesha_Zappitella_vs_Kelly_DAngelo_07

Kelly D’Angelo Returns to Strawweight, Meets Itzel Esquivel at Invicta FC 41

Kansas City, Kan. – The lineup for Invicta FC 41 has undergone a late change.

Strawweight Cynthia Arceo is out of her scheduled match-up with fellow Texan Itzel Esquivel (4-2). Replacing Arceo on less than two weeks’ notice will be atomweight contender Kelly “Wildfire” D’Angelo (4-3). The Missouri product has made four appearances in the Invicta cage, with the three most recent outings coming at 105 pounds. However, the 33-year-old’s promotional debut in 2017 came in the strawweight division against Sunna Davíðsdóttir.

Invicta FC 41 takes place Thursday, July 30 in Kansas City, Kan. The event will stream live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass at 7 p.m. CT. The event is headlined by a strawweight bout between former title challenger Janaisa “Evil Princess” Morandin (10-3) of Brazil and Mexico’s Montserrat “Conejo” Ruiz (8-1).

With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the event will take place behind closed doors — sans fans and media. As with any Invicta event, the safety of its fighters, their corners, its staff and commission officials is of the utmost priority. All participants will be tested prior to the event.

The updated Invicta FC 41 fight card can be found below:

Strawweight: Janaisa Morandin vs. Montserrat Ruiz
Flyweight: Erin Blanchfield vs. Brogan Sanchez
Featherweight: Kaitlin Young vs. Latoya Walker
Strawweight: Kelly D’Angelo vs. Itzel Esquivel
Flyweight: Caitlin Sammons vs. Claire Guthrie
Flyweight: Natalya Speece vs. Alexa Culp

Brogan Sanchez Steps Into Invicta FC 41 Co-Main Event

Kansas City, Kan. – Invicta FC 41 has shuffled its co-main event as flyweight Stephanie Geltmacher (4-1) has been forced out of her match-up with 21-year-old phenom Erin “Cold Blooded” Blanchfield (5-1).

Guam’s Brogan “Killer Bee” Sanchez (6-1) — née Walker — will step in on short notice to take on Blanchfield. She was last in action in the headlining affair of Invicta FC 37, where she battled UFC veteran and former title challenger Pearl Gonzalez. After suffering her first career defeat, Sanchez will aim to recapture the form that carried her to victories over Miranda Maverick and Cheri Muraski in the Invicta cage.

The updated Invicta FC 41 fight card can be found below:

Strawweight: Janaisa Morandin vs. Montserrat Ruiz
Flyweight: Erin Blanchfield vs. Brogan Sanchez
Featherweight: Kaitlin Young vs. Latoya Walker
Strawweight: Cynthia Arceo vs. Itzel Esquivel
Flyweight: Caitlin Sammons vs. Claire Guthrie
Flyweight: Natalya Speece vs. Alexa Culp

Invicta FC 40 Results: Ducote Outworks Lima, Zappitella Edges VanZandt

Kansas City, Kan. — On Thursday, July 2, Invicta Fighting Championships hosted Invicta FC 40: Ducote vs. Lima. The entire fight card aired exclusively on UFC Fight Pass.

Former title challenger Emily Ducote got back in the win column after a three-round bout against UFC alum Juliana Lima. The two veterans traded combinations early, as they gauged range. Lima looked to clinch, but Ducote was able to evade and stay on the outside. After an exchange of kicks, Lima delivered a right hand, followed by a left and finally a right uppercut to stun Ducote. That prompted the Oklahoma fighter to clinch the Brazilian along the fence. She recovered and the pair separated, but not before Lima landed a big knee. The second round saw Ducote score a series of power shots that slowed the advance of Lima. Lima answered with an onslaught of kicks to maintain her distance. Ducote came forward with reckless abandon, landing a heavy combination. Late in the frame, Ducote shot and put Lima on her back. She passed to side control and delivered massive elbows that cut Lima on her right eye. Round three began with a front kick from Lima to the midsection of Ducote. The fight returned to the clinch as Ducote pushed Lima to the fence. The Brazilian used an uppercut to create space and they returned to the center of the cage. Ducote fired with power and volume, further opening the cut on Lima’s cheek. A great level change by Ducote brought the fight to the ground, but only briefly. Ducote’s hard work in the final two frames was the difference in the eyes of the judges, who handed in a unanimous decision for the American.

In the night’s co-main event, atomweights Alesha Zappitella and Lindsey VanZandt battled back and forth for three rounds. Zappitella showed quick feet and head movement early. VanZandt fired a front kick and was taken down. She pushed Zappitella off and scored with an upkick. VanZandt tried to trip Zappitella, but lost position and ended up on her back. From side control, Zappitella showed heavy hips and dropped short elbows. VanZandt worked back to her feet late in the round. Round two began with another takedown from Zappitella. She powered her way past the guard of VanZandt, moving to side control once more. VanZandt was able to work back to her feet and started to implement her will. She landed a heavy low kick and followed it with a powerful right hand that stunned Zappitella. The third round began with VanZandt stuffing a shot from the wrestler. Zappitella stuck with it and eventually dragged VanZandt to the canvas. Zappitella was a bit reckless and VanZandt took her back momentarily. VanZandt’s success was short lived, however as Zappitella spun back to top position. VanZandt scored with a big knee late, but Zappitella put her on back one final time and the judges were called upon to decide the result. The scorecards were diverse, but two judges gave the fight to Zappitella.

Chelsea Chandler moved up in weight to welcome undefeated featherweight Liv Parker to the Invicta cage. Chandler wasted little time, attacking Parker with a big combination early. She ripped the midsection with a left hand and Parker was clearly hurt. A follow-up punch dropped Parker and Chandler followed her to the ground. She took Parker’s back, slapped on a rear-naked choke and coerced a tap in just 65 seconds.

Flyweight newcomers Trisha Cicero and Laura Gallardo went to battle in a clash of styles. The wrestler Gallardo wasted little time coming forward and looking for a takedown. The karate stylist Cicero was able to stuff the first shot, but ultimately ended up on her back. She worked back to her feet and used her kicks to frustrate Gallardo at range. Gallardo was relentless with her takedown attempts. In round two, Cicero scored with an uppercut as she was able to dictate the action while standing. Gallardo changed levels and timed a shot to bring the fight to the ground midway through the round. Cicero was patient and worked back to her feet. The kicks of Cicero landed with regularity, but Gallardo finished the stanza with a late takedown. The final round featured Cicero keeping the fight on the feet and forcing Gallardo to kickbox. The height and reach advantage was a big factor, as Cicero peppered shots. Gallardo looked for a takedown in the final minute, but she couldn’t secure it. The judges were split in their verdict, but it was Cicero who claimed the win.

The night’s action began in the strawweight division as Invicta vet Genia Goodin took on newcomer Shelby Koren. Kentucky’s Goodin was the aggressor early, pushing the action and initiating the clinch. Koren tried to take the back standing, then ultimately pulled guard and looked for an armbar. Goodin responded with a big slam and attacked with an armbar of her own. Koren escaped and returned to the feet to attack with a guillotine. The fight returned to the mat and Koren went for another armbar, but Goodin survived. Round two featured a big hip toss from Koren, but she wasn’t able to keep Goodin on the mat. The pair traded kicks on the feet, with Koren landing a solid right hand off an inside leg kick. With the fight in the balance in the final frame, Goodin was able to secure the mount position and attack with an armbar of her own. That was enough in the eyes of the judges, who rewarded Goodin with the victory.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
Emily Ducote def. Juliana Lima by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Alesha Zappitella def. Lindsey VanZandt by split decision (28-29, 29-27, 30-27)
Chelsea Chandler def. Liv Parker by submission (rear-naked choke). Round 1, 1:05
Trisha Cicero def. Laura Gallardo by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Genia Goodin def. Shelby Koren by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

About Invicta FC:

Invicta FC 40: Ducote vs. Lima Official Weigh-in Results

Kansas City, Kan. — On Wednesday, July 1, Invicta Fighting Championships hosted the weigh-ins for Invicta FC 40: Ducote vs. Lima. The event takes place in Kansas City, Kan., on Thursday, July 2 , with the entire card streaming live on UFC Fight Pass beginning at 7 p.m. CT.

In the night’s main event, recent strawweight title challenger Emily “Gordinha” Ducote (8-6) takes on Brazilian Juliana “Ju Thai” Lima (10-6). Oklahoma’s Ducote scored a violent, first-round knockout of Janaisa Morandin in her promotional debut before challenging Kanako Murata for the 115-pound title. Ducote fell via split decision in a closely contested bout and will look to get back in the win column. Lima rejoined the Invicta roster in 2019 following a seven-fight stint with the UFC. The veteran was last in action during the inaugural Phoenix Series tournament, where she defeated fellow UFC veteran Danielle Taylor, but fell to eventual tournament champion Brianna Van Buren in the semifinals.

The co-main event will take place in the atomweight division as Alesha “Half Pint” Zappitella (6-2) clashes with New York’s Lindsey “Damsel” VanZandt (7-3).

As with any Invicta event, safety is of the utmost priority. All athletes and corners participating in the event were tested for COVID-19 and all results were negative.

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

Strawweight: Emily Ducote (115.2) vs. Juliana Lima (115.5)
Atomweight: Alesha Zappitella (105.7) vs. Lindsey VanZandt (105.2)
Flyweight: DeAnna Bennett (N/A)* vs. Victoria Leonardo (125.9)
Featherweight: Chelsea Chandler (145) vs. Liv Parker (145.7)
Flyweight: Trisha Cicero (126) vs. Laura Gallardo (125.1)
Strawweight: Genia Goodin (115.9) vs. Shelby Koren (115.9)

* – The flyweight bout between DeAnna Bennett and Victoria Leonardo was removed from the card after Bennett had a medical issue during her weight cut and could not weigh-in. Leonardo was paid her show purse after making weight and the fight card will proceed with five fights.

About Invicta FC: