KANSAS CITY, Mo. — On Friday, May 16, Invicta Fighting Championships hosted Invicta FC 62: Lehner vs. Rubin from The Lex at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City.
Olga Rubin returned to the win column, besting fellow bantamweight Katharina Lehner with a second-round submission finish. Rubin greeted Lehner with a left hand. Lehner flurried forward with a combination. The German doubled up on the boxing combo, backing Rubin to the fence. Rubin countered with a left body kick. Lehner delivered a right straight through the defense of Rubin. Rubin fired a thundering head kick, but Lehner kept her guard high. Another combination from Lehner closed with an uppercut that popped the head of Rubin. Rubin mixed up her kicks to try and slow Lehner’s forward march, but frequently found herself eating punches. After a brief exchange in round two, Rubin capitalized on a slip from Lehner and took the fight to the mat. She quickly took the back and applied a rear-naked choke along the cage. Lehner fought it momentarily, but was eventually was forced to tap.
The co-main event featured two of the top-ranked athletes in the flyweight division as Invicta staple DeAnna Bennett faced Brazil’s Rayla Nascimento. A body kick from Bennett was the first strike to land. Nascimento fired a right hand back as Bennett circled away. A left hook from Nascimento landed over the guard of Bennett. The American answered with low kicks and a crisp hook on the break. Nascimento scored with a right hook to the body. She followed it with a stiff jab to the nose of Bennett. A late level change from Bennett was shrugged off by the Brazilian. Bennett opened round two with a switch kick to the body of Nascimento. A crisp left hook from Nascimento caught Bennett as she was blitzing forward. The experienced veterans exchanged right hands and continued to look for a chink in the armor of one another. Bennett peppered Nascimento with a left body kick-left hand combination in the last round. Nascimento began to chase and Bennett went for a takedown. The defense of Nascimento was up to the task and she kept the fight on the feet. A right hand from Nascimento opened a cut on the nose of Bennett, who again failed with a takedown attempt. Bennett slipped late in the fight, but turned it into a leglock attempt. Nascimento was forced to defend from the submission attempt, but finished the fight in top position. When the scorecards were revealed after three grueling rounds, it was Nascimento who moved one step closer to the title.
In a match-up of veteran flyweights Milana Dudieva collided with Amanda Torres. Dudieva greeted the Brazilian with an overhand right as she took the center of the cage. Torres fired low kicks the calf of Dudieva. A straight right hand from Dudieva found the midsection of Torres. The right hand of Torres got through the guard of Dudieva and her face began to swell. Dudieva bit down on her mouthpiece and dropped her hands, begging Torres to trade with her. The Brazilian obliged and the flyweights traded wild strikes. Torres got the worst of it, earning a cut across the bridge of her nose. The kicking arsenal of Dudieva was on display to open round two. Torres was unfazed and the pair brawled from boxing range. A right hand from Dudieva connected as Torres was off balance, dropping her for a moment. Dudieva caught a body kick from Torres and cracked her jaw with another right hand that sent her to the mat once more. Blood flowed from the nose of Torres from the heavy strikes. A flurry from Torres started the third as she looked to embark on a comeback. The offense from Dudieva was more measured as she aimed to counter the forward advance of Torres. A head kick from Torres partially landed, sending the crowd into a frenzy. Dudieva absorbed the strike and delivered a body kick in response. Torres timed another kick and sent Dudieva to backside with a right hand. The pair swung wildly in the waning seconds and the judges were needed to determine the winner, who awarded Dudieva for her efforts.
Two of the strawweight division’s most promising prospects kicked off the night’s main card when Ashley Barrett took on Quinn Williams. The pair were patient in establishing their striking range and looked for openings. Williams exploded into a powerful takedown and took the fight to the ground. Barrett countered with a kimura attempt from her back, forcing a scramble. Williams capitalized by taking the back of Barrett. She worked for a rear-naked choke, but Barrett defended and escaped. Both fighters jostled for position before ultimately returning to the feet. A series of punches from Barrett prompted Williams to attempt another takedown late in the round. In the second frame, Williams immediately took the fight back to the ground, but she was unable to keep Barrett down for long. Barrett was able to cut off the cage with low kicks. Williams was able to time the repeated kicks and crack Barrett with a massive counter right. The face of Barrett wore damage from the strikes. Another brief takedown from Williams was followed with a series of strikes that cut the left cheek of Barrett. A heavy right from Williams wobbled Barrett for a moment. A barrage of punches from Barrett created an opening for a takedown attempt from Williams, but Barrett stuffed it and took her back at the end of the round. The final frame began with more aggression from Barrett. She quickly closed the distance and looked for a takedown. Williams used a whizzer to halt the technique, but found herself on her back in the ensuing scramble. Barrett took the back and rained punches. Williams turned to her back and Barrett unloaded from the mount, raining punches. The onslaught overwhelmed Williams and the referee stepped in to save her, giving Barrett the come-from-behind TKO win.
The night began with a battle of flyweight newcomers making their professional debuts as Charlsey Maner met Alex Lawal. Maner showcased her kickboxing early, stunning Lawal with a head kick. Lawal wasted no time returning the favor with a heavy right hand. Maner pressed forward with a purpose, landing with volume. Lawal was patient with counters, connecting with powerful right hands. The kicking attack from Maner did not relent until she brought the fight to the clinch. She scored with knees and short elbows. Round two started much like the first, with Maner delivering an onslaught of kicks and Lawal answering with counterpunches. The pair traded knees in the clinch, with Lawal using hers to separate. Midway through the frame, Maner overcommitted on her punches, allowing Lawal to change levels and power into a takedown. She looked to work from the top, but Maner was quick to get back to her feet. Maner controlled the last portion of the stanza with her strikes. Lawal opened the last round with a head kick of her own that grazed the face of Maner. She looked for another takedown, but Maner was wise to it and kept the fight upright. Maner’s punching output picked up as she looked to overwhelm Lawal. The fought found the fence and Maner worked hard for a single-leg takedown. Lawal’s defense was stout and she shrugged Maner away. The elbow strikes of Maner continued to land as the two swung until the final bell. The judges were called upon to render a verdict, handing Maner a unanimous decision victory.
OFFICIAL RESULTS
Olga Rubin def. Katharina Lehner by submission (rear-naked choke). Round 2, 1:14
Rayla Nascimento def. DeAnna Bennett by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Milana Dudieva def. Amanda Torres by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Ashley Barrett def. Quinn Williams by TKO (punches). Round 3, 1:40
Charlsey Maner def. Alex Lawal by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
About Invicta FC: A subsidiary of Anthem Sports and Entertainment, Inc., Invicta Fighting Championships is breaking barriers in women’s sports as the premier all-female promotion delivering unparalleled world championships and all-pro mixed martial arts (MMA) events. The history-making Invicta FC continues to pave the way for all to follow, providing female athletes from around the globe with a major platform where they are able to compete against other top talent. Founded in 2012 by veteran MMA executive Shannon Knapp, Invicta is pioneering the future growth of women’s MMA, putting the spotlight on the absolute best match-ups while identifying and developing the sport’s future stars. Follow Invicta on Instagram (@InvictaFC), TikTok (@InvictaFC), X (@InvictaFights) and Facebook (InvictaFights) for all the latest information. Watch Invicta FC live events on CBS Sports Network.