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Invicta FC 45 Results: Delboni Gets Revenge, Unseats Zappitella in Dominant Performance

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — On Wednesday, Jan. 12, Invicta Fighting Championships hosted Invicta FC 45: Zappitella vs. Delboni 2. The event was simulcast on Invicta FC’s YouTube channel and MMA Junkie.

In the night’s headliner, Alesha Zappitella and Jéssica Delboni met for a second time with Zappitella’s atomweight belt on the line. The Brazilian Delboni immediately fired a combination, but her aggression allowed Zappitella to drag the fight to the ground. Zappitella controlled the head and fired knees. Delboni reversed the position and looked for a single. Zappitella transitioned to a guillotine attempt, but Delboni escaped and separated. Zappitella tried for an arm-drag, then took Delboni down. Delboni briefly moved to the back of Zappitella as the two jostled for top position. The fight returned to the feet and Delboni landed punches. The second round began with a much more measured pace. Zappitella wasted little time looking for a takedown, but Delboni stayed upright. Another shot from Zappitella was answered with heavy elbows and punches from Delboni. An overhand right from Zappitella surprised Delboni for a moment. The takedown defense of Delboni was the difference as the round progressed. The confidence of Delboni grew in round three, as she unleashed combinations. The dynamics of the fight changed as the action consisted of striking exchanges. The Brazilian hurt Zappitella with a knee late in the frame. The championship rounds started with more strikes from Delboni. Zappitella looked to counter with right hands before shooting for the legs. Delboni punished Zappitella with punches as she remained latched to a leg. Another right hand from Delboni stunned the American, prompting her to grapple once more. The final round began with Delboni having a big lead on the scorecards. Zappitella went for broke with heavy punches. She changed levels and latched onto Delboni’s leg in the center of the cage. Delboni remained calm and continued to deliver hammerfists to the face of Zappitella. Late in the fight, Delboni looked to take Zappitella’s back. Zappitella escaped out the back, but Delboni transitioned to an armbar attempt. Zappitella worked free and gained top position. Delboni kept up her aggressive attack, working for a kneebar. The finish did not come, but there was no doubt on the scorecards as Delboni exacted revenge and claimed atomweight gold.

The co-main event of the evening featured Hong Kong’s Ramona Pascual opposite Shamir Peshewa in a 150-pound catchweight contest. A right hand from Pascual clipped Peshewa right off the opening bell and she followed it with a left straight. Pascual attacked the lead leg of Peshewa with low kicks. A knee from Pascual found the liver of Peshewa, who winced in pain and retreated to the cage. Pascual followed up with punches and the referee stepped in to halt the bout just 60 seconds into the first round.

Texas newcomer Hailey Cowan collided with Hawaii’s Monica Franco in a bantamweight affair. Cowan took the center of the cage and drove her way into the clinch. With double underhooks, Cowan held Franco against the fence. They traded short knees from close quarters, as Cowan looked for a trip takedown. The offense of Franco was negated by the strength of Cowan, who took the fight to the ground late in the round. A left hand from Cowan greeted Franco to open the second frame. The fight returned to the clinch and Cowan powered the fight back to the canvas along the fence. Cowan dropped heavy punches from the top as Franco struggled to escape. Cowan passed to mount, then took Franco’s back. She applied a rear-naked choke and Franco tapped.

Helen Peralta extended her success under the Invicta banner, handing fellow flyweight Elise Pone her first professional defeat. Peralta immediately started firing haymakers. She then threw a hook kick, but Pone was able to evade the flashy attack. Peralta pushed her way to the clinch, pinning Pone against the cage. Peralta delivered a steady stream of right hands from the clinch. Late in the round, Peralta dragged Pone to the ground and rained left hands. Pone was able to survive the onslaught. In round two, the fight quickly returned to the clinch and Peralta put Pone on her back. After a brief grappling exchange, Peralta allowed Pone to return to her feet. Peralta continued her relentless pressure in the clinch, scoring with a trip takedown late in the frame. Peralta opened round three with a powerful right hand that dropped Pone. Moments after Pone regained her footing, Peralta planted her on the canvas. When the fight returned to the feet, Pone connected with a heavy kick. Peralta returned to dominating in the clinch. A desperate Pone delivered an elbow that stunned Peralta, but it was too little, too late. All three judges scored the contest in favor of Peralta.

Atomweights squared off when Canada’s Katie Saull welcomed Tamika Jones to the promotion. The southpaw Saull fired her left hand like a piston. Jones struggled with the boxing prowess of Saull. The pair clinched against the fence and it was Saull who took down the wrestler Jones. Saull took the back of Jones and began to work for a rear-naked choke. Saull squeezed hard, but Jones never panicked and escaped to top position. Saull stayed aggressive, attacking with an armbar and coercing the tap from Jones late in the round.

The night kicked off in the bantamweight division as Sarah Kleczka returned to the Invicta cage to face off with Mexico’s Maria Jose Favela. The pair patiently gauged their range and looked for openings in the opening frame. Midway through the round, Favela connected with a solid right hand. Kleczka looked for a spinning backfist, but was countered by Favela. The Mexican fighter peppered the lead leg of Kleczka with kicks. Round two saw Kleczka flurry forward and pressure Favela. A right hand from Kleczka landed clean and she followed it with a combination along the fence. Favela switched stances to counter the forward advance of Kleczka. The final stanza began with the fight still up for grabs. The bantamweights traded heavy right hands late in the fight. The fight was sent to the judges, who were split in their verdict, rewarding Kleczka the victory.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
Jéssica Delboni def. Alesha Zappitella by unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 49-46) – for atomweight title
Ramona Pascual def. Shamir Peshewa by TKO (knee and punches). Round 1, 1:00
Hailey Cowan def. Monica Franco by submission (rear-naked choke). Round 2, 3:17
Helen Peralta def. Elise Pone by unanimous decision (30-25, 30-25, 30-26)
Katie Saull def. Tamika Jones by submission (armbar). Round 1, 4:30
Sarah Kleczka def. Maria Jose Favela by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)


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.

About Anthem Sports & Entertainment, Inc.
Anthem Sports & Entertainment Inc. is a global multi-platform media company with offices and studios in Los Angeles, Denver, Nashville, New York, Kansas City and Toronto. Anthem’s portfolio includes AXS TV, a leading music, entertainment and lifestyle television channel and digital media company; global film distribution company Gravitas VenturesFight Network, the world’s premier combat sports channel; IMPACT Wrestling, one of the world’s leading wrestling organizations specializing in original programming and live events; Invicta Fighting Championships, the world’s premier all-women mixed martial arts promotion; Game+, the leader in Esports and gaming content; GameTV, the home of game shows and competition-based reality series; and HDNet Movies, which features theatrically released films and documentaries. Anthem also has a significant ownership interest in Pursuit Channel, one of the top outdoor channels in the U.S.

Invicta FC 45: Zappitella vs. Delboni 2 Official Weigh-in Results

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – On Tuesday, Jan. 11, Invicta Fighting Championships hosted the weigh-ins for Invicta FC 45: Zappitella vs. Delboni 2

In the night’s headliner, current champion Alesha “Half Pint” Zappitella (9-2, 1 NC) will put her 105-pound belt on the line against Brazilian challenger Jéssica Delboni (11-3). The pair met on the promotion’s debut on AXS TV last May, with the American Zappitella retaining her title after a closely contested five-round battle. Delboni quickly rebounded from the split-decision loss, winning three fights in one night to capture the Phoenix Tournament: Atomweights crown and re-establishing herself as the No. 1 contender.

The event will be the first on Invicta FC’s new night of Wednesday for 2022, taking place Jan. 12 in Kansas City. All the action will be simulcast on Invicta FC’s YouTube channel and MMA Junkie beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

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

Atomweight Title: Alesha Zappitella (104.8) vs. Jéssica Delboni (103.8)
Catchweight (150 pounds): Ramona Pascual (150) vs. Shamir Peshewa (153.4)*
Bantamweight: Monica Franco (135.4) vs. Hailey Cowan (135.4)
Flyweight: Helen Peralta (125.4) vs. Elise Pone (124.8)
Atomweight: Katie Saull (105.9) vs. Tamika Jones (105.3)
Bantamweight: Maria Favela (138.4)# vs. Sarah Kleczka (135)

* – Peshewa missed weight for the 150-pound catchweight and was fined 25 percent of her fight purse

# – Favela missed the bantamweight limit of 136 pounds and was fined 25 percent of her fight purse


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.

About Anthem Sports & Entertainment, Inc.
Anthem Sports & Entertainment Inc. is a global multi-platform media company with offices and studios in Los Angeles, Denver, Nashville, New York, Kansas City and Toronto. Anthem’s portfolio includes AXS TV, a leading music, entertainment and lifestyle television channel and digital media company; global film distribution company Gravitas VenturesFight Network, the world’s premier combat sports channel; IMPACT Wrestling, one of the world’s leading wrestling organizations specializing in original programming and live events; Invicta Fighting Championships, the world’s premier all-women mixed martial arts promotion; Game+, the leader in Esports and gaming content; GameTV, the home of game shows and competition-based reality series; and HDNet Movies, which features theatrically released films and documentaries. Anthem also has a significant ownership interest in Pursuit Channel, one of the top outdoor channels in the U.S.

Invicta FC 45 Fight Card Update

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – The first fight card from Invicta Fighting Championships in 2022 has undergone some shuffling.

The planned co-main event between Colorado’s “Grizzly” Claire Guthrie (3-1) and UFC veteran Lauren “Princess Tiger” Mueller (5-4) has been scratched from the event. As a result, a 150-pound catchweight contest between newcomers Ramona Pascual (5-2) and Shamir “Hella Kitty” Peshewa (2-0) has been elevated to the penultimate billing. Pascual, a Hong Kong native, makes her Invicta debut riding a three-fight winning streak. Tennessee’s Peshewa stopped Invicta veteran Gina Elliott in her most recent bout.

Additionally, with the loss of the strawweight bout between Hilarie Rose (5-3) and Emily “Spitfire” Whitmire (4-5), two additional match-ups have been added to the fight card. Sluggers Helen “Iansã” Peralta (4-2) and “The Piece” Elise Pone (1-0) collide in a flyweight bout and Canada’s “Queen of the North” Katie Saull (3-5) takes on fellow atomweight Tamika Jones (1-0).

In the night’s headliner, current atomweight titleholder Alesha “Half Pint” Zappitella (9-2, 1 NC) meets Brazilian challenger Jéssica Delboni (11-3) for a second time. The pair engaged in a back-and-forth battle in their first meeting in May, with Zappitella emerging with a split-decision victory to hold onto her belt. The No. 1 contender Delboni will be out for revenge in her second crack at gold.

Invicta FC 45: Zappitella vs. Delboni 2 will be the first event on Invicta FC’s new night of Wednesday for 2022, taking place Jan. 12 in Kansas City. The event will be simulcast on Invicta FC’s YouTube channel and MMA Junkie beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

The updated fight card for Invicta FC 45 can be found below:

Atomweight Title: Alesha Zappitella vs. Jéssica Delboni
Catchweight (150 pounds): Ramona Pascual vs. Shamir Peshewa
Bantamweight: Monica Franco vs. Hailey Cowan
Flyweight: Helen Peralta vs. Elise Pone
Atomweight: Katie Saull vs. Tamika Jones
Bantamweight: Maria Favela vs. Sarah Kleczka


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.

About Anthem Sports & Entertainment, Inc.
Anthem Sports & Entertainment Inc. is a global multi-platform media company with offices and studios in Los Angeles, Denver, Nashville, New York, Kansas City and Toronto. Anthem’s portfolio includes AXS TV, a leading music, entertainment and lifestyle television channel and digital media company; global film distribution company Gravitas VenturesFight Network, the world’s premier combat sports channel; IMPACT Wrestling, one of the world’s leading wrestling organizations specializing in original programming and live events; Invicta Fighting Championships, the world’s premier all-women mixed martial arts promotion; Game+, the leader in Esports and gaming content; GameTV, the home of game shows and competition-based reality series; and HDNet Movies, which features theatrically released films and documentaries. Anthem also has a significant ownership interest in Pursuit Channel, one of the top outdoor channels in the U.S.

Invicta FC 45 Streams Live on Invicta FC’s YouTube Channel and MMA Junkie

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Invicta Fighting Championships today announced the broadcast plans for its upcoming Invicta FC 45: Zappitella vs. Delboni 2 event.

The promotion is partnering with one of the biggest media outlets in MMA, five-time World MMA Awards winner MMA Junkie, part of the USA TODAY Sports Media Group. The fight card – which takes place Wednesday, Jan. 12 in Kansas City – will be simulcast on Invicta FC’s YouTube channel and MMA Junkie beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

Invicta FC President Shannon Knapp commented on the broadcast deal, “What better way to expose our athletes to fight fans around the globe than MMA Junkie? For the last 15 years, they have been a staple of this industry and I am excited to work with them for this upcoming event.”

Invicta FC 45 is headlined by an atomweight grudge match between current titleholder Alesha “Half Pint” Zappitella (9-2, 1 NC) and Brazilian challenger Jéssica Delboni (11-3). The pair engaged in a back-and-forth battle in their first meeting in May, with Zappitella emerging with a split-decision victory to hold onto her belt. The No. 1 contender Delboni will be out to prove that the judges made a mistake in her previous title conquest.

In addition to the broadcast announcement, the scheduled strawweight contest between Hilarie Rose (5-3) and Emily “Spitfire” Whitmire (4-5) has been forced off the card and will be rescheduled for a future event.

The updated fight card for Invicta FC 45 can be found below:

Atomweight Title: Alesha Zappitella vs. Jéssica Delboni
Bantamweight: Claire Guthrie vs. Lauren Mueller
Featherweight: Courtney King vs. Ramona Pascual
Bantamweight: Monica Franco vs. Hailey Cowan
Bantamweight: Maria Favela vs. Sarah Kleczka


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.

About Anthem Sports & Entertainment, Inc.
Anthem Sports & Entertainment Inc. is a global multi-platform media company with offices and studios in Los Angeles, Denver, Nashville, New York, Kansas City and Toronto. Anthem’s portfolio includes AXS TV, a leading music, entertainment and lifestyle television channel and digital media company; global film distribution company Gravitas VenturesFight Network, the world’s premier combat sports channel; IMPACT Wrestling, one of the world’s leading wrestling organizations specializing in original programming and live events; Invicta Fighting Championships, the world’s premier all-women mixed martial arts promotion; Game+, the leader in Esports and gaming content; GameTV, the home of game shows and competition-based reality series; and HDNet Movies, which features theatrically released films and documentaries. Anthem also has a significant ownership interest in Pursuit Channel, one of the top outdoor channels in the U.S.

About USA TODAY Sports Media Group
The USA TODAY Sports Media Group encompasses all sports initiatives across USA TODAY Sports and Gannett’s more than 250 well-known local media brands. It includes the popular social news hub For The Win, and vertical sports sites Golfweek, MMAJunkie.com, NFL and NBA team wire sites, and leading high school sports destination USA TODAY High School Sports, among others. USA TODAY is owned by Gannett Co., Inc.

Invicta FC 45: Zappitella vs. Delboni 2 Slated for Jan. 12

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Invicta Fighting Championships will start the New Year with a highly anticipated atomweight title rematch.

Current champion Alesha “Half Pint” Zappitella (9-2, 1 NC) will put her 105-pound belt on the line against Brazilian challenger Jéssica Delboni (11-3). The pair met on the promotion’s debut on AXS TV in May, with the American Zappitella retaining her title after a closely contested five-round battle. Delboni quickly rebounded from the split-decision loss, winning three fights in one night to capture the Phoenix Tournament: Atomweights crown and re-establishing herself as the No. 1 contender.

Invicta FC 45: Zappitella vs. Delboni 2 will be the first event on Invicta FC’s new night of Wednesday for 2022, taking place Jan. 12 in Kansas City. Broadcast information will be announced in the coming weeks.

Invicta President Shannon Knapp explained, “We are always looking for new ways to showcase our athletes and having events on Wednesdays will put the spotlight directly on them. The rematch between Zappitella and Delboni is a perfect way to kick off the action on our new night.”

In the co-main event, Colorado’s “Grizzly” Claire Guthrie (3-1) collides with Lauren “Princess Tiger” Mueller (5-4) in a bantamweight match-up. Guthrie will compete under the Invicta banner for the fifth time, with Mueller returning after her thrilling promotional debut at Invicta FC 44.

Also on the card, featherweight Courtney “The Lion” King (4-2) competes for the first time since her headlining clash with two-time Olympic gold medalist Kayla Harrison at Invicta FC 43. King will take on Hong Kong native Ramona Pascual (5-2), who currently rides a three-fight winning streak.

Rounding out the fight card, Hawaiian “Fearless” Monica Franco (2-0) welcomes “All Hail” Hailey Cowan (5-2) to the Invicta cage in a 135-pound affair, strawweight veterans Hilarie Rose (5-3) and Emily “Spitfire” Whitmire (4-5) aim to infuse fresh contenders into the 115-pound division, and Mexico’s Maria Favela (2-1) moves up to bantamweight against returning veteran Sarah “Chucky” Kleczka (2-3).

The event will be overseen by the Kansas Athletic Commission and will feature open scoring. With the ongoing pandemic, the fights will take place behind closed doors — sans fans and media. As with any Invicta event, the safety of its athletes, 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: Alesha Zappitella vs. Jéssica Delboni
Bantamweight: Claire Guthrie vs. Lauren Mueller
Featherweight: Courtney King vs. Ramona Pascual
Bantamweight: Monica Franco vs. Hailey Cowan
Strawweight: Hilarie Rose vs. Emily Whitmire
Bantamweight: Maria Favela vs. Sarah Kleczka


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.

About Anthem Sports & Entertainment, Inc.
Anthem Sports & Entertainment Inc. is a global multi-platform media company with offices and studios in Los Angeles, Denver, Nashville, New York, Kansas City and Toronto. Anthem’s portfolio includes AXS TV, a leading music, entertainment and lifestyle television channel and digital media company; global film distribution company Gravitas VenturesFight Network, the world’s premier combat sports channel; IMPACT Wrestling, one of the world’s leading wrestling organizations specializing in original programming and live events; Invicta Fighting Championships, the world’s premier all-women mixed martial arts promotion; Game+, the leader in Esports and gaming content; GameTV, the home of game shows and competition-based reality series; and HDNet Movies, which features theatrically released films and documentaries. Anthem also has a significant ownership interest in Pursuit Channel, one of the top outdoor channels in the U.S.