Kinberly Novaes Wins Strawweight Title At Noxii Combat 1Competing for the first time in close to two years, Kinberly Novaes earned a big win in front of her hometown fans on Sunday night at Noxii Combat 1 in Joinville, Santa Catarina, Brazil. Novaes defeated Renata “Wand” Baldan to become the inaugural Noxii Combat Women’s Strawweight Champion.

Elsewhere on the Noxii Combat 1 card, Caroline “Carol” Correia rebounded after suffering her first professional loss and edged out Daiana Torquato in an entertaining strawweight bout. Undefeated bantamweight Taila Santos made short work of an overmatched Ana “Furacão” Paula and moved to 9-0.

 

Novaes (8-2-0) opened the title fight with lead left hooks and body kicks that led to a clinch against the cage. Both women landed knees to the body and Novaes scored a takedown. She punched to the head and body of Baldan (4-2-0) until the fighters were stood up. Both landed hard right hands and Novaes followed with knees and elbows in the clinch.

In round two, Novaes reversed a throw attempt and took Baldan’s back, but Baldan scrambled free and she countered Novaes’s leg kicks with a nice flurry in close. Novaes worked for a takedown and Baldan jumped into a guillotine choke. Novaes escaped and Baldan prevented her from landing anything from her guard. The fighters were stood up and Novaes scored with big punches before the end of the round.

Novaes hurt Baldan with a left-right combo very early in round three and she swarmed on her with punches. Baldan recovered against the cage and initiated a clinch, but Novaes kept the pressure on with knees to the body and a series of punches over the top. She pinned Baldan against the cage and eventually took her down. Novaes landed elbows from Baldan’s half-guard until Baldan battled back to her feet. Novaes took her down again and landed ground and pound until the final bell.

After three rounds, the judges were united and all three scored the fight for Novaes. The highly-touted 24-year-old holds a notable stoppage win over UFC contender Jéssica “Bate Estaca” Andrade, and her lone defeats came against UFC strawweight Juliana “Ju Thai” de Lima Carneiro and reigning Invicta FC Atomweight Champion Hérica Tibúrcio.

Winner: Kinberly Novaes by Unanimous Decision after three rounds. She improves to 8-2-0 and becomes the inaugural Noxii Combat Women’s Strawweight Champion.

 

Correia (2-1-0) kicked from a distance in round one of her bout with Torquato (1-3-0), but Torquato ran forward with punches and backed her up against the cage. More kicks and punches were exchanged and Correia dropped Torquato with a right hook. She postured up with punches on the ground until Torquato battled back to her feet. Correia threw more kicks, but Torquato connected with a combination. Correia caught a kick and tripped her to the mat, and she finished the round with punches from the top.

Torquato was aggressive with body kicks in round two and the fighters traded strikes on the feet throughout the round. Both women landed combinations and kicks from a distance, and Correia scored a very brief takedown just before the bell. Torquato landed punch-kick combos and got the better of the striking changes early in the final round. She took Correia down, but Correia quickly returned to her feet. The fighters battled for position in a clinch and Correia tripped Torquato momentarily. Back on the feet, Torquato landed punching flurries and fought off a late takedown.

The bout went to the scorecards and one judge saw the fight for Torquato. The remaining two both had it for Correia, who picked up a crucial win in her first fight since suffering a quick TKO loss in April 2013.

Winner: Caroline Correia by Split Decision after three rounds. She improves to 2-1-0.

 

Fighting for the fifth time this year, 21-year-old Santos (9-0-0) easily dispatched of Paula (0-1-0) in the opening bout on the card. The fighters clinched early on and Santos scored a takedown into half-guard. She mounted Paula soon after and dropped punches and elbows from the top. Paula covered up and Santos rained down a final flurry of punches for the TKO finish at the 2:12 mark.

Santos has maintained an extremely active fighting schedule, though the majority of her wins have come against very inexperienced fighters. She is already set to compete again on Saturday night against the winless Rafaela Merin at Aspera Fighting Championship 19.

Winner: Taila Santos by TKO (Punches) at 2:12 of round one. She improves to 9-0-0.

 

 

(Photo Credit: Junior Aguiar Team)