Invicta FC: “Phoenix Rising Series 2” Live Play-By-Play & ResultsInvicta Fighting Championships showcased its flyweight division tonight with the second edition of the Phoenix Rising Series at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas. The event featured a one-night, single-elimination grand prix as eight women competed to become flyweight tournament champion.

In addition to tonight’s tournament bouts, “Phoenix Rising Series 2” also featured two non-tournament matchups in the flyweight division. Alexa Conners battled Mariya Agapova in one bout. Josee Storts met Helen Lucero in the other. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the card.

 

Flyweight Tournament Championship Final

Miranda “Fear The” Maverick vs DeAnna “Vitamin D” Bennett

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Nick Berens. Cautious kicks and punches were exchanged in the opening two minutes. Maverick backed Bennett up with punch-kick combos on two occasions, but Bennett countered with a one-two. Maverick kept the pressure on with feints and combinations. She landed quick one-twos and mixed in leg kicks until Bennett shot in for a takedown. Maverick defended with a guillotine choke and she landed a short elbow while staying on her feet until the bell. 10-9 Maverick.

Round 2:
Maverick opened round two with kicks and Bennett responded with single punches. The fighters circled each other and Maverick landed two more leg kicks. Bennett caught the second one and tried for a takedown against the fence. Maverick reversed and fought off a kimura by pushing Bennett down to the mat. Bennett quickly returned to her feet and Maverick landed elbows to the sides of Bennett’s head. Maverick prevented Bennett from taking her down and she landed more elbows until Bennett reset her grip and both women landed knees. Bennett finally got Maverick down and Maverick countered with a triangle choke attempt. 10-9 Maverick.

Round 3:
The final round began with Maverick punching her way into a clinch and she took Bennett down soon after. Maverick hopped on Bennett’s back and looked to secure a rear-naked choke as Bennett fought her hands in defence. Maverick secured a neck crank and Bennett again had to act quickly to defend. Maverick locked on another neck crank across the face and Bennett was forced to submit.

Winner: Miranda Maverick by Submission (Neck Crank) at 3:38 of round three. She improves to 8-2-0 and becomes the Invicta FC Phoenix Rising Flyweight Tournament Champion.

 

Non-Tournament Bout

Mariya Agapova vs Alexa Conners

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Marcio Laselva. Agapova struck from a distance before lunging in with a Superman Punch and a body kick. Conners tied her up against the cage and the fighters soon separated. Agapova scored with a body kick and Conners responded with side and front kicks. Agapova put together punch-kick combos and she followed with a barrage of punches and liver kicks. Conners was visibly hurt and Agapova jumped on her back. She sunk in a rear-naked choke on the ground and Conners quickly tapped out.

Winner: Mariya Agapova by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 3:03 of round one. She improves to 7-1-0.

 

Non-Tournament Bout

Josee “Skull Crusher” Storts vs Helen Lucero

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Nick Berens. Lucero threw looping hooks early on and connected with a nice right hand, but Storts was unfazed and she backed her up against the cage. Storts landed two hard knees to the body and she tripped Lucero into mount. Storts dropped elbows and punches from the top and spun into an armbar soon after. Lucero defended, but Storts mounted her again. She landed punches and locked on a mounted triangle choke. Storts rolled into a conventional triangle and then swiftly transitioned to a triangle armbar that forced Lucero to submit.

Winner: Josee Storts by Submission (Triangle Armbar) at 4:21 of round one. She improves to 2-0-0.

 

Flyweight Tournament Semi-Final #2

DeAnna “Vitamin D” Bennett vs Daiana Torquato

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Nick Berens. Torquato immediately clinched and hopped on Bennett’s back in search of a rear-naked choke. Bennett managed to shake her off, but Torquato quickly switched to a standing arm-triangle choke. Bennett escaped and the fighters battled for position against the cage. Bennett looked for a takedown and she fought through hammerfists from Torquato in order to get her down. Torquato tried to get back to her feet and Bennett attacked with a rear-naked choke attempt. Torquato defended twice, but Bennett locked on the choke for a third time and Torquato was forced to reluctantly tap out.

Winner: DeAnna Bennett by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 3:34 of round one. She improves to 12-5-1 and advances to the tournament final.

 

Flyweight Tournament Semi-Final #1

Miranda “Fear The” Maverick vs Shanna “The Shanimal” Young

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Marcio Laselva. The fight began with an exchange of kicks and Young knocked Maverick off-balance with a counter right hook. Maverick returned to her feet and scored a takedown, but Young countered with a guillotine choke and she used it to stand back up. Maverick was relentless with her takedown attempts and she got Young down once more against the base of the cage. Maverick took Young’s back and she locked on a tight rear-naked choke. Young tried to fight it, but she was forced to submit.

Winner: Miranda Maverick by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 2:35 of round one. She improves to 7-2-0 and advances to the tournament final.

 

Flyweight Tournament Reserve Bout #2

Kay Hansen vs Carolina Jimenez

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Nick Berens. The fighters clinched right away and Hansen scored a slick trip takedown. Jimenez swept into top position and dropped punches before moving to side control. She hopped on Hansen’s back in a scramble and Hansen stood up to shake her off. Jimenez wound up on the bottom and Hansen briefly held mount. Jimenez kicked her off and stood up, and she pushed Hansen down to the ground. Hansen scrambled and took top position in Jimenez’s guard. Jimenez kicked her off again and the fighters stood up. Hansen used a headlock to drag Jimenez back down and she landed hard left hands to Jimenez’s face. Jimenez gave up her back and Hansen worked for a rear-naked choke. Hansen locked on the choke with 11 seconds remaining, but Jimenez escaped. Hansen spun into an armbar at the bell. 10-9 Hansen.

Winner: Key Hansen by Unanimous Decision (10-9, 10-9, 10-9) after one 5:00 round. She improves to 5-3-0 and will advance in the flyweight tournament in the event of an injury.

 

Flyweight Tournament Reserve Bout #1

Chantel “Killa” Coates vs Flore “Aito Hine” Hani

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Marcio Laselva. Coates landed a head kick early in the fight and Hani responded with a takedown. Coates swept and got back to her feet, but Hani clinched again and held Coates against the cage. She landed short punches and Coates responded with knees before reversing the clinch. Hani gained control of the clinch again and held Coates against the fence until Coates pulled her into the middle of the cage. Both women landed knees to the body and Coates finished the round with a big combination of punches. 10-9 Coates.

Winner: Chantel Coates by Split Decision (10-9, 10-9, 9-10) after one 5:00 round. She improves to 2-1-0. Due to missing weight, Coates is not eligible to advance in the tournament in the event of an injury.

 

Flyweight Tournament Quarterfinal #4

Shanna “The Shanimal” Young vs Maiju “Mountain Momma” Suotama

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Nick Berens. Young opened the fight with a flurry of punches including short uppercuts. Suotama clinched and the fighters battled for position against the cage. Suotama dumped Young to the mat and Young countered with elbows while trying to get back to her feet. Suotama trapped both of Young’s legs and landed short left hands while she worked to pass to mount. Young tried to stand up and Suotama hopped on her back. She sunk in both hooks and looked for a rear-naked choke before switching to an armbar in a transition. Young slammed her way free and postured up with more punches as Suotama tried again for an armbar. Young continued to land hammerfists until the end of the back-and-forth fight. 10-9 Young, barely.

Winner: Shanna Young by Unanimous Decision (10-9, 10-9, 10-9) after one 5:00 round. She improves to 7-2-0 and advances to the tournament semi-finals.

 

Flyweight Tournament Quarterfinal #3

Miranda “Fear The” Maverick vs Victoria “Fury” Leonardo

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Nick Berens. Leonardo established her jab early in the fight and she used it to keep Maverick on the defensive early on, but Maverick darted in with a leg kick and a quick combination that backed Leonardo up. She followed with a nice left hand and a leg kick, which led to a clinch against the cage. Leonardo landed a knee to the body and Maverick circled away. Both women landed straight punches and Leonardo initiated a clinch. The fighters traded knees to the body and Leonardo landed a combination after breaking free. Leonardo walked forward with a flurry of her own and clinched late in the fight. She could not get a takedown and both women landed knees. Leonardo punched to the body and Maverick replied with a kick before the bell. Very close fight. 10-9 Maverick.

Winner: Miranda Maverick by Unanimous Decision (10-9, 10-9, 10-9) after one 5:00 round. She improves to 6-2-0 and advances to the tournament semi-finals.

 

Flyweight Tournament Quarterfinal #2

DeAnna “Vitamin D” Bennett vs Liz “The Titan” Tracy

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Marcio Laselva. Tracy immediately closed the distance and tried for a takedown against the fence. Bennett defended well and got Tracy down to a knee. Tracy stood and eyed a kimura while fighting off Bennett’s takedown attempts. She tripped Bennett once, but Bennett rose to her feet and the fighters battled against the cage once again. Bennett reversed the clinch and threw knees to the body, but Tracy responded with a combination and she worked for a takedown. Bother fighters landed punches in the final minute and Bennett scored with a head kick. She followed with a hard right hand and took Tracy down long enough to land left hands as Tracy scrambled up to her feet at the bell. 10-9 Bennett due to the late rally.

Winner: DeAnna Bennett by Unanimous Decision (10-9, 10-9, 10-9) after one 5:00 round. She improves to 11-5-1 and advances to the tournament semi-finals.

 

Flyweight Tournament Quarterfinal #1

Daiana Torquato vs Milana Dudieva

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Marcio Laselva. Torquato pressed forward with right hands and leg kicks early on that were met by a combination from Dudieva. The fighters clinched against the cage and Torquato landed knees while Dudieva defended with punches to the body. Torquato scored with punches over the top and more knees, but Dudieva broke free and she landed a hard combination. More punches landed for Dudieva and Torquato resumed throwing knees in close. The fighters traded punches and Torquato tried to take Dudieva’s back against the cage. Dudieva punched her way free, but Torquato landed a nice body kick in an exchange. She followed with a head kick, a knee and a flurry, but Dudieva took her down at the bell. Close fight. 10-9 Torquato.

Winner: Daiana Torquato by Split Decision (10-9, 10-9, 9-10) after one 5:00 round. She improves to 10-3-0 and advances to the tournament semi-finals.