Invicta FC 59 Results: Maia Dethrones Bernardo To Become Bantamweight Champion
ATLANTA – On Friday, Dec. 13, Invicta Fighting Championships debuted in the Peach state, holding Invicta FC 59: Bernardo vs. Maia from the Eastern in Atlanta.
In the night’s main event, bantamweight champion Talita Bernardo put her belt on the line against fellow Brazilian – and former flyweight titleholder – Jennifer Maia. Bernardo battered the lead leg of Maia with low kicks in the first minute of the fight. She ducked under the punches of Maia and looked for a takedown. Maia initially defended, but Bernardo imposed her will and tripped Maia to the mat. Bernardo rained short right hands from half guard, but Maia recovered her full guard. Maia worked for an armbar from the bottom, which Bernardo defended and escaped. Bernardo pinned Maia to the cage and dropped heavy punches and elbows. Round two began with the fighters trading kicks. Bernardo looked for a takedown, but it was Maia who landed in the top position. Maia tried to pass to mount with no avail. She again looked for an armbar before the fight returned to the feet. A right hand from Maia popped the head of Bernardo. Another takedown was stuffed by Maia, only for her to fall into a deep kneebar attempt. Bernardo cranked hard on the submission, but Maia remained calm and escaped to top position. A counter right hand from Maia found its mark to start the third frame. Bernardo answered with a body kick before shooting for a takedown. Maia defended and kept the fight on the feet. Bernardo failed on another takedown attempt and tried to coerce Maia to the ground. Maia had none of it and stayed content to score on the feet with combinations. Another shot from Bernardo turned into her dragging Maia on top of her. Maia passed to mount briefly and she finished the round in top position. Bernardo opened round four with a knee to Maia’s stomach. She then countered with a straight right to keep Maia at range. A clean right hand from Maia stunned Bernardo, who responded with a massive slam. Maia worked back to her feet before spinning Bernardo to her back. Maia transitioned to Bernardo’s back along the fence and flattened her out. Bernardo did not panic and regained her half guard late in the round. A pair of heavy left hands from Bernardo landed to start round five. She then dragged Maia to the ground and scrambled to her back. Maia escaped and was able to pass to side control before bringing the fight back to standing. A late takedown from Maia all but sealed the victory, as she became the first fighter in Invicta history to hold a title in multiple weight classes.
The co-feature saw Brazil’s Paula Bittencourt return to the win column, defeating Colombia’s Alejandra Lara. Lara opened with a jumping front kick and the pair wasted no time firing power punches. Bittencourt clinched, but it was Lara who took control and put the Brazilian against the fence. A scramble allowed Bittencourt to secure a body lock and she landed an elbow. When the pair separated, Lara delivered a heavy left hand before initiating the clinch once more. She clung to Bittencourt like glue, but Bittencourt was able to break free. Lara fired a left head kick and left straight, only to be countered by a right hand from Bittencourt. Round two featured a hook kick attempt from the Colombian, which did not connect. Bittencourt ducked under a punch to secure a body lock, but Lara’s balance prevented the fight from finding the canvas. A short hook from Bittencourt caught Lara charging into boxing range, prompting the veteran to return the fight to the clinch. A late takedown attempt from Lara was stuffed by the Brazilian. In the final round, Lara controlled the distance with her kicks. Bittencourt powered forward recklessly and found herself in the clinch again. A wild flurry from Bittencourt slowed the advance of Lara midway through the stanza. A thunderous body kick landed for Lara with a minute left in the bout and she doubled up on the strike. The fight went the distance and the judges were called upon to render a verdict. They were split in their scores, with Bittencourt eking out the win.
Former strawweight champion Valesca Machado gave Brazilian newcomer Yasmin Castanho a rude welcome to the Invicta cage with a dominant performance. A heavy right hand from Machado wobbled Castanho less than a minute into the fight. Castanho changed levels for a takedown, but was stuffed by Machado. A counter right from Machado again connected and Castanho tumbled to her back. She recovered, but was greeted by an uppercut from the former champ. Another takedown attempt from Castanho was shut down and she walked into a stiff right hand from Machado. The takedown defense of Machado held true throughout the opening frame. Machado closed the range with confidence in round two, countering each kick attempt from Castanho with a right hand. She continued to stuff every shot from Castanho. An overhand right, then left hook from Machado had Castanho on her back foot. Castanho desperately clung to a single in the round’s final seconds and brought the fight to the ground for the first time, but Machado prevented her from gaining a dominant position. The right hand of Machado landed over and over, as Castanho’s defense waned. Castanho attempted to pull guard after a failed takedown attempt, but Machado did not follow her to the ground. Machado punished Castanho’s final takedown effort with a series of elbows and punches. There was no doubt on the scorecards as Machado swept them all to earn the decision victory.
In an atomweight match-up Mexico’s Ana Palacios and Brazilian Monique Adriane looked to move closer to title shot at the other’s expense. The pair looked to find their range early in the bout. Adriane was the first to connect, sending Palacios to the canvas with a well-timed strike. The Mexican popped back to her feet and began to throw kicks to Adriane’s midsection and legs. Adriane caught a kick attempt from Palacios and dumped her back to the ground momentarily. Palacios scored with a heavy body kick late in the round that stunned Adriane. She followed it with a switch kick to the opposite side. Palacios showcased her speed in round two, scoring with quick combinations before Adriane could counter. The body kicks from Palacios continued to find their mark as the round progressed and Adriane’s frustration was evident. Adriane latched onto a single-leg attempt, but was peppered with short punches from Palacios, who remained upright. The last round mimicked the earlier rounds as the movement of Palacios forced Adriane to chase and prevented her from firing punches. The output from Palacios remained constant and Adriane became desperate late in the fight. She repeatedly failed on takedown attempts and the fight was sent to the judges for a decision. All three judges rewarded Palacios for her efforts, moving her into title contention.
The first Invicta bout inside the state of Georgia took place in the strawweight ranks as undefeated Chilean Fernanda Orellana met Ashley Barrett. Barrett quickly clinched in the fight’s opening minute and delivered knees to the midsection of Orellana. Orellana fired back with an elbow as the pair separated, but absorbed a massive right hand from Barrett that dropped her. Barrett looked to capitalize and scored a takedown. Orellana scrambled and turned the fight in her favor, taking Barrett’s back and locking in a rear-naked choke. Barrett survived the choke attempt, but was forced to defend an armbar from Orellana. The round concluded with Orellana looking for a guillotine choke, but she was unable to finish. A spinning backfist from Orellana greeted Barrett to start the second round, but the American was undeterred and took the fight to the clinch. Orellana delivered knees of her own. Barrett locked onto a head-and-arm throw and brought Orellana down to the mat. Orellana continued to show an active guard from her back, applying an armbar and briefly extending. Barrett fought free from the hold and finished the round on the back of Orellana. The fight’s final frame featured a quick throw from Barrett and she attacked with an arm-triangle from half guard. Orellana was able to bridge from her back and recover her guard. Barrett found herself in another armbar midway through the round, but the cage prevented Orellana from fully extending her arm. Barrett’s wrestling allowed her to escape and secure top position, but it was short lived as Orellana took her back. Orellana fished for the fight-finishing rear-naked choke and coerced a late tap from Barrett.
A scheduled featherweight bout between Riley Martinez and Jackie Cataline was removed from the card due to a medical issue.
OFFICIAL RESULTS
Jennifer Maia def. Talita Bernardo by unanimous decision (49-46 x3) – for bantamweight title
Paula Bittencourt def. Alejandra Lara by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Valesca Machado def. Yasmin Castanho by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Ana Palacios def. Monique Adriane by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Fernanda Orellana def. Ashley Barrett by submission (rear-naked choke). Round 3, 4:24
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.