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DENVER – On Friday, Aug. 9, Invicta Fighting Championships returned to the Mile High City for Invicta FC 56: Maia vs. Cantuária. The event took place from Stockyards Event Center and the night’s main card action aired live on CBS Sports Network.

In the main event, former flyweight champion Jennifer Maia made a successful return to the organization, besting fellow Brazilian Mayra Cantuária in a bantamweight contest. Cantuária fired combinations from her southpaw stance that the veteran Maia evaded. Maia ducked under a punch and Cantuária clinched. The pair exchanged heavy punches inside the pocket with a crisp left hook from Maia having the most impact. Cantuária found the mark with a straight left. Maia stayed inside range and answered with punches of her own. A body kick from Maia surprised Cantuária. She delivered a short right hook that caught Maia clean. Maia stumbled, then clinched as the frame ended. Round two opened with a flurry of punches from Maia and a head-kick attempt. Cantuária nodded with respect after just moving out of the way. A short right hand from Cantuária greeted Maia as she moved into range. Cantuária began to showboat from the success she found on the feet. Maia landed a crisp combo and Cantuária powered forward with reckless abandon. Another head kick from Maia was blocked by Cantuária. Maia landed with volume late in the round and fended off a takedown attempt from Cantuária. With the fight in the balance, Maia dug deep and pressured her less experienced opponent. She regularly slipped the punches of Cantuária and connected with counters. The pair exchanged wildly along the fence after Cantuária briefly slipped. The Brazilians never stopped trading in the bout’s final minute and the judges were called upon for a final time. The veteran Maia had her hand raised to set up a future bout with current bantamweight champion Talita Bernardo.

Former strawweight champion Valesca Machado gave Russia’s Yulia Ostroverkhova a rude welcome to the Invicta cage in the evening’s co-main event. Machado clipped Ostroverkhova with a left hook in the fight’s first striking exchange. She followed it with a long jab to keep Ostroverkhova at range. Ostroverkhova answered with a low kick and clinch knee. Machado connected with a massive right hand that wobbled the legs of the Russian. She flurried with punches along the fence, but did not get overanxious. Machado peppered Ostroverkhova with single shots while Ostroverkhova recovered from the early trouble. She missed with a superman punch and Machado landed an overhand right in response. Another left hook from the Brazilian wobbled Ostroverkhova again late in the round. Machado landed a heavy shot to open round two but continued to be patient with her offense. She countered an Ostroverkhova jab with a perfect right hand. The pair clinched and Machado muscled the newcomer to the ground. Machado mixed in left hands and right elbows from the half guard. Ostroverkhova tried to tie up the former champion from the bottom, but Machado stayed busy until the round expired. Ostroverkhova came forward with purpose to start the final stanza. That aggression worked against her though, as Machado put her on her back. After a lengthy time on the ground, the fight returned to the feet and both fighters scored with punches. A body kick from Ostroverkhova was caught by Machado and she pinned her against the fence. A head-and-arm throw from Machado saw Ostroverkhova stuck in a scarf hold as the fight concluded. There were no doubts on the scorecards as Machado swept every round.

Jackie Cataline put the first blemish on the record of Brazilian featherweight Kelly Ottoni with a third-round TKO finish. Cataline scored with a hook and Ottoni smiled at her. Cataline followed with more punches before securing underhooks and then a takedown. The wrestling stalwart stayed heavy on top, preventing Ottoni from generating offense. Cataline worked for a D’arce, but Ottoni was wise to it and escaped. Cataline finished the round on top. Round two featured an immediate takedown from Cataline. Ottoni fished for a leg from bottom position, but Cataline firmly maintained control. The fight returned to the feet and Cataline connected with a crisp right hand. She pushed Ottoni to the cage and sliced her open with an elbow. Cataline earned another takedown, passed to mount and dropped heavy shots. She looked for a late armbar as the horn sounded. The doctor checked on Ottoni between rounds, but the fight was allowed to continue. Cataline opened up with her hands, battering the face of the Brazilian. Ottoni showed heart, answering with punches of her own. When Cataline had enough, she lifted Ottoni high in the air and slammed her violently to the mat. The American locked on an arm-triangle but could not find the finish from the choke. A flurry of punches, however, were too much for Ottoni and the referee rewarded Cataline with the stoppage victory.

Promotional newcomers Paula Bittencourt and Kate Bacik wasted little time feeling each other out in their bantamweight bout as both rushed to the center of the cage. Bacik delivered a heavy body kick that Bittencourt caught and answered with a straight right that sent Bacik to the canvas. Bittencourt allowed the Brit to stand and the pair continued their wild exchange. Bittencourt clinched for a moment before Bacik broke free and scored with front kicks. Bittencourt’s pace slowed as the round progressed, and she again looked to clinch. Bacik’s leg kicks took a toll on the right leg of Bittencourt, but the Brazilian was still able to land a heavy right hand as the round came to a close. Bacik marched forward recklessly in round two and was dumped to the ground by Bittencourt. The Brazilian could not keep Bacik on her back and when the pair returned to standing, it was Bacik who earned a takedown. Bacik pressed Bittencourt against the cage and landed with knees. Bittencourt spun free and unleashed a string of punishing right hands. She powered into a late takedown and finished the round in top position. With the fight still up for grabs in the third round, it was Bacik who stayed busy on the feet initially. Bittencourt responded with a takedown along the fence. Bacik attacked from the bottom with short elbows, but Bittencourt stayed heavy on top. The Brazilian spammed left hands. Bacik worked back to her feet late and the fight was sent to the scorecards. The judges were split in their verdict, with Bacik walking away with a hard-earned victory.

The main card opened with a match-up between Mexican atomweights as Flor Hernandez welcomed Ana Palacios to the organization. It was a tentative start for the countrywomen, as they looked to find their range and exploit an opening in the other’s defense. Palacios showcased a speed advantage, evading the strikes of her taller counterpart. Hernandez was undeterred by the misses, marching forward and maintaining the center of the cage. Late in the frame, Palacios ducked under a punch from Hernandez and initiated the clinch. The pair exchanged short knees and jostled for head position in a grueling battle. The second round began with an onslaught of kicks from Palacios. She entered the pocket and traded punches with Hernandez, who used her size to score a pair of powerful shots. Palacios briefly clinched once more and fired off a series of punches as she exited to the center of the cage. Despite her smaller stature, Palacios managed distance well, connecting with heavy body kicks and avoiding the front kicks of Hernandez. A great level change from Palacios led to the fight’s first takedown and she postured up from the full guard to score with punches as the round expired. The effective kicking game of Palacios continued in the final frame. Hernandez’s frustration was apparent as she struggled to land strikes. Palacios took her down midway through the round and took her back. Hernandez powered out of the vicarious position and took the back of Palacios. A late armbar attempt from Palacios was the fight’s final action before the judges were asked to decide a winner. All three scored the bout in favor of Palacios.

Brazilian atomweight Giulliany Perêa impressed in her first Invicta appearance, outworking Mexico’s Ailed Zubieta. Zubieta landed a combination in the fight’s first exchange, leading to Perêa to shoot for a takedown. Zubieta stuffed the initial attempt, but Perêa powered the pair to the ground and gained top position. The Mexican remained calm and scrambled to her feet, only for Perêa to secure a single-leg and drag her back to the ground. Perêa was patient from the top, delivering heavy punches from inside the guard. Zubieta again tried to scramble back to her feet, but Perêa took her back with both hooks. Zubieta recovered her half guard momentarily, as Perêa dropped back for a kneebar. Zubieta defended well and the Brazilian abandoned the submission as the round came to a close. Zubieta crushed the body of Perêa with a kick to open round two, but Perêa drove into another takedown. She moved to the back and applied a body-triangle. Zubieta escaped and took the back of Perêa in the ensuing scramble. Perêa wore Zubieta like a backpack against the fence for quite some time before escaping and driving Zubieta back to the mat. Round three began similarly to the second, as Perêa found top position in the opening seconds. She fired elbows to the legs of Zubieta to open the Mexican’s guard. Perêa offered Zubieta a steady diet of left hands and knees to the rib. She used the strikes to set up a kimura attempt, but could not coerce a tap. The judges were called upon for the first time and they rendered a unanimous verdict for Perêa.

Featherweights collided when Ali Pellegrini met Marissa Ellis. Pellegrini went straight to work with kicks, using her length to frustrate Ellis. Ellis remained aggressive with her advance, which allowed Pellegrini to score a takedown and move to her back. The Washington-based fighter transitioned to a body-triangle and then went to work on a rear-naked choke. The veteran Ellis remained calm to survive the choke attempt and the round. In the second stanza, Ellis marched forward and willingly exchanged with the taller Pellegrini. Ellis ripped a thundering kick to the midsection of Pellegrini, who quickly drove into a takedown. Pellegrini moved to mount and rained elbows. Ellis again gave up her back and Pellegrini searched for a choke along the cage. Pellegrini put Ellis’s back to the mat and dropped more elbows from mount, but could not find the finish. Pellegrini capitalized on the desperation of Ellis early in round three, using a body lock to drop her to the canvas and take the back. This time, Ellis could not defend and Pellegrini claimed victory in her professional debut.

The night’s action kicked off with a flyweight contest between professional debutants Ashley Barrett and Tatiana Salazar. Salazar found range quickly, landing a sharp jab and crisp hook. That prompted Barrett to clinch, push the Nicaraguan to the cage and take her to the mat. Barrett immediately moved to mount and unleashed a flurry of punches. The onslaught was too much for Salazar and the referee stepped in to save her just 94 seconds into the bout.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
Jennifer Maia def. Mayra Cantuária by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Valesca Machado def. Yulia Ostroverkhova by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Jackie Cataline def. Kelly Ottoni by TKO (punches). Round 3, 3:15
Kate Bacik def. Paula Bittencourt by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
Ana Palacios def. Flor Hernandez by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Giulliany Perêa def. Ailed Zubieta by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Ali Pellegrini def. Marissa Ellis by submission (rear-naked choke). Round 3, 1:14
Ashley Barrett def. Tatiana Salazar by TKO (punches). Round 1, 1:34

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.