Invicta Fighting Championships held its eighth all-female event tonight at the Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. Invicta FC 8 was headlined by an atomweight championship bout between champ Michelle “The Karate Hottie” Waterson and former Valkyrie titleholder Yasuko “Ikuko” Tamada.

Also on the card tonight, Finnish standout Katja “Killer Bunny” Kankaanpää took on former XFC champion Stephanie “Snowflake” Eggink for the vacant Invicta FC Strawweight Championship. Ediane “India” Gomes faced Tonya “Triple Threat” Evinger. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the card.

 

Invicta FC Atomweight Championship

Michelle “The Karate Hottie” Waterson vs Yasuko “Ikuko” Tamada

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Greg Franklin. Waterson hurt Tamada early on with knees in the clinch and she continued to punish the challenger with punches and a front kick. She knocked Tamada down with one front kick and allowed her to stand back up. Waterson continued to score with knees in the clinch and front kicks as the round progressed.

Waterson mixed in stiff jabs that kept Tamada on the defensive and she rushed in with a lengthy flurry that was punctuated by a body kick. Tamada finally connected with a left hook as Waterson threw an overhand right. Waterson hurt Tamada with a body kick and followed with more knees and punches before the end of the one-sided round. 10-8 Waterson.

Round 2:
The fighters traded left hooks and Waterson picked up where she left off with more punches and a head kick early in the second stanza. Tamada’s right eye began to swell up and Waterson continued to pressure her with punches to both the head and body. She repeatedly scored with jabs and body kicks. Tamada finally caught a kick and she tried unsuccessfully for a takedown. Waterson landed an uppercut and she set up a pair of head kicks with two left hooks. She walked Tamada down with body kicks and shrugged off another takedown late in the round. 10-9 Waterson.

Round 3:
Waterson landed a hard body kick and she followed with more jabs and leg kicks in the third round as Tamada struggled to land anything in return. She threw a left hook to the body and Waterson backed her up with right hands. A spinning back kick to the face stunned Tamada and Waterson hurt her with a body kick and a knee. A one-two and another body kick landed for Waterson and she followed with a head kick. After securing a Thai clinch, Waterson landed a big knee and a right hand. Tamada wilted against the cage and referee Greg Franklin stopped the title fight.

Winner: Michelle Waterson by TKO (Knee & Punch) at 4:58 of round three. She improves to 12-3-0 and remains the Invicta FC Atomweight Champion.

 

Invicta FC Strawweight Championship

Katja “Killer Bunny” Kankaanpää vs Stephanie “Snowflake” Eggink

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Mike England. The fight began with an exchange of punches and Kankaanpää pinned Eggink against the cage. Eggink circled out and landed stiff jabs while avoiding rushing punches from Kankaanpää. Eggink landed a nice body kick and two knees from a Thai clinch. Kankaanpää took her down and Eggink looked to set up a submission from her back. She rolled into a mounted triangle choke and landed punches. Kankaanpää turned and Eggink switched to a reverse triangle choke. Kankaanpää held on until the bell. 10-9 Eggink.

Round 2:
Kankaanpää took Eggink down again in round two and Eggink once again looked for submissions from the bottom. Kankaanpää passed to half-guard and landed short left forearm shots. Eggink regained full guard and eventually worked back to her feet. Kankaanpää landed knees to the body and she followed with a looping one-two that was met by two punches from Eggink. Kankaanpää shot in for a takedown and Eggink stuffed it. Kankaanpää landed an overhand right and she caught a body kick. In the final seconds, Kankaanpää landed a three-punch combo. 10-9 Kankaanpää.

Round 3:
Kankaanpää shot in for a takedown in round three and Eggink defended nicely. She landed knees to the body in the clinch until Kankaanpää secured a hip toss. Eggink locked on a tight triangle choke from the bottom, but Kankaanpää created space and pulled her head free. Eggink postured for another triangle and Kankaanpää countered with a heel hook attempt. Eggink scrambled and wound up on top. Kankaanpää went for another heel hook and Eggink punished her with punches. 10-9 Eggink.

Round 4:
Kankaanpää opened the action with a pair of overhand rights in round four. She took Eggink down and a scramble ensued on the mat. Kankaanpää wound up on top, but it was short-lived and the fighters returned to their feet. Eggink reversed a takedown into mount and Kankaanpää gave up her back. Eggink landed numerous punches to the sides of Kankaanpää’s head and worked for a rear-naked choke. She continued to pepper Kankaanpää with punches all the way until the bell. 10-9 Eggink, if not a 10-8.

Round 5:
Kankaanpää landed hard right hands in the fifth round she took Eggink down into side control. She locked on a Brabo choke from the top and patiently worked to tighten it during the next 20 seconds. Eggink initially held on, but Kankaanpää closed off the choke and a dejected Eggink was forced to submit.

Winner: Katja Kankaanpää by Submission (Brabo Choke) at 2:03 of round five. She improves to 10-1-1 and becomes the new Invicta FC Strawweight Champion.

 

Tonya “Triple Threat” Evinger vs Ediane “India” Gomes

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Greg Franklin. Gomes closed in and clinched early in the fight, but Evinger reversed a takedown and wound up on top in mount. The fighters went for duelling leglocks, but neither could secure a finish. Back on the feet, Evinger landed an overhand right and scored a takedown into side control. Gomes transitioned to an armbar and Evinger stood up to escape.

Gomes rose to her feet and tried for a standing guillotine choke, but Evinger took her down into mount. She flurried with punches and elbows and spun into an armbar. Gomes could not escape and she was forced to submit.

Winner: Tonya Evinger by Submission (Armbar) at 3:31 of round one. She improves to 15-5-0.

 

Roxanne “The Happy Warrior” Modafferi vs Tara LaRosa

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Mike England. Modafferi jabbed early on and LaRosa backed her up with lunging punches. She continued to walk through Modafferi’s strikes and scored with more punches in succession. Both women landed jabs and one-twos and Modafferi followed with a leg kick. Big punches were exchanged and Modafferi landed kicks to the lead leg and liver.

Modafferi countered a leg kick with a right cross. She continued to mix things up well with right hands and kicks to the body. Modafferi scored with a hard right hook and the fighters exchanged more punches. LaRosa began to bleed from the nose and Modafferi pressed forward with another combination late in the round. 10-9 Modafferi.

Round 2:
Modafferi continued to showcase her much-improved striking in round two by putting together combinations of kicks and punches that kept LaRosa guessing. She landed two right hooks and ducked under a right hand from LaRosa. Both women threw front kicks to the body and Modafferi countered Superman punches from LaRosa with jabs and left hooks. Modafferi kicked at LaRosa’s lead leg and followed with a jab-cross combo. Big hooks landed for both fighters and LaRosa finished the round with a series of front kicks to the body. 10-9 Modafferi.

Round 3:
Modafferi dropped LaRosa with a right hook early in the final round and she followed with more punches as LaRosa worked back to her feet. She countered a leg kick with another hard right hand and landed a three-punch combo immediately after. LaRosa returned fire with a looping right hook and Modafferi threw a spinning back kick that grazed LaRosa’s ribs. Modafferi flurried with punches and followed with a front kick to the body. She snapped LaRosa’s head back with a right cross and she kept LaRosa at bay with jabs and kicks until the bell. 10-9 Modafferi.

Judge Ross Swanberg: 30-27 Modafferi, Judge Brett Miller: 30-27 Modafferi, Judge Henry Gueary: 29-28 Modafferi.

Winner: Roxanne Modafferi by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) after three rounds. She improves to 16-11-0.

 

DeAnna “The Argentine Assassin” Bennett vs Michelle “T-Cat” Ould

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Greg Franklin. Bennett punched her way into a clinch and held Ould against the cage, but Ould reversed and landed punches over the top. Bennett scored with knees and the fighters separated. Bennett caught a kick and Ould jumped into guard. She postured for armbars and Bennett defended from the top. Bennett landed short punches and stood up. Ould kicked at her legs and was stood up. Bennett struck from a distance with jabs and right crosses. Ould landed a body kick, but Bennett cracked her with a right hand and knees at the bell. 10-9 Bennett.

Round 2:
Bennett countered Ould’s body kicks with punches and occasional leg kicks in the second round. The fighters circled and Bennett stepped in with a swift kick to the body. Ould dropped to the ground and Bennett landed punches until the fight was stopped.

Winner: DeAnna Bennett by TKO (Kick To The Body & Punches) at 1:34 of round two. She improves to 5-0-0.

 

Charmaine “Not So Sweet” Tweet vs Veronica “The Heartbreaker” Rothenhausler

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Greg Franklin. Tweet landed a one-two and a body kick early on and Rothenhausler answered with a right hand. She backed Tweet up with another right and followed with a jab. Tweet scored with more body kicks and a right hook that stunned Rothenhausler. Wild punches were exchanged and Rothenhausler threw a body kick. Tweet locked on a standing rear-naked choke and Rothenhausler was in some trouble, but she managed to escape.

Tweet landed a combination and scored a takedown into mount. Rothenhausler gave up her back and Tweet landed punches while she looked to set up a rear-naked choke. Rothenhausler rolled again and she ate some big punches and elbows. Tweet continued to rain down strikes until the fight was waved off.

Winner: Charmaine Tweet by TKO (Elbows & Punches) at 4:05 of round one. She improves to 6-4-0.

 

Irene Aldana “Robles” vs Peggy “The Daywalker” Morgan

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Mike England. Aldana rocked and dropped Morgan with a barrage of punches in the opening minute and she followed with more strikes on the ground, but Morgan somehow survived and she battled back to her feet. Aldana floored Morgan with a massive right hand and immediately attacked with vicious elbows from mount. Morgan again weathered the storm, but Aldana took her back and locked on a rear-naked choke for the tapout victory.

Winner: Irene Aldana by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 2:50 of round one. She improves to 4-1-0.

 

Alexa Grasso vs Ashley “Smashley” Cummins

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Mike England. Grasso fought off an early takedown attempt from Cummins and landed two crisp right hands, but Cummins clinched again and backed her up to the cage. She tripped Grasso briefly and landed a knee on the way up. Grasso responded with knees of her own and a series of elbows over the top. Cummins punched to the head and body and Grasso circled away.

Grasso landed a jab and a right hand, but Cummins took her down. Grasso transitioned from a triangle choke to an armbar from her back and Cummins was unable to free her arm. Grasso punched from her back and she continued to wrench back on Cummins’s arm. Cummins figure-foured her arms to defend and she finally escaped from the hold with ten seconds to go. 10-9 Grasso.

Round 2:
Grasso defended against Cummins’s takedown attempts in the second round, but Cummins held her against the cage and landed a series of knees to the body. Grasso broke free and landed a hard right cross. Cummins landed a head kick and Grasso fired back with a combination. She stuffed more takedowns and landed elbows over the top as Cummins punched to the midsection. Grasso scored with lead left hooks and jabs and Cummins responded by clinching. Both women landed slashing elbows in close and Grasso broke away from the clinch again. Close round. 10-9 Grasso.

Round 3:
The final round began with an exchange of punches and Cummins mixed in leg kicks during the opening minute. Grasso jabbed and stuffed a takedown. Both women landed knees in the clinch and Cummins became the aggressor in the exchanges. Grasso countered nicely with jabs and left hooks as Cummins moved in. Cummins bled from the nose as a result of Grasso’s jabs and Grasso easily stuffed a takedown. She landed right-left combos and both women landed right hooks late in the fight. 10-9 Grasso.

Judge Henry Gueary: 30-27 Grasso, Judge Ross Swanberg: 29-28 Grasso, Judge Brett Miller: 29-28 Grasso.

Winner: Alexa Grasso by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. She improves to 5-0-0.

 

Jodie Esquibel vs Jinh Yu Frey

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Greg Franklin. The fighters traded single shots from a distance early in the fight and both landed right hooks. Frey just missed with a three-punch combo and Esquibel countered a body kick with a right cross. Frey landed a quick flurry and Esquibel answered back with one of her own. Frey floored her with a head kick that connected just below the knee and she jumped on Esquibel’s back. Frey worked for a rear-naked choke, but Esquibel defended well. She turned into Frey’s guard and rained down punches just before the bell. 10-9 Frey.

Round 2:
Esquibel landed an early left hook in round two and Frey came up short with kicks. She landed a counter right hook and a stiff jab that snapped Esquibel’s head back. Frey countered a lunging combination with two hooks and a knee. She kicked from a distance and Esquibel dove in with a right hook. Frey answered right back with a hook of her own and she followed with a one-two. Esquibel pressed forward with a right hand and a kick to the upper body late in the round. 10-9 Frey.

Round 3:
Frey stayed on the outside and landed leg kicks and quick combinations of two and three punches. Esquibel flurried to the body and Frey responded with four punches that grazed the top of Esquibel’s head. Esquibel came up short with a combination, but she landed a lunging hook and circled out. Frey slowed down and both fighters missed with one-twos.

Esquibel landed a right cross and she cut Frey below the right eye with a nice flurry. A head kick and a right hook landed for Esquibel, but Frey stopped her momentum with a left hand. Esquibel danced around and she landed two more head kicks late in the fight. 10-9 Esquibel.

Judge Henry Gueary: 29-28 Yu Frey, Judge Jackson Harper: 29-28 Esquibel, Judge Ross Swanberg: 29-27 Esquibel.

Winner: Jodie Esquibel by Split Decision (29-27, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. She improves to 4-1-0.

 

J.J. Aldrich vs Delaney “Lil’ Scrappy” Owen

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Mike England. Aldrich jabbed early in the fight and Owen responded with a combination and a brief takedown. The fighters clinched and traded knees against the cage. Owen looked for another takedown and more knees were exchanged. Aldrich scored with a series of knees to the liver and she fought off a takedown attempt.

Owen caught a kick and she rushed forward with a flurry that backed Aldrich up against the fence. The fighters continued to trade knees in close and Owen pressed forward aggressively with punches. Aldrich countered with lead right hooks and the round ended with both women throwing knees to the body. Close opening round. 10-9 Aldrich.

Round 2:
Owen clinched and held Aldrich against the cage early in round two. She was unable to get Aldrich down and Aldrich resumed her assault with knees to the midsection. She followed with an overhand left and fought off one takedown, but Owen threw her to the mat and landed in side control. Aldrich quickly took Owen’s back and trapped her left arm in a body triangle.

Aldrich landed punches and looked to secure a rear-naked choke. Owen defended well and she fought off a neck crank. Aldrich continued to land strikes from back control and she transitioned to mount late in the round. From the top, she landed punches and an elbow before the bell sounded to end the round. 10-9 Aldrich.

Round 3:
Aldrich countered a takedown with knees to the upper body in the third round. Owen latched onto Aldrich’s right leg and Aldrich landed punches with her left hand. The fighters exchanged short punches in a clinch and battled for position in the centre of the cage. Both women landed knees and Owen tried to throw Aldrich to the mat, but she wound up on the bottom.

Aldrich worked from Owen’s half-guard and she fought off a heel hook attempt with hard right hands. Owen rolled for another heel hook and Aldrich spun free. She postured up and landed some damaging left hands in the final minute. Owen struggled to hold on as Aldrich blasted her with punches until the final bell. 10-9 Aldrich.

Judge Brett Miller: 30-27 Aldrich, Judge Jackson Harper: 30-27 Aldrich, Judge Ross Swanberg: 30-26 Aldrich.

Winner: J.J. Aldrich by Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. She improves to 1-0-0.