Tonya Evinger

Invicta FC 22 Results: Evinger Submits Kunitskaya, Souza Stops Hamasaki

by NewsOfficial Results

Kansas City, Mo. — On Saturday, March 25, Invicta Fighting Championships hosted Invicta FC 22: Evinger vs. Kunitskaya 2 from the historic Scottish Rite Temple. The event streamed live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass beginning at 8 p.m. ET.

Bantamweight champion Tonya Evinger erased any doubt from her first meeting with Yana Kunitskaya, earning a second-round submission victory to retain her 135-pound title. The opening round featured Evinger earning a takedown, but was quickly forced to defense submission attempts. Kunitskaya attacked with a guillotine choke, then an armbar and finally, a myriad of leg lock attempts. Evinger defended and dropped heavy punches from the top position. In the second stanza, Evinger again worked hard to get the fight to the mat. She gained top position and methodically worked to dominant positions. She passed to side control and then took the back of Kunitskaya. Once there, Evinger slapped on the fight-finishing rear-naked choke and coerced the tap from the Russian challenger

Former strawweight champion Livia Renata Souza needed less two minutes to remind the 115-pound division she’s still among the best. The Brazilian crushed current atomweight champion Ayaka Hamasaki with a right hand. Hamasaki crashed to the mat and Souza flurried hard to earn the first-round stoppage.

Veterans Jodie Esquibel and DeAnna Bennett engaged in a tactical, three-round fight that resulted in Esquibel taking home a narrow, split decision victory. Esquibel’s boxing on display early, but the first round swung toward Bennett’s favor after a deep armbar attempt. Esquibel survived the submission attempt and began to open up with her striking. She remained on the outside, scoring with punches to the body of Bennett and kicking the lead leg. The pair battled it out until the final bell, with Esquibel doing enough to convince two of the three judges at cageside to hand her the win.

After nearly three years away from the Invicta cage, atomweight Ashley Cummins returned and scored a big win over former title challenger Amber Brown. Cummins raced to the center of the cage and fired combination after combination. Brown answered with a takedown and moved to mount. Cummins recovered her guard and threatened with an inverted triangle choke. Brown countered with an inverted triangle choke of her own, but neither fighter found a finish. Round two was all Cummins as she earned a takedown and threatened to finish Brown with an arm-triangle choke. Brown gutted it out, but again found herself on her heels in round three. Cummins closed the fight by attacking with a rear-naked choke and cruising on the scorecards.

Iceland’s Sunna Davíðsdóttir survived a three-round war with newcomer Mallory Martin, scoring a unanimous decision win. Davíðsdóttir was active early with her punches, but Martin pressed forward. Martin ate a heavy shot and her left eye began to swell, but turned the tide in round two, rocking Davíðsdóttir with punches and opening a cut over her left eye. Both fighters dug deep in the final frame, but Davíðsdóttir was able to take’s Martin’s back for a moment, sealing the win with the judges.

Missouri’s Miranda Maverick remained undefeated, scoring a first-round submission of Kal Holliday. Holliday marched forward to open the contest, but Maverick fired strikes to keep the distance. Holliday closed the distance and scooped Maverick to the canvas. Once there, Maverick showcased an active guard, throwing up a triangle choke attempt before transitioning to an armbar. Holliday fought hard to escape, but Maverick coerced the tap, three minutes into the bout.

The night kicked off with a featherweight battle between Felicia Spencer and Madison McElhaney. The pair skipped the feeling out process and began trading heavy shots from the opening bell. Spencer’s pressure and clinch work were the story early, as she was able to put McElhaney on her back multiple times. She attacked with armbar attempts, but McElhaney was able to defend. The hard-fought bout went the distance, with Spencer remaining unbeaten with the unanimous decision victory.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
Tonya Evinger def. Yana Kunitskaya by submission (rear-naked choke). Round 2, 4:32 – for bantamweight title
Livia Renata Souza def. Ayaka Hamasaki by TKO (strikes). Round 1, 1:41
Jodie Esquibel def. DeAnna Bennett by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
Ashley Cummins def. Amber Brown by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Sunna Davíðsdóttir def. Mallory Martin by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Miranda Maverick def. Kal Holliday by submission (armbar). Round 1, 3:01
Felicia Spencer def. Madison McElhaney by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 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.

EvingerKunitskaya

Invicta FC 22: Evinger vs. Kunitskaya 2 Official Weigh-in Results

by News

Kansas City, Mo. — On Friday, March 24, Invicta Fighting Championships hosted the weigh-ins for Invicta FC 22: Evinger vs. Kunitskaya 2. The event takes place from Scottish Rite Temple on Saturday, March 25 and streams live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass beginning at 8 p.m. ET.

In the night’s headliner, bantamweight champion Tonya Evinger (18-5, 1 NC) will once again put her title on the line against Russian challenger Yana Kunitskaya (9-2, 1 NC). The match-up is rematch of the Invicta FC 20 main event which took place Nov. 18 and was initially ruled a first-round submission win for Kunitskaya. However, following a ruling by the Missouri Office of Athletics, the bout was overturned to a no-contest and Evinger retained her 135-pound championship.

The night’s co-main event will feature atomweight champion Ayaka Hamasaki (14-1) moving up a weight class to take on former strawweight champion Livia Renata Souza (9-1).

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

Bantamweight Title: Tonya Evinger (134.8) vs. Yana Kunitskaya (134.8)
Strawweight: Ayaka Hamasaki (115.7) vs. Livia Renata Souza (115)
Strawweight: DeAnna Bennett (117.6)* vs. Jodie Esquibel (115.5)
Atomweight: Amber Brown (105.9) vs. Ashley Cummins (105.6)
Strawweight: Sunna Rannveig Davidsdottir (115.8) vs. Mallory Martin (114.8)
Strawweight: Kal Holliday (115.9) vs. Miranda Maverick (120.5)*
Featherweight: Felicia Spencer (146) vs. Madison McElhaney (146)

* – Bennett and Maverick were each fined 25 percent of their fight purse for missing weight. Both bouts will proceed as catchweights.

# – The bout between Jinh Yu Frey and Janaisa Morandin has been canceled. Frey weighed in at 106 pounds, while Morandin missed weight at 111.2 pounds.

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.

Ayaka Hamasaki vs Amber Brown

Five Additional Bouts Added to Invicta FC 22

by News

Kansas City, Mo. — Invicta Fighting Championships 22 has added five new bouts.

The night’s co-main event will feature atomweight champion Ayaka Hamasaki (14-1) moving up a weight class to take on former strawweight champion Livia Renata Souza (9-1). Hamasaki will enter the contest having won five straight fights, including back-to-back title defenses against Jinh Yu Frey and Amber Brown. Souza will compete for the first time since her Invicta FC 17 battle with Angela Hill.

Also at strawweight, former title challenger DeAnna Bennett (8-2) takes on Jodie Esquibel (5-2). The pair were originally slated to collide at Invicta FC 21, but the bout had to be rescheduled. Bennett will return for the first time since Invicta FC 16, where she engaged in a back-and-forth battle with veteran Roxanne Modafferi. Esquibel headlined Invicta FC 18 in July against Mexico’s Alexa Grasso.

Recent atomweight title challenger Jinh Yu Frey (5-2) battles undefeated Brazilian newcomer Janaisa Morandin (9-0). Frey came up short in her quest for gold at Invicta FC 19 after doctors stopped her bout due to a cut. Morandin has reeled off nine straight wins in her home country, including five by way of strikes.

Finally, two additional strawweight match-ups are slated for the event. Iceland’s Sunna Rannveig Davidsdottir (1-0), fresh off her decision win over Ashley Greenway at Invicta FC 19, welcomes newcomer Mallory Martin (1-0) to the Invicta cage, while unbeaten Kal Holliday (1-0) looks to build off her submission victory over Tiffany Van Soest when she takes on 19-year-old sensation Miranda Maverick (1-0).

The bouts join the previously announced bantamweight title rematch between champion Tonya Evinger (18-5, 1 NC) and Russian challenger Yana Kunitskaya (9-2, 1 NC).

The event takes place Saturday, March 25 from the historic Scottish Rite Temple in Kansas City, Mo. The event streams live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass at 8 p.m. ET.

The current Invicta FC 22 fight card can be found below:

Bantamweight Title: Tonya Evinger (18-5, 1 NC) vs. Yana Kunitskaya (9-2, 1 NC)
Strawweight: Ayaka Hamasaki (14-1) vs. Livia Renata Souza (9-1)
Strawweight: DeAnna Bennett (8-2) vs. Jodie Esquibel (5-2)
Atomweight: Jinh Yu Frey (5-2) vs. Janaisa Morandin (9-0)
Strawweight: Sunna Rannveig Davidsdottir (1-0) vs. Mallory Martin (1-0)
Strawweight: Kal Holliday (1-0) vs. Miranda Maverick (1-0)

Tickets for Invicta FC 22 go on sale Saturday, Feb. 11 at 10 a.m. CT via Ticketfly.com. Additional bouts for the event will be announced at a later date.

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.

Jennifer Maia

Invicta FC 19 Results: Maia, Hamasaki Retain Titles

by NewsOfficial Results

Kansas City, Mo. — On Friday, Sept. 23, Invicta Fighting Championships hosted Invicta FC 19: Maia vs. Modafferi from the historic Scottish Rite Temple. The event streamed live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass beginning at 8 p.m. ET.

The flyweight title clash between Jennifer Maia and Roxanne Modafferi was a closely contested affair throughout. Modafferi opened with a jumping kick and pushed Maia against the fence. Maia separated and the pair traded combination after combination. Maia scored with knees from the clinch and an uppercut on the break.  The second round saw the fight hit the ground as Modafferi got a takedown, but ended up on her back. She attacked with an armbar, but Maia was able to escape. The fight again hit the mat in round three, but Maia looked for a guillotine choke. Modafferi’s pace slowed in rounds four and five, while Maia increased her volume on the feet. That was the difference on the scorecards as two of the three judges rewarded Maia with the decision, allowing her to retain her title.

Atomweight champion Ayaka Hamasaki retained her title with a second-round stoppage of challenger Jinh Yu Frey. Frey came out hungry, kicking Hamasaki’s lead leg. Hamasaki sought to take the fight to the mat, but Frey pummeled well. Late in the first round, Hamasaki attacked with an Americana while standing. Frey took the fight to the mat and escaped the submission attempt. From top position, Frey rained punches and took the back of Hamasaki as the round expired. Round two was all Frey for the first four minutes as she frequently countered with her left hand. In the final minute of the frame, Hamasaki came alive. She rocked Frey with a pair of right hands. The second punch opened a large cut over the left eye of Frey, prompting the referee to call in the doctor. The doctor quickly halted the contest, handing Hamasaki the win.

Former bantamweight title challenger Irene Aldana continued her march back toward contention with a first-round finish of New Zealand’s Faith Van Duin. Van Duin was aggressive to start the bout, backing Aldana against the cage. Aldana settled down and began to land her right hand. She frequently wobbled Van Duin along the cage, but Van Duin would not go down. Blood poured from both fighters as the fight progressed. Van Duin’s right hand found a home, but Aldana’s pressure was too much. Late in the frame, Aldana dropped Van Duin and flurried for the TKO finish.

Veteran Kaline Medeiros handed previously undefeated Indian fighter Manjit Kolekar her first loss by unanimous decision. Medeiros pressured Kolekar early, but absorbed multiple body kicks. That prompted Medeiros to seek the takedown. She slammed Kolekar to the mat over and over again, but the Indian fighter frequently scrambled free. The final frame was a war of attrition on the feet, but the pressure and volume of Medeiros were the difference with the judges.

The professional MMA debut of kickboxing star Tiffany Van Soest did not go as planned as fellow newcomer Kal Holliday used her superior wresting and grappling to submit Van Soest in round two. Holliday’s strategy was clear as she frequently took the fight to the ground. Van Soest demonstrated solid submission defense and frequently worked back to the feet. Holliday scored with a massive suplex midway through the opening stanza, but Van Soest later answered with a nasty right hand that buckled the knees of the Oregon fighter. The second round was more of the same, as Holliday took Van Soest down and worked to her back. This time, however, Holliday was able to coerce the tap.

In a battle of atomweight newcomers, Julia Jones kept her undefeated record intact with a first-round submission win over Stephanie Skinner. Jones fired kicks from the open bell. Skinner tried to answer, but Jones caught a kick and took her to the mat. After escaping an armbar attempt from Skinner, Jones passed to the mount and then took Skinner’s back. Once there, she sunk in the rear-naked choke to finish the fight.

Featherweight Amber Leibrock gave newcomer Amy Coleman a rude welcome to the Invicta cage, earning a first-round TKO finish. Coleman pressured forward into the clinch, but Leibrock scored with knees. The judo black belt Coleman scored with a hip toss, but Leibrock would not be held down. Back in the clinch, Leibrock delivered knees to the liver, dropping Coleman. She flurried with punches to earn the stoppage.

Making her professional debut, Iceland’s Sunna Rannveig Davidsdottir showcased excellent range and slick grappling to take a decision over Ashley Greenway. It was Davidsdottir’s striking that was the story early, but she transitioned to the ground in round two. After putting Greenway on her back, she repeatedly threatened to end the fight with a rear-naked choke. Greenway survived to the final bell, but Davidsdottir swept the scorecards for her first victory.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
Jennifer Maia def. Roxanne Modafferi by split decision (48-47, 47-48, 49-46) – for flyweight title
Ayaka Hamasaki def. Jinh Yu Frey by TKO (doctor’s stoppage). Round 2, 4:38 – for atomweight title
Irene Aldana def. Faith Van Duin by TKO (punches). Round 1, 4:57
Kaline Medeiros def. Manjit Kolekar by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Kal Holliday def. Tiffany Van Soest by submission (rear-naked choke). Round 2, 2:08
Julia Jones def. Stephanie Skinner by submission (rear-naked choke). Round 1, 2:38
Amber Leibrock def. Amy Coleman by TKO (strikes). Round 1, 3:15
Sunna Rannveig Davidsdottir def. Ashley Greenway by unanimous decision (30-27 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.

maia

Invicta FC 19: Maia vs. Modafferi Official Weigh-in Results

by News

Kansas City, Mo. — On Thursday, Sept. 22, Invicta Fighting Championships hosted the weigh-ins for Invicta FC 19: Maia vs. Modafferi. The event takes place from Scottish Rite Temple on Friday, Sept. 23 and streams live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass beginning at 8 p.m. ET.

Invicta FC 19 will be headlined by flyweight champion Jennifer Maia (13-4-1), who puts her belt on the line against veteran Roxanne Modafferi (19-12). The co-main event also features gold on the line as atomweight champion Ayaka Hamasaki (13-1) aims to make her second title defense against Jinh Yu Frey (5-1).

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

Flyweight Title: Jennifer Maia (124.7) vs. Roxanne Modafferi (124.8)
Atomweight Title: Ayaka Hamasaki (104.5) vs. Jinh Yu Frey (104.6)
Bantamweight: Irene Aldana (135.8) vs. Faith Van Duin (138.5)*
Strawweight: Manjit Kolekar (115.5) vs. Kaline Medeiros (115.2)
Strawweight: Tiffany Van Soest (114.7) vs. Kal Holliday (115.9)
Atomweight: Julia Jones (104.5) vs. Stephanie Skinner (105.2)
Featherweight: Amber Leibrock (145.1) vs. Amy Coleman (144.7)
Strawweight: Ashley Greenway (115.3) vs. Sunna Rannveig Davidsdottir (115.3)

* – Van Duin was fined 25 percent of her fight purse for missing weight

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.

New-Roxanne-Modafferi-Reborn

Invicta FC 19 Adds Six More Bouts

by News

Kansas City, Mo. — The fight card for Invicta Fighting Championships 19 has added six more bouts.

In addition to the previously announced pair of title fights, Mexico’s Irene Aldana (5-2) will take on former featherweight Faith Van Duin (6-2) of New Zealand, undefeated Indian strawweight Manjit Kolekar (9-0) meets veteran Kaline Medeiros (7-4), striking stalwart Tiffany Van Soest (0-0) makes her professional and promotional debut against a soon-to-be-announced strawweight opponent, atomweight Julia Jones (4-0) looks to keep her perfect record intact against Stephanie Skinner (4-5), Amber Leibrock (1-1) welcomes fellow featherweight Amy Coleman (2-0) to the Invicta cage, and Ashley Greenway (1-0) clashes with Icelandic newcomer Sunna Rannveig Davidsdottir (0-0).

Invicta FC 19 will be headlined by interim flyweight champion Jennifer Maia (13-4-1), who puts her belt on the line against veteran Roxanne Modafferi (19-12). The co-main event also features gold on the line as atomweight champion Ayaka Hamasaki (13-1) aims to make her second title defense against Jinh Yu Frey (5-1). The event takes place from the historic Scottish Rite Temple in Kansas City, Mo., on Friday, Sept. 23 and airs live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass.

The complete fight card for Invicta FC 19 can be found below:

Flyweight Title: Jennifer Maia (13-4-1) vs. Roxanne Modafferi (19-12)
Atomweight Title: Ayaka Hamasaki (13-1) vs. Jinh Yu Frey (5-1)
Bantamweight: Irene Aldana (5-2) vs. Faith Van Duin (6-2)
Strawweight: Manjit Kolekar (9-0) vs. Kaline Medeiros (7-4)
Strawweight: Tiffany Van Soest (0-0) vs. TBA
Atomweight: Julia Jones (4-0) vs. Stephanie Skinner (4-5)
Featherweight: Amber Leibrock (1-1) vs. Amy Coleman (2-0)
Strawweight: Ashley Greenway (1-0) vs. Sunna Rannveig Davidsdottir (0-0)

Tickets for Invicta FC 19 go on sale tomorrow, Saturday, Aug. 27, at 11 a.m. ET and will be available for $75, $50 and $35 at Ticketfly.com.

Follow Invicta on Twitter (@InvictaFights), Facebook (Facebook.com/InvictaFights), or Instagram (@InvictaFC) for all the latest details on the event.

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.

Maia

Two Title Bouts Headline Invicta FC 19 on Sept. 23 in Kansas City

by News

Kansas City, Mo. — Invicta Fighting Championships is staying in the Midwest for its 19th event. The promotion will return to the historic Scottish Rite Temple in Kansas City, Mo., on Friday, Sept. 23. The event will stream live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass.

In the night’s main event, interim flyweight champion Jennifer Maia (13-4-1) will put her belt on the line against veteran Roxanne Modafferi (19-12). Brazil’s Maia captured gold at Invicta FC 16 in March in a “Fight of the Year” battle with countrywoman Vanessa Porto. The 27-year-old currently rides a four-fight winning streak. The UFC and Strikeforce veteran Modafferi has won four of her five appearances in the Invicta cage. The Las Vegas-based fighter has won back-to-back fights over DeAnna Bennett and Mariana Morais.

The co-main event will also feature gold on the line as atomweight champion Ayaka Hamasaki (13-1) aims to make her second title defense against Jinh Yu Frey (5-1). Japan’s Hamasaki was last in action in March, submitting challenger Amber Brown via third-round armbar to retain her 105-pound championship. Frey will enter the title match-up having won three straight fights under the Invicta FC banner, including a decision win over former champion Herica Tiburcio in her last outing.

The current fight card for Invicta FC 19 can be found below:

Flyweight Title: Jennifer Maia (13-4-1) vs. Roxanne Modafferi (19-12)
Atomweight Title: Ayaka Hamasaki (13-1) vs. Jinh Yu Frey (5-1)

Ticket information and additional bouts for Invicta FC 19 will be announced at a later date.

Follow Invicta on Twitter (@InvictaFights), Facebook (Facebook.com/InvictaFights), or Instagram (@InvictaFC) for all the latest details on the event.

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.

Maia

Episode 8: Invicta FC 16 Hamasaki vs. Brown Post-Fight Wrap

by Radio

Following Invicta FC 16: Hamasaki vs. Brown, Invicta FC play-by-play commentator TJ De Santis, color commentator Julie Kedzie, in-cage interviewer Laura Sanko and staff writer Rob Tatum sat down to discuss the event and share their thoughts on the night’s action.

On this special post-fight show, the panel recapped the action-packed card that saw Ayaka Hamasaki defend her atomweight crown by defeating Amber Brown in the night’s main event. They also discussed the title-clinching performance of Jennifer Maia who defeated Vanessa Porto, Irene Aldana’s stoppage of Jessamyn Duke and Angela Hill’s knockout of Stephanie Eggink.

Ayaka Hamasaki vs Amber Brown

Invicta FC 16 Results: Hamasaki Retains, Maia Captures Gold

by NewsOfficial Results

Las Vegas — On Friday, March 11, Invicta Fighting Championships visited the Trinidad Pavilion at Tropicana Las Vegas for its 16th event. The event streamed live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass at 8:30 p.m. ET.

Invicta atomweight champion Ayaka Hamasaki faced adversity in her first title defense against challenger Amber Brown, but the Japanese fighter retained her belt with a third-round armbar finish. Hamasaki landed a takedown in round one and landed punches from the top position, but Brown threw up a triangle choke and Hamasaki was forced to defend. Round two was nearly a carbon-copy of the first, but Hamasaki attacked the right arm of Brown with a keylock and a straight armbar attempt. In round three, Hamasaki’s repeated attacks on Brown’s arm paid off as she was able to extend the arm and coerce a tap.

Brazilians Jennifer Maia and Vanessa Porto put on a show in the night’s co-main event, with Maia leaving the cage with the interim flyweight title. Porto came out aggressive, dropping Maia with a right hand in the opening stanza. Maia recovered, but Porto continued to come forward with kicks. Porto scored with a big slam in round two and nearly locked in an armbar. Maia survived the early action and established her range on the feet. Porto’s nose bled badly as the fight wore on, as Maia’s combinations found a home. Maia surprisingly locked up an armbar of her own in round four, but Porto was able to defend. The fifth round decided the title affair, with Maia proving to be the fresher fighter. Maia sought a late guillotine that Porto escaped, but the judges handed Maia Invicta FC gold.

Strawweight Angela Hill proved that stepping up on short notice was no big deal, as she stopped former title fighter Stephanie Eggink by second-round TKO. Hill was in Eggink’s face early, but Eggink found openings for body kicks. As Eggink continued to kick, Hill found her timing and began to counter. Multiple overhand rights found the jaw of Eggink and in round two, a heavy shot sent her crashing to the ground. Hill followed with more punches and the referee waved off the bout.

Mexico’s Irene Aldana needed just three minutes to give UFC veteran Jessamyn Duke a rude welcome back to the Invicta cage. The bantamweights exchanged punches from the opening bell, with Aldana repeatedly finding Duke’s jaw with her right hand. A heavy shot wobbled Duke along the cage and Aldana smelled blood. She unleashed a flurry of body shots that saw Duke crumble to the canvas for the TKO.

Veteran Roxanne Modafferi and former title challenger DeAnna Bennett battled hard for three rounds. Modafferi’s forward pressure was the story of the fight, as she frequently backed Bennett against the cage. Bennett earned a big slam in the first round, but the action largely played out on the feet. Modafferi’s volume punching forced Bennett to counter with body kicks, but she could not match the output. When it was all said and done, the judges were split; leaving Modafferi victorious.

Atomweight Jinh Yu Frey made her case for a title shot, outworking former titleholder Herica Tiburcio en route to a unanimous decision win. The pair spent the majority of the fight on the feet, trading combinations. Tiburcio chewed up the lead leg of Frey with kicks, but Frey’s ability to counter with punches were the difference. Frey dropped Tiburcio with a left hand late in round two, but ultimately the fight went the distance.

Making her flyweight debut, veteran Sarah D’Alelio outlasted a very game Andrea Lee, scoring a late, third-round submission victory. Lee’s striking arsenal was on display in the first frame, as she battered the lead leg of D’Alelio. D’Alelio answered with wrestling in the middle round, leading to a do-or-die final five minutes. Lee scored with a gorgeous hip toss along the cage, but D’Alelio scrambled to top position and then transitioned to Lee’s back. Once there, she slapped on the fight-finishing rear-naked choke and Lee was forced to tap.

Stepping in on short notice, unbeaten Aspen Ladd put on a clinic in her bantamweight debut. Ladd immediately took opponent Kelly McGill to the ground and showcased her strong grappling game. Ladd threatened with choke attempts, but it was her steady stream of punches and elbows that took its toll on McGill. In the third stanza, Ladd poured it on and forced the referee to halt the contest.

In the night’s opening bout, debuting strawweights Ashley Greenway and Sarah Click fought hard for three rounds. Click scored with kicks early, but Greenway found her range midway through the fight. The final frame was all Greenway as she scored a takedown and tied Click into knots with multiple submission attempts. The judges rewarded Greenway for her efforts with a unanimous decision nod.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
Ayaka Hamasaki def. Amber Brown by submission (armbar). Round 3, 2:52 – for atomweight title
Jennifer Maia def. Vanessa Porto by unanimous decision (49-46, 48-47, 48-47) – for interim flyweight title
Angela Hill def. Stephanie Eggink by TKO (punches). Round 2, 2:36
Irene Aldana def. Jessamyn Duke by TKO (punches). Round 1, 3:08
Roxanne Modafferi def. DeAnna Bennett by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Jinh Yu Frey def. Herica Tiburcio by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Sarah D’Alelio def. Andrea Lee by submission (rear-naked choke). Round 3, 4:21
Aspen Ladd def. Kelly McGill by TKO (strikes). Round 3, 1:47
Ashley Greenway def. Sarah Click by unanimous decision (30-26, 29-28, 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. For more information, visit InvictaFC.com, follow Invicta on Twitter (@InvictaFights) and like Invicta on Facebook (Facebook.com/InvictaFights).

Hamasaki

Invicta FC 16: Hamasaki vs. Brown Official Weigh-in Results

by News

Las Vegas — On Thursday, March 10, Invicta Fighting Championships hosted the weigh-ins for Invicta FC 16: Hamasaki vs. Brown, which takes place Friday, March 10, from the Trinidad Pavilion at Tropicana Las Vegas. The event will stream live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass at 8:30 p.m. ET.

The main event will see recently crowned atomweight champion Ayaka Hamasaki (12-1) make her first title defense against the hard-charging Amber Brown (6-1). Japan’s Hamasaki captured gold last July with a decision win over Herica Tiburcio at Invicta FC 13. Brown, meanwhile, has won three straight in the Invicta cage, including back-to-back, first-round submission finishes. She topped Shino VanHoose at Invicta FC 15 in January via guillotine choke.

In the co-main event, the promotion will crown an interim flyweight champion as Brazilians Vanessa Porto (18-6) and Jennifer Maia (12-4-1) face off. Both fighters enter the match-up riding three-fight winning streaks. Porto was most recently in action against Roxanne Modafferi at Invicta FC 12, while Maia will return to the Invicta cage after three bouts in her home country.

Below are the results of the event’s weigh-ins, which were held at the Tropicana Hotel Lounge.

Atomweight Title: Ayaka Hamasaki (104.9) vs. Amber Brown (104.7)
Interim Flyweight Title: Vanessa Porto (124.4) vs. Jennifer Maia (124.6)
Strawweight: Stephanie Eggink (115) vs. Angela Hill (115)
Bantamweight:* Irene Aldana (136.6) vs. Jessamyn Duke (134.9)
Flyweight: Roxanne Modafferi (125.1) vs. DeAnna Bennett (124.5)
Atomweight:* Herica Tiburcio (106.9) vs. Jinh Yu Frey (105.5)
Flyweight: Andrea Lee (125.3) vs. Sarah D’Alelio (125.2)
Bantamweight: Kelly McGill (135.3) vs. Aspen Ladd (135.9)
Strawweight: Ashley Greenway (115.4) vs. Sarah Click (115.8)

* – these bouts were contracted at 136 and 106 pounds, respectively. With the commission’s one-pound allowance, both fights are official.

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. For more information, visit InvictaFC.com, follow Invicta on Twitter (@InvictaFights) and like Invicta on Facebook (Facebook.com/InvictaFights).