Invicta Fighting Championships returned to Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas tonight for Invicta FC 2: “Baszler vs McMann.” The all-female fight card was headlined by a bantamweight bout between Shayna “The Queen of Spades” Baszler and 2004 Olympic silver medallist Sara McMann.

Also on the main card, Alexis Davis took on fellow submission specialist Hitomi “Girlfight Monster” Akano. Liz “Girl-Rilla” Carmouche battled Kaitlin Young at 135 and Ayaka Hamasaki faced Lacey “The Ladie” Schuckman at 115. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the Invicta FC 2 card.

 

Sara McMann vs Shayna “The Queen of Spades” Baszler

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is John McCarthy. Both fighters threw punching combinations to open the fight and Baszler landed a body kick and a knee. McMann closed in with a flurry, but Baszler countered nicely with another leg kick and a one-two. McMann missed with a right hook and Baszler made her pay for it with a leg kick. Baszler remained effective with her kicks, but McMann finally found a home for her right hand and landed a solid combination.

Baszler stayed calm and created space with a body kick. She continued to mix up her strikes and McMann came up short with her counterpunches. McMann managed to connect with an uppercut in close and both fighters landed right hooks. McMann clinched and backed Baszler up to the cage. She landed knees to the thigh and tried to take Baszler down. Baszler stayed on her feet and the fighters exchanged punches to the body until the bell. 10-9 Baszler.

Round 2:
McMann flurried with punches in round two, but Baszler backed her up with left and right hook counters. McMann took Baszler down, but Baszler reversed and spun into a kneebar attempt. McMann triangled her legs to defend and punched the sides of Baszler’s face. Baszler transitioned from a kneebar to a heel hook and then took over top position. She tried to spin into an armbar, but McMann escaped and the fighters stood. McMann pressed forward with punches, but Baszler’s counters landed consistently. McMann took Baszler’s back at the bell. 10-9 Baszler.

Round 3:
Baszler stuck to counterpunching in the final round and she mixed in leg kicks. McMann rushed in with a nice combination and Baszler fired right back with punches of her own. McMann used a single-leg to take Baszler down, but let her right back up. McMann continued to flurry with punches and Baszler countered with leg and body kicks. McMann took her down and secured a partial back control as Baszler stood.

McMann scored with powerful left hands as she pressed Baszler up against the cage. McMann kneed at Baszler’s thigh and held her against the fence. The fighters were separated during a lull in the action and Baszler’s mouthpiece was retrieved. The fight resumed and McMann landed leg kicks. A big exchange of punches followed and Baszler rocked McMann just before the bell. 10-9 McMann. Fantastic main event.

Judge Henry Gueary scored the fight 30-27, while judges David Clifton and Victoria Miller-Pence saw it 29-28 for the winner, McMann.

Winner: Sara McMann by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. She improves to 6-0-0.

 

Alexis Davis vs Hitomi “Girlfight Monster” Akano

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Chuck Wolfe. Akano circled and kicked to the body early on as Davis pushed forward with punches. Davis landed a leg kick and Akano answered with another front kick to the midsection. She tried for a takedown, but Davis stayed on her feet and kicked at her legs. Akano scrambled up to her feet and Davis landed another leg kick.

The fighters clinched briefly and Akano broke away with a body kick. Davis answered with a body kick of her own and countered a clinch by throwing Akano to the mat. Davis briefly struck from the top before standing up and allowing Akano to follow. Akano just missed with a lunging right hook. Davis punched to the head and body and avoided a throw attempt. 10-9 Davis.

Round 2:
Davis rocked Akano right away in round two and took her down near the cage. Akano tried to set up an armbar from the bottom, but Davis easily avoided it and took her back. Davis landed a series of punches and tried to set up a rear-naked choke. She secured the choke, but Akano continued to fight. Finally, after 30 seconds of being trapped in the hold, Akano finally tapped out for the first time in her MMA career.

Winner: Alexis Davis by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 3:41 of round two. She improves to 12-5-0.

 

Liz “Girl-Rilla” Carmouche vs Kaitlin Young

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is John McCarthy. Carmouche opened the fight with a body kick, but ate a counter right cross and a knee. The fighters clinched and Young pressed Carmouche up against the cage. Carmouche circled out and Young landed a leg kick and a right hook. She continued to mix up her strikes effectively. Both fighters landed body kicks and Young scored with a hard one-two.

Carmouche looked for a takedown and Young stayed on her feet against the cage. Young pressed Carmouche against the fence again and scored with a series of knees. Carmouche broke free and Young walked her down with punches and leg kicks. Carmouche answered with a hard right hook and a three-punch flurry. Young landed knees in the clinch, but Carmouche replied with short punches and scored a takedown. 10-9 Young.

Round 2:
Carmouche landed a quick kick-punch combo and a head kick in round two, then slammed Young to the canvas. From side control, Carmouche threw punches and elbows and tried to set up a move to mount. Young defended well and got back to full guard. Carmouche kneed Young’s thighs and Young scrambled. She briefly held onto a bulldog choke, but Carmouche escaped and took top position.

Carmouche landed some big punches from mount, but Young kicked her off. Carmouche dove back in with more punches and took Young’s back. She used heel kicks to Young’s midsection to set up a rear-naked choke and got it for the submission victory. Excellent fight.

Winner: Liz Carmouche by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 3:34 of round two. She improves to 7-2-0.

 

Ayaka Hamasaki vs Lacey “The Ladie” Schuckman

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Chuck Wolfe. Hamasaki took Schuckman down to the mat right away and fought out of an armbar attempt. Schuckman landed an illegal upkick, but was not warned for the infraction. Hamasaki passed to half-guard and then to side control. Schuckman scrambled up to her knees and then to her feet.

The fighters clinched against the cage and Hamasaki threw Schuckman to the mat. Hamasaki postured up with punches and Schuckman looked to set up another armbar from the bottom. Hamasaki snuck in some solid punches that caused Schuckman’s eye to swell up. She stayed on top until the bell. 10-9 Hamasaki.

Round 2:
Hamasaki opened round two with a lead right hook and fired off more punches before Schuckman clinched. Hamasaki took her down and punched from the top. She stood and Schuckman landed an upkick. Hamasaki returned to Schuckman’s guard and landed sparse punches from the top. She flurried with more strikes and Schuckman tried to kick her off. Hamasaki stayed close and moved to half-guard while throwing occasional punches to keep Schuckman guessing. Hamasaki spun into an armbar just before time expired. 10-9 Hamasaki.

Round 3:
Schuckman landed leg kicks in the final round and Hamasaki answered with quick punches and a trip takedown. She landed big punches from the top and Schuckman scrambled to defend. Schuckman’s face continued to swell up as Hamasaki landed punches and passed to side control. Hamasaki secured a top-side crucifix and worked her way into an armbar. Hamasaki tried twice to get the armbar and got it on her second try just before the ten-second warning. Solid win for the Jewels champion in her North American debut.

Winner: Ayaka Hamasaki by Submission (Armbar) at 4:45 of round three. She improves to 8-0-0.

 

Amanda “Lioness of the Ring” Nunes vs Raquel “Rocky” Pa’aluhi

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is John McCarthy. Nunes landed hard leg kicks to open the fight, but Pa’aluhi countered by taking her back and dragging her to the mat. Pa’aluhi landed punches and looked to set up a rear-naked choke. Nunes tried to scramble out, but she could not. Pa’aluhi tried to transition to an armbar, but she lost the position and Nunes wound up on her back. She locked on the rear-naked choke that Pa’aluhi could not get moments earlier and Pa’aluhi was soon rendered unconscious.

Winner: Amanda Nunes by Technical Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 2:24 of round one. She improves to 7-2-0.

 

Sarah “The Monster” D’Alelio vs Vanessa Porto

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Chuck Wolfe. D’Alelio opened the fight with a front kick and a one-two. Porto answered with a right hand and a leg kick, but ate a counter left hook. The fighters exchanged big punches and both appeared to be rocked. D’Alelio took Porto down and fought out of an armbar. Porto switched to a kneebar and D’Alelio landed punches. Porto swept and took over top position. D’Alelio took her back and secured a reverse triangle choke, then wrenched back on Porto’s arm for the tapout victory.

Winner: Sarah D’Alelio by Submission (Reverse Triangle Armbar) at 3:16 of round one. She improves to 6-2-0.

 

Barb “Little Warrior” Honchak vs Bethany Marshall

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is John McCarthy. Quick kicks and punches were exchanged right away and Honchak took Marshall’s back. She dragged her to the mat and landed punches while working to set up a rear-naked choke. Honchak transitioned to mount and landed short elbows, but wound up on the bottom after a scramble. Honchak swept right back into mount and briefly landed punches.

Marshall rolled and took her back, but Honchak spun back into Marshall’s guard. She worked her way back into mount and landed some big punches until Marshall threw her legs up to defend. Honchak secured a high mount and peppered Marshall with more short elbow strikes to close out the first round. 10-9 Honchak.

Round 2:
Honchak rocked Marshall with a three-punch combo in round two and the fighters clinched against the cage. Honchak took Marshall down and moved to S-mount, then rained down punches until the fight was waved off. Dominant win for Honchak.

Winner: Barb Honchak by TKO (Punches) at 1:22 of round two. She improves to 6-2-0.

 

Julia “The Jewel” Budd vs Elina Nilsson

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Michelle Drake Browning. Budd scored an early takedown and threw punches and elbows to the body from Nilsson’s guard. She moved to S-mount and rained down elbows. Nilsson defended, but Budd passed to full mount and landed more elbows until the fight was stopped.

Winner: Julia Budd by TKO (Elbows) at 3:49 of round one. She improves to 3-2-0.

 

(Undercard results and play-by-play on Page Two.)