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Invicta FC 31 Results: Jandiroba Chokes Morandin, Retains Strawweight Title

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Kansas City, Mo. — On Saturday, Sept. 1, Invicta Fighting Championships hosted Invicta FC 31: Jandiroba vs. Morandin from the Scottish Rite Temple in Kansas City, Mo. The event streamed live on UFC Fight Pass beginning at 8 p.m. ET.

The Invicta FC strawweight belt remains around the waist of undefeated Brazilian Virna Jandiroba after she submitted countrywoman Janaisa Morandin. After a feeling out process on the feet, the champion exploded for a takedown. She worked to the mount position, but Morandin was able to recover her guard. Jandiroba peppered Morandin with short shots as the first round came to a close. Round two saw Jandiroba again earn a takedown, but this time, she effortlessly passed to mount and attacked the neck of the challenger with a choke. The arm-triangle was deep, forcing Morandin to submit.

Pearl Gonzalez picked up her third straight win — second in the flyweight division — with a decision victory over Brazilian Daiane Firmino. Gonzalez fired kicks immediately which allowed Firmino to power the fight to the ground. Gonzalez was able to gain top position, but Firmino worked back to her feet. The pair worked hard in the clinch, trading short knees. The second round saw Gonzalez land a huge throw to delight the crowd. Gonzalez worked from the scarf hold position, threatening with multiple submissions. Firmino was game, nearly taking Gonzalez’s back. In the last frame, Firmino pushed the action. She secured a takedown, but was forced to defend an armbar attempt and triangle choke threat from Gonzalez. The fight went to the judges for a verdict and they rewarded Gonzalez for her efforts.

In a battle of undefeated bantamweights, Lisa Spangler narrowly edged Shanna Young on the scorecards. The karate style of Young was evident from the opening bell, as she repeatedly fired head kicks with her lead leg. The attacks appeared to surprise Spangler, as she absorbed a lot of punishment early, bleeding heavily from her nose. Spangler settled in during the second round, landing combinations and marching through the kick attempts. Young continued her kicking arsenal, but Spangler landed heavy punches to the body. The fight’s lone takedown came in round three, as Spangler briefly put Young on her back. The pair returned to the center of the cage in the waning moments, trading heavy punches as the crowd erupted. The judges were split, with Spangler handing Young her first defeat.

Colorado’s Mallory Martin continued her winning streak, stopping Canada’s Ashley Nichols in the third round. Nichols started strong, dropping Martin early with a right hand. Martin recovered and was able to earn a takedown. The second stanza saw Martin earn another takedown, but she was unable to mount much offense. Round three saw Martin come out aggressively. She put Nichols on her back along the fence and went for the finish. Martin dropped a series of heavy elbows, hurting Nichols in the process. The referee saved Nichols from further damage, giving Martin the TKO victory.

Flyweight Miranda Maverick quickly returned to the win column with a first-round finish of Louisiana’s Victoria Leonardo. After a brief striking exchange, Maverick closed the distance and methodically worked for a takedown. Once on top, she passed to the mount. Leonardo tried to escape through the back door, but Maverick latched onto her right arm. Leonardo desperately looked to escape, but Maverick cranked hard, coercing the armbar finish.

Competing as an atomweight for the first time, Missouri’s Kelly D’Angelo bested newcomer Lindsey VanZandt by decision. VanZandt was quick to attack with her takedowns, but fell into the dangerous guard of VanZandt. D’Angelo first attacked with a triangle choke, then an armbar. VanZandt nearly turned purple, but did not tap. D’Angelo was able to mount and deliver punishment from the top. It was more of the same in round two, as D’Angelo again threatened with submissions. VanZandt went for it in round three, firing high kicks and a flying knee, but it wasn’t enough, as D’Angelo scored the unanimous decision win.

Strawweight Kay Hansen used a well-round attack, earning a third-round stoppage win over the previously undefeated Helen Peralta. The pair spent the majority of the first two rounds jostling for position in the clinch. Hansen was able to change levels — avoiding any damage — and scoring with takedowns. In the third round, Hansen’s work paid off, as she earned a big slam and passed to the mount. Once there, she unleashed a flurry of elbows and punches that forced the referee to step in and halt the contest.

Kicking off the night’s action live and free on Facebook, featherweights Audrey Wolfe and Holli Salazar battled to a draw after three rounds. Salazar repeatedly landed her right hand early, prompting a takedown from Wolfe. Salazar attacked with an armbar from her back that forced Wolfe to defend. In the second frame, Salazar again did damage with her right hand, scoring in the clinch. Wolfe worked hard for a takedown in the final frame. She landed an illegal head butt from inside the guard of Salazar, forcing referee Greg Franklin to deduct a point. That proved to be a factor, as all three judges scored the bout a draw.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
Virna Jandiroba def. Janaisa Morandin by submission (arm-triangle choke). Round 2, 2:23 – for strawweight title
Pearl Gonzalez def. Daiane Firmino by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-27)
Lisa Spangler def. Shanna Young by split decision (28-29, 30-27, 29-28)
Mallory Martin def. Ashley Nichols by TKO (strikes). Round 3, 1:05
Miranda Maverick def. Victoria Leonardo by submission (armbar). Round 1, 3:26
Kelly D’Angelo def. Lindsey VanZandt unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Kay Hansen def. Helen Peralta by TKO (strikes). Round 3, 4:16
Holli Salazar vs. Audrey Wolfe ruled a unanimous draw (28-28 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.

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Invicta FC 32 Heads to Oklahoma on Nov. 16, Features Featherweight Title Fight

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Kansas City, Mo. — The fight card for Invicta Fighting Championships 32 is set as the promotion will make its first trip to the state of Oklahoma, touching down at the FireLake Arena in Shawnee on Friday, Nov. 16. The event will stream live on UFC Fight Pass.

A featherweight title fight featuring undefeated Felicia Spencer (5-0) and veteran Pam Sorenson (7-2) headlines the action. Spencer, who has spent her entire professional career under the Invicta banner, is coming off a second-round submission win over Helena Kolesnyk at Invicta FC 30. Sorenson, meanwhile, has won five of her last six. Her most recent Invicta appearance also came against Kolesnyk, whom she submitted in the first round.

In the co-main event, former strawweight title challenger MIZUKI (12-5) squares off with UFC veteran Heather Jo Clark (8-6). Japan’s MIZUKI aims to rebound from her hard-fought, split-decision loss against Virna Jandiroba at Invicta FC 28 in March. Clark made a successful promotional debut in July, defeating Brazilian Kinberly Novaes.

Also on the card, atomweight veteran Ashley Cummins (6-4) welcomes undefeated Brazilian Jessica Delboni (7-0) to the promotion, recently re-signed featherweight Kaitlin Young (8-9-1) meets French newcomer Zarah Fairn Dos Santos (6-2), bantamweight Alexa Conners (5-2) tangles with Oklahoma’s Julia Avila (5-1), grappling stalwarts Erin Blanchfield (2-0) of New York and Brazilian Luanna Alzuguir (0-0) meet at flyweight, Oklahoma’s Stephanie Geltmacher (3-0) returns to the flyweight division against Liz Tracy (5-2), and GLORY Kickboxing veteran Isis Verbeek (0-0) makes her MMA debut against a yet-to-be named strawweight.

The current Invicta FC 32 fight card can be found below:

Featherweight Title: Felicia Spencer (5-0) vs. Pam Sorenson (7-2)
Strawweight: MIZUKI (12-5) vs. Heather Jo Clark (8-6)
Atomweight: Ashley Cummins (6-4) vs. Jessica Delboni (7-0)
Featherweight: Kaitlin Young (8-9-1) vs. Zarah Fairn Dos Santos (6-2)
Bantamweight: Alexa Conners (5-2) vs. Julia Avila (5-1)
Flyweight: Erin Blanchfield (2-0) vs. Luanna Alzuguir (0-0)
Flyweight: Liz Tracy (5-2) vs. Stephanie Geltmacher (3-0)
Strawweight: Isis Verbeek (0-0) vs. TBA

Ticket information for Invicta FC 32 will be announced in the near future.

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.

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Invicta FC 31: Jandiroba vs. Morandin Official Weigh-in Results

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Kansas City, Mo. — On Friday, Aug. 31, Invicta Fighting Championships hosted the weigh-ins for Invicta FC 31: Jandiroba vs. Morandin. The event takes place from the historic Scottish Rite Temple in Kansas City, Mo., on Saturday, Sept. 1, with the main card streaming live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass beginning at 7 p.m. CT.

In the night’s main event, strawweight champion Virna Jandiroba (13-0) makes her first defense of her belt against fellow Brazilian Janaisa Morandin (10-1). Jandiroba claimed the title earlier this year, defeating MIZUKI at Invicta FC 28 in Utah. Morandin was most recently in action against Kinberly Novaes at Invicta FC 26, earning a “Performance of the Night” bonus for her victory.

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

Strawweight Title: Virna Jandiroba (114.6) vs. Janaisa Morandin (114.5)
Flyweight: Pearl Gonzalez (124.5) vs. Daiane Firmino (125.4)
Bantamweight: Shanna Young (134.5) vs. Lisa Spangler (135)
Strawweight: Mallory Martin (117)* vs. Ashley Nichols (115.7)
Flyweight: Miranda Maverick (125.1) vs. Victoria Leonardo (125.7)
Atomweight: Kelly D’Angelo (106) vs. Lindsey VanZandt (105.5)
Strawweight: Helen Peralta (115.7) vs. Kay Hansen (115.3)
Featherweight: Audrey Wolfe (145.5) vs. Holli Salazar (145.7)

* – Martin was fined 25 percent of her fight purse for missing the strawweight limit of 116 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.

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Invicta FC Strengthens Roster, Signs Eight Fighters to Contracts

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Kansas City, Mo. — Invicta Fighting Championships has signed eight fighters to contracts, further strengthening its roster.

Returning to the promotion will be strawweight Jamie Moyle (4-3) and featherweight Faith McMah (formerly Van Duin, 6-3). Moyle has four previous appearances in the Invicta cage. She made her professional debut at Invicta FC 9 before competing on The Ultimate Fighter and fighting three times in the UFC. New Zealand’s McMah is a former Invicta featherweight title challenger. The 32-year-old last competed in 2016 at Invicta FC 19.

In addition to the returning veterans, the strawweight division will see a boost in the form of a talented Japanese wrestler and two recent UFC combatants. Twenty-five-year-old Kanako Murata (8-1) joins the promotion on the heels of wins over Ultimate Fighter veterans Angela Magana and Lanchana Green under the Rizin Fighting Federation banner. She will fight exclusively for Invicta FC when not competing for Rizin in her native Japan. Fellow 115-pound fighter Danielle Taylor (9-4) will make her promotional debut following a five-fight stint in the Octagon that included victories of former Invicta champion Jessica Penne and current Road FC titleholder Seo Hee Ham. Joining Murata and Taylor in the strawweight ranks will be Brazilian Viviane Pereira (13-2). “Sucuri” holds wins over former UFC title challenger Valerie Letourneau and current UFC fighter Poliana Botelho.

Entering the featherweight division will be France’s Zarah Fairn Dos Santos (6-2). The 31-year-old has stopped four of her six victories with strikes, most recently stopping UFC veteran Izabela Badurek inside the first round.

Finally, California’s Valerie Wong (0-0) and Florida’s Caitlin Sammons (0-0) will make their professional debuts for Invicta FC. Wong, who also competes in the strawweight division, has gone 5-1-1 as an amateur. Sammons, meanwhile, is a flyweight, who has compiled a 7-1 resume in the amateur ranks.

Fight announcements for all eight fighters are expected to be revealed in the near future.

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.

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Invicta FC 31 to Feature Bout Streamed Live on Facebook

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Kansas City, Mo. — For the first time ever, the world’s leading platform for women’s MMA will live stream a fight on its Facebook page.

An Invicta FC 31 featherweight match-up between Audrey Drew (1-0) and Holli Salazar (1-0) will simultaneously stream on Facebook and UFC Fight Pass at 7 p.m. CT. The undefeated fighters will both be making their promotional debuts.

A previously scheduled flyweight bout between newcomers Chantel Coates and Ashlynn Kleinbeck was pulled from the event after Kleinbeck had to have an emergency appendectomy during fight week and could not compete.

Invicta FC 31 takes place Saturday, Sept. 1, from the historic Scottish Rite Temple in Kansas City, Mo. It will be headlined by a strawweight title clash between Brazilians Virna Jandiroba (13-0) and Janaisa Morandin (10-1). The event will kick off with the Drew-Salazar match-up streaming live and free on Facebook at 7 p.m. CT, with the entire fight card streaming live on UFC Fight Pass at 7 p.m. CT.

The updated fight card for Invicta FC 31 can be found below:

Strawweight Title: Virna Jandiroba (13-0) vs. Janaisa Morandin (10-1)
Flyweight: Pearl Gonzalez (8-3) vs. Daiane Firmino (10-2)
Bantamweight: Shanna Young (4-0) vs. Lisa Spangler (2-0)
Strawweight: Mallory Martin (3-2) vs. Ashley Nichols (3-2)
Flyweight: Miranda Maverick (3-1) vs. Victoria Leonardo (2-0)
Atomweight: Kelly D’Angelo (2-2) vs. Lindsey VanZandt (3-0)
Strawweight: Helen Peralta (2-0) vs. Kay Hansen (2-1)
Featherweight: Audrey Drew (1-0) vs. Holli Salazar (1-0)

Tickets for Invicta FC 31 are available now via Ticketfly.com.

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.

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Lisa Spangler Replaces Raquel Pa’aluhi; Invicta FC 31 Adds Eighth Bout

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Kansas City, Mo. — The fight card for Invicta FC 31 is complete.

Former bantamweight title challenger Raquel Pa’aluhi (6-6) has been forced off the card due to injury and will be replaced by Invicta FC veteran Lisa “The Strangler” Spangler (2-0). Spangler, who made her professional debut at Invicta FC 29, will welcome fellow undefeated fighter Shanna Young (4-0) to the promotion.

Also added to the fight card is a flyweight match-up between Miranda Maverick (3-1) and Victoria Leonardo (2-0). Missouri’s Maverick makes a quick turnaround after competing at Invicta FC 30 in July. Leonardo, who hails from Louisiana, has quickly earned two victories after turning pro earlier this year.

Invicta FC 31 takes place Saturday, Sept. 1, from the historic Scottish Rite Temple in Kansas City, Mo. It will be headlined by a strawweight title clash between Brazilians Virna Jandiroba (13-0) and Janaisa Morandin (10-1). The event will stream live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass at 7 p.m. CT.

The updated fight card for Invicta FC 31 can be found below:

Strawweight Title: Virna Jandiroba (13-0) vs. Janaisa Morandin (10-1)
Flyweight: Pearl Gonzalez (8-3) vs. Daiane Firmino (10-2)
Bantamweight: Shanna Young (4-0) vs. Lisa Spangler (2-0)
Strawweight: Mallory Martin (3-2) vs. Ashley Nichols (3-2)
Flyweight: Miranda Maverick (3-1) vs. Victoria Leonardo (2-0)
Atomweight: Kelly D’Angelo (2-2) vs. Lindsey VanZandt (3-0)
Strawweight: Helen Peralta (2-0) vs. Kay Hansen (2-1)
Featherweight: Audrey Drew (1-0) vs. Holli Salazar (1-0)

Tickets for Invicta FC 31 are available now via Ticketfly.com.

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.

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Virna Jandiroba vs. Janaisa Morandin Title Fight Tops Invicta FC 31 Fight Card

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Kansas City, Mo. — The lineup for Invicta FC 31 is taking shape.

The event, which takes place Saturday, Sept. 1, from the historic Scottish Rite Temple in Kansas City, Mo., will be headlined by a strawweight title clash between Brazilians Virna Jandiroba (13-0) and Janaisa Morandin (10-1).

Jandiroba remained undefeated and captured Invicta gold earlier this year, defeating Japan’s MIZUKI at Invicta FC 28 by decision. The submission specialist has finished 10 of her 13 career victories.

The 23-year-old Morandin bested countrywoman Kinberly Novaes at Invicta FC 26 to earn her 10th career win. Her lone career defeat came against former Invicta champion and current UFC fighter Livia Renata Souza.

In the night’s co-main event, UFC veteran Pearl Gonzalez (8-3) aims to continue her ascension through the flyweight division as she welcomes Brazilian Daiane Firmino (10-2) to the Invicta cage. Gonzalez was last in action at Invicta FC 29, submitting Bárbara Acioly via first-round armbar. Firmino enters the promotion with wins over Ariane Lipski and Invicta veteran Mariana Morais.

Also on the card, former bantamweight title challenger Raquel Pa’aluhi (6-6) meets unbeaten newcomer Shanna Young (4-0), Colorado’s Mallory Martin (3-2) takes on Canadian Ashley Nichols (3-2) in a strawweight affair, Kelly D’Angelo (2-2) drops to atomweight against Lindsey VanZandt (3-0), knockout artist Helen Peralta (2-0) meets fellow strawweight Kay Hansen (2-1), and Audrey Drew (1-0) squares off with Holli Salazar (1-0) at featherweight.

The event will stream live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass at 7 p.m. CT.

The current fight card for Invicta FC 31 can be found below:

Strawweight Title: Virna Jandiroba (13-0) vs. Janaisa Morandin (10-1)
Flyweight: Pearl Gonzalez (8-3) vs. Daiane Firmino (10-2)
Bantamweight: Raquel Pa’aluhi (6-6) vs. Shanna Young (4-0)
Strawweight: Mallory Martin (3-2) vs. Ashley Nichols (3-2)
Atomweight: Kelly D’Angelo (2-2) vs. Lindsey VanZandt (3-0)
Strawweight: Helen Peralta (2-0) vs. Kay Hansen (2-1)
Featherweight: Audrey Drew (1-0) vs. Holli Salazar (1-0)

Tickets for Invicta FC 31 will be available via Ticketfly.com beginning Saturday, Aug. 4.

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.

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Invicta FC 30 Results: Frey Edges Grusander, Captures Atomweight Title

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Kansas City, Mo. — On Saturday, July 21, Invicta Fighting Championships hosted Invicta FC 30: Frey vs. Grusander from the Scottish Rite Temple in Kansas City, Mo. The event streamed live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass beginning at 8 p.m. ET.

The Invicta atomweight belt now belongs to Jinh Yu Frey, as she edged Finland’s Minna Grusander by decision after five grueling rounds. Grusander was heavy in the clinch throughout the fight, pinning Frey to the fence. Frey countered with knees to the body to separate. Grusander worked hard for multiple takedowns against the fence, looking for an armbar late in the opening stanza. Frey utilized her own wrestling attack, earning takedowns in the middle rounds. In the third round, Frey was the most effective, threatening with a rear-naked choke. Grusander rebounded with slicing elbows in the fourth, negating another takedown from Frey. The fifth and final stanza saw both fighters dig deep, but neither could find the finish. The judges had their work cut out for them, but handed down a unanimous decision win for Frey.

The undefeated record of featherweight Felicia Spencer remains intact after she submitted Ukrainian Helena Kolesnyk in the second round. Spencer used her taekwondo background to fire off a variety of kicks, but Kolesnyk was able to avoid damage and fire punches. Spencer scored with a trip takedown and quickly took the back of Kolesnyk along the cage. She worked for a choke, but could not secure it. In round two, it was more of the same, as Spencer was able to gain a dominant position on the mat. When Kolesnyk rolled to her stomach, Spencer sunk in the fight-finishing rear-naked choke and coerced the tap.

Veteran Heather Jo Clark successfully debuted in the Invicta cage, outworking Brazilian Kinberly Novaes over the course of three rounds. Clark came out firing, landing a right straight and spinning backfist. Novaes clinched and the fight stalled along the fence. The pair traded knees from the inside for the majority of the opening frame. In round two, Clark powered into a blast double-leg takedown and scored with heavy shots from the top. Down on the scorecards entering the final frame, Novaes came forward with a purpose in the final round. Clark looked for a takedown, but Novaes sprawled and was able to takes Clark’s back as time expired. It was too little, too late for Novaes, as Clark claimed the decision nod.

In a battle of unbeaten flyweights, Guam’s Brogan Walker-Sanchez put an end to Miranda Maverick’s unblemished record. Walker-Sanchez was quick to close the distance, but it was Maverick who looked to take the fight to the canvas. She did so late in round one, finishing the round on top. Maverick again looked to grapple in round two, as the pair traded leg lock attempts. Walker-Sanchez used the 50-50 position to get to top position and then move to Maverick’s back. Round three featured a lot of single punches from each fighter, but a late single-leg attempt from Maverick ended with Walker-Sanchez in side control. When the scorecards were read, it was Walker-Sanchez who took home the decision.

Stepping in on short notice, Stephanie Geltmacher made short work of bantamweight Kerri Kenneson in the first round. Geltmacher used her wrestling to put Kenneson on her back immediately. She passed to mount and began to unleash an assault of punches and elbows. Kenneson held on as long as she could, but after dozens of unanswered strikes, the referee stepped in to halt the contest.

Alesha Zappitella quickly put a stamp on the 105-pound division, handing Jillian DeCoursey her first career defeat. Zappitella was aggressive coming forward, scoring with flurries that backed DeCoursey against the fence. She rocked DeCoursey a number of times with her overhand right. Zappitella was also able to utilize her wrestling pedigree, neutralizing the ground game of DeCoursey from inside the half guard. DeCoursey showcased her toughness, absorbing the heavy shots from Zappitella and smiling in response. But it was Zappitella’s constant offense that allowed her to sweep the judges’ scorecards.

Atomweight Alyse Anderson returned to the win column with a highlight-reel finish of Stephanie Alba. The pair exchanged on the feet before Anderson initiated the clinch and earned a takedown. She was able to pass to mount, forcing Alba to give up her back. Anderson looked for rear-naked choke, but the round expired. In the second frame, Anderson again clinched and looked for a takedown. Alba was able to return to the feet and put Anderson against the fence, but Anderson went for a flying triangle. The choke was deep and eventually put Alba out cold.

The night’s action kicked off with a battle of debuting flyweights as Erin Blanchfield took on Brittney Cloudy. Cloudy’s jab was her primary weapon in the first round, as kept Blanchfield at range. A right hand from Cloudy wobbled Blanchfield midway through the frame. Round two saw Blanchfield fire back, scoring with a slapping head kick and earning a takedown. She looked for an armbar, but Cloudy would survived the stanza. The final round largely took place on the feet, but a late takedown from Blanchfield was enough to sway two of the judges to award her the decision victory.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
Jinh Yu Frey def. Minna Grusander by unanimous decision (49-46, 48-47, 48-47) – for atomweight title
Felicia Spencer def. Helena Kolesnyk by submission (rear-naked choke). Round 2, 1:47
Heather Jo Clark def. Kinberly Novaes by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Brogan Walker-Sanchez def. Miranda Maverick by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Stephanie Geltmacher def. Kerri Kenneson by TKO (strikes). Round 1, 3:32
Alesha Zappitella def. Jillian DeCoursey by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Alyse Anderson def. Stephanie Alba by technical submission (flying triangle choke). Round 2, 3:12
Erin Blanchfield def. Brittney Cloudy by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 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.

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Invicta FC 30: Frey vs. Grusander Official Weigh-in Results

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Kansas City, Mo. — On Friday, July 20, Invicta Fighting Championships hosted the weigh-ins for Invicta FC 30: Frey vs. Grusander. The event takes place from the historic Scottish Rite Temple in Kansas City, Mo., on Saturday, July 21, and streams live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass beginning at 7 p.m. CT.

In the night’s main event, the atomweight title will be on the line when Texas product Jinh Yu Frey (6-3) takes on Finland’s Minna Grusander (6-1). Frey is a former title challenger who will be making her seventh appearance inside the Invicta cage. Grusander, dubbed “Brutsku,” made a successful promotional debut at Invicta FC 28 in March.

The night’s co-main event takes place in the featherweight division as undefeated Felicia Spencer (4-0) takes on Ukrainian Helena Kolesnyk (5-1).

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

Atomweight Title: Jinh Yu Frey (104.8) vs. Minna Grusander (104.7)
Featherweight: Felicia Spencer (145.8) vs. Helena Kolesnyk (144.2)
Straweight: Kinberly Novaes (116) vs. Heather Jo Clark (116)
Flyweight: Miranda Maverick (125.1) vs. Brogan Walker-Sanchez (125.8)
Bantamweight: Kerri Kenneson (135.2) vs. Stephanie Geltmacher (135.5)
Atomweight: Jillian DeCoursey (105.9) vs. Alesha Zappitella (105.5)
Atomweight: Alyse Anderson (105.4) vs. Stephanie Alba (105.9)
Flyweight: Erin Blanchfield (124.1) vs. Brittney Cloudy (125.9)

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.

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Stephanie Geltmacher Replaces Alexa Conners at Invicta FC 30

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Kansas City, Mo. — The fight card for Invicta FC 30 has changed once more.

Bantamweight Alexa Conners (5-2) has been forced to pull out of the event at the last minute. Her opponent, undefeated Kerri Kenneson (3-0), now welcomes Stephanie Geltmacher (2-0) to the Invicta cage.

Geltmacher is a native of Hawaii, who now competes out of Oklahoma. Her resume includes All-American status as a wrestler, as well as World Team Trials experience.

Invicta FC 30 takes place Saturday, July 21, from the historic Scottish Rite Temple in Kansas City, Mo. The event streams live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass at 7 p.m. CT and is headlined by an atomweight title clash between Texas product Jinh Yu Frey (6-3) and Finland’s Minna Grusander (6-1).

The updated fight card for Invicta FC 30 can be found below:

Atomweight Title: Jinh Yu Frey (6-3) vs. Minna Grusander (6-1)
Featherweight: Felicia Spencer (4-0) vs. Helena Kolesnyk (5-1)
Straweight: Kinberly Novaes (9-4) vs. Heather Jo Clark (7-6)
Flyweight: Miranda Maverick (3-0) vs. Brogan Walker-Sanchez (5-0)
Bantamweight: Kerri Kenneson (3-0) vs. Stephanie Geltmacher (2-0)
Atomweight: Jillian DeCoursey (2-0) vs. Alesha Zappitella (3-0, 1 NC)
Atomweight: Alyse Anderson (3-1) vs. Stephanie Alba (3-2, 1 NC)
Flyweight: Erin Blanchfield (1-0) vs. Brittney Cloudy (0-0)

Tickets for Invicta FC 30 are on sale now via Ticketfly.com.

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.