Invicta Fighting Championships staged its fifth all-female event tonight at the Ameristar Casino Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri. Invicta FC 5 was headlined by an atomweight title bout between the promotion’s first champion, Jessica Penne, and popular challenger Michelle “The Karate Hottie” Waterson.

Also on the card tonight, Vanessa Porto and Barb “Little Warrior” Honchak squared off for the inaugural Invicta FC Flyweight Championship. Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino returned to action for her Invicta FC debut against Fiona Muxlow. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the Invicta FC 5 card.

 

Invicta FC Atomweight Championship

Michelle “The Karate Hottie” Waterson vs Jessica Penne

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is John McCarthy. Waterson opened the action with two leg kicks and a side kick. Penne clinched and tried for a trip takedown. She wound up on the bottom with Waterson in her guard. The fighters scrambled on the ground and Waterson appeared to be looking to set up a kneebar. From Waterson’s half-guard, Penne landed short punches. She postured up and Waterson attempted an armbar and a triangle choke. Penne pulled her head out and Waterson switched to an omoplata. She switched back to an armbar, but Penne stood up to escape and landed punches before the bell. 10-9 Waterson.

Round 2:
Penne tried again to take the fight to the mat in round two and once again wound up on the bottom. Waterson moved to mount and landed short elbows as Penne tried to buck and sweep. Penne fought back to full guard and trapped Waterson in a three-quarter gogoplata. Waterson escaped to her feet and landed a leg kick. She took Penne back down and landed hammerfists from the top. 10-9 Waterson.

Round 3:
Waterson countered a right hand from Penne with a quick kick, but Penne took her down and moved straight to mount. She pinned down Waterson’s arm and landed punches from the top. Waterson srambled and tried for an armbar, but Penne punished her with more punches. Waterson got to her knees and tried to put Penne on her back. Penne took back control and landed two hard elbows. She transitioned to an armbar and bent Waterson’s arm back, but Waterson refused to submit. She rolled and took top position, then tried for an armbar of her own. Penne closed out the round on top. 10-8 Penne.

Round 4:
Waterson landed an uppercut and a knee as Penne closed the distance in round four. Penne attempted a lateral drop and wound up on the bottom. The fighters returned to their feet and Waterson landed a counter right cross. She stuffed a takedown and took Penne’s back, then transitioned to an armbar and Penne was forced to submit.

Winner: Michelle Waterson by Submission (Armbar) at 2:31 of round four. She improves to 11-3-0 and becomes the new Invicta FC Atomweight Champion.

 

Invicta FC Flyweight Championship

Barb “Little Warrior” Honchak vs Vanessa Porto

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Greg Franklin. Honchak scored with a quick four-punch combo early in the fight and she landed a right hook soon after. The fighters circled cautiously until Honchak pressed forward with another combination. Porto landed two hard leg kicks and avoided Honchak’s counters. Honchak began to mix up her strikes with leg kicks of her own. She clinched in the final minute and held Porto against the cage. Porto broke free and landed a leg kick. Honchak answered with a right cross. Close round. 10-9 Honchak.

Round 2:
Honchak landed two leg kicks and a right hook to the body early in round two. Porto nearly tripped her with a leg kick in return. Big right hands were exchanged and Honchak put together a lengthy flurry of punches. Porto answered with a knee and a one-two in close. Porto continued to find a home for her leg kicks and she countered a kick from Honchak with a quick right cross. Honchak snapped her head back with a combination and remained aggressive, but Porto landed another leg kick in the late stages. Another very close round. 10-9 Porto, barely.

Round 3:
The third round began slowly until Porto landed a leg kick and Honchak answered with a one-two. Honchak scored with three more punches that briefly backed Porto up. Porto regained her footing and landed another leg kick. She continued to target Honchak’s lead leg as Honchak pressed forward with combinations. Both fighters landed right hooks at the same time and Porto landed another leg kick. Honchak grazed her chin with a lunging right hand. Porto remained a step ahead of Honchak’s counterpunches and she quickly circled away after landing each leg kick. Both women landed leg kicks in the final 20 seconds. Extremely close round. 10-9 Porto by a slim margin.

Round 4:
Honchak mixed up her strikes with leg kicks and punches to the body in round four. She avoided a backfist from Porto and flurried with more punches. Porto landed two leg kicks and Honchak slipped while attempting a head kick. She rolled backwards and got back to her feet. Honchak jabbed and landed a combination. She landed more punches and avoided Porto’s kicks, which came less frequently. Honchak alternated between jabs and looping right hooks and appeared to control the striking exchanges in the final minute. 10-9 Honchak.

Round 5:
Porto picked her shots with single punches in the final round and ducked under Honchak’s counters. A nice right cross scored for Porto and Honchak answered with a stiff leg kick. Honchak landed one-tows and targeted the body with right hooks. A one-two and a body kick landed for Honchak, but Porto caught the kick and took her down. Honchak immediately stood back up and resumed pressing the action with punches. Porto snuck in a nice right cross and Honchak answered with one of her own. Honchak shot in for a takedown and Porto stuffed it. Yet another close round. 10-9 Honchak.

Judge Brett Miller: 48-47 Honchak. Judge Jackson Harper: 49-46 Honchak. Judge Ross Swanberg: 50-45 Honchak.

Winner: Barb Honchak by Unanimous Decision (50-45, 49-46, 48-47) after five rounds. She improves to 8-2-0 and becomes the first Invicta FC Flyweight Champion.

 

Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino vs Fiona Muxlow

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is John McCarthy. Cyborg dropped Muxlow with a right cross immediately and swarmed with punches. Muxlow managed to get back to her feet and Cyborg continued to punish her with punches. Again Muxlow stood, and again she was battered by Cyborg’s heavy punches. Muxlow shot in for a takedown and Cyborg took partial back control. Muxlow stood and Cyborg punched on the way up. Two big knees landed for Cyborg and she punched away until referee John McCarthy finally stopped the fight.

Winner: Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino by TKO (Knees & Punches) at 3:46 of round one. She improves to 11-1-0, 1 ND.

 

Sarah Kaufman vs Leslie “The Peacemaker” Smith

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Greg Franklin. Both fighters landed one-twos and overhand rights early on. In the clinch, Smith and Kaufman traded right hooks. Kaufman backed away and landed a nice three-punch combo. Smith fired back with kicks and began to pick up the pace. Again the fighters clinched and this time both landed knees. Smith scored with a hard one-two and three head kicks, but Kaufman was unfazed. More knees were exchanged in close and Smith threw two more head kicks. Smith flurried with punches and kicks and Kaufman connected with two right hands. Very close round. 10-9 Smith due to the late rally.

Round 2:
Kaufman countered a head kick with a nice combination in round two. A brief clinch followed and Kaufman punched her way free. Smith walked forward with punches and landed many of them, then dropped Kaufman with a head kick. Smith dove in with punches on the ground as Kaufman recovered. Smith stood and Kaufman landed an upkick. Smith dropped down with a right hand and resumed punching from the top. She tried to move to side control, but Kaufman blocked her.

Smith allowed Kaufman to stand and scored with uppercuts in close. Kaufman replied with three right hooks. More head kicks and right hands landed for Smith, but Kaufman stayed on her feet and she answered back with some solid counterpunches. Smith clinched and landed a knee, and the action-packed round ended with Kaufman landing an overhand right. 10-9 Smith.

Round 3:
Kaufman clinched in the final round, but Smith circled out and both women landed punches. Smith continued to mix up her strikes with kicks to the body. Two hard uppercuts and a head kick landed for Smith. Kaufman stuck to jabs and right crosses, then dropped levels and took Smith down. Smith kicked her off and quickly stood up. Kaufman landed a series of punches, but ate a knee to the body. More jabs landed for Kaufman and Smith answered with a leg kick. Kaufman remained aggressive with her punches and she tried for another takedown. She punched over the top and continued to tee off in the final seconds. Excellent fight. 10-9 Kaufman.

Judge Ross Swanberg: 29-28 Kaufman. Judge Henry Gueary: 29-28 Kaufman. Judge Brett Miller: 29-28 Smith.

Winner: Sarah Kaufman by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. She improves to 16-2-0.

 

Jennifer Maia vs Zoila “The Warrior Princess” Frausto Gurgel

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is John McCarthy. The opening round began with an exchange of single kicks and punches as the fighters found their range. Maia clinched and held Frausto Gurgel against the cage. Frausto Gurgel landed a knee to the body and an elbow over the top. Referee John McCarthy separated the fighters and both landed looping right hooks. Maia clinched again and both women landed knees. Maia tried for a takedown, but she slipped and Frausto Gurgel took advantage with punches on the way up. Maia pressed forward with knees and landed a flurry just before the bell. Razor-thin round. 10-10.

Round 2:
Maia backed Frausto Gurgel back up against the cage again in round two. A relative stalemate ensued as neither fighter could land much of anything in the clinch. Both tried unsuccessfully for trip takedowns and they were soon separated. Maia walked forward with punches and Frausto Gurgel landed a counter combination. After another break, Maia landed a body kick and Frausto Gurgel responded with two front kicks to the stomach. Maia held her against the cage and landed short knees and elbows. 10-9 Maia.

Round 3:
Maia opened round three with a right hook and a knee. She backed Frausto Gurgel up against the cage and the fighters exchanged elbows over the top. Maia landed knees to the thighs until referee John McCarthy separated the fighters. Maia landed a head kick and a flurry of punches, then clinched with Frausto Gurgel again. She put together combinations of punches and Frausto Gurgel tried to answer back with front kicks. Frausto Gurgel took Maia down with a harai goshi, but Maia wound up on top. She struck from Frausto Gurgel’s guard until the fighters stood just before the end of the fight. 10-9 Maia.

Judge Jackson Harper: 29-28 Maia. Judge Ross Swanberg: 29-28 Maia. Judge Henry Gueary: 30-27 Maia.

Winner: Jennifer Maia by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. She improves to 7-2-1.

 

Lauren Taylor vs Kaitlin Young

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Greg Franklin. Young threw a one-two and a head kick to open the action and Taylor clinched. Young landed a slashing elbow over the top and Taylor backed away. Young closed in with a leg kick and punches, then took Taylor down straight into mount. Taylor gave up her back and Young landed punches while looking to set up a rear-naked choke. Young secured a face crank, but Taylor turned into her guard and wound up on top. Young framed up a triangle choke and Taylor tried to punch free. Young switched to an armbar and Taylor broke free. She landed punches and elbows from Young’s guard. 10-9 Young.

Round 2:
Young landed a leg kick and two jabs in round two and Taylor replied with a right cross. She landed another right hand that snapped Young’s head back. The fighters continued to trade punches and Young mixed in more kicks to the lead leg. From the clinch, Taylor took Young down and she landed punches with her free hand until Young stood up. Taylor took her back down and punched from Young’s guard. Young attempted an armbar, but Taylor escaped. The fighters briefly stood and Taylor dragged Young back down. From back control, Taylor punched and tried for a rear-naked choke, but time expired. 10-9 Taylor.

Round 3:
Taylor was light on her feet in round three and threw quick jabs and right hands. Young answered with a one-two and a leg kick, but Taylor took her down against the cage. Young tried for a Kimura from her back and punched free. Taylor passed to side control and landed knees to the body. Young got back to half-guard and looked for another Kimura. Taylor pinned her arm down and scored with a series of elbows. She postured up with more elbows and punches throughout the final minute. 10-9 Taylor.

Judge Brett Miller: 29-28 Taylor. Judge Jackson Harper: 29-28 Taylor. Judge Ross Swanberg: 29-28 Taylor.

Winner: Lauren Taylor by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. She improves to 6-0-0.

 

Julia “The Jewel” Budd vs “Miss” Mollie Estes

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is John McCarthy. Budd took Estes down right away and worked from Estes’s half-guard. Budd methodically worked to set up a pass to mount and eventually got there, but Estes scrambled out and got back to her feet. Budd landed short knees and dumped Estes to the mat again. She took Estes’s back and punched the sides of her head. Budd mixed in elbows as well and tried for a guillotine choke shortly before time expired. 10-9 Budd.

Round 2:
Estes opened round two with a front kick to the body and the fighters clinched against the cage. Budd elevated Estes and slammed her backwards, then worked from North-South position. Estes got back to half-guard, but only briefly. Budd elbowed her thigh and returned to full mount. Budd landed punches, but Estes swept and took over top position. Budd got to her knees and put Estes on her back again. She moved from side control to mount and locked on an arm-triangle choke. Estes escaped and rolled to her side as Budd landed punch after punch. 10-8 Budd.

Round 3:
Budd caught a knee from Estes and took her back down in the final round. Budd once again punched from the top until Estes tried to get back to her feet. Budd locked on a no-hooks rear-naked choke and Estes tapped.

Winner: Julia Budd by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 1:04 of round three. She improves to 5-2-0.

 

Bec “Rowdy” Hyatt vs Jasminka “Impressive” Cive

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Greg Franklin. Hyatt opened the fight with a right hook and she continued to press the action with more punches. After landing a big combination, Hyatt threw Cive to the mat and moved to mount. She rained down punches and elbows and prevented Cive from bucking out. Cive rolled to her side and Hyatt unloaded with more punches. Hyatt postured up and landed hard shots, then latched onto an armbar and went belly-down with an armbar. Cive had nowhere to go and tapped out.

Winner: Bec Hyatt by Submission (Armbar) at 3:30 of round one. She improves to 5-2-0.

 

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