Invicta Fighting Championships showcased its 17th all-female card tonight at The Hangar at The OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, California. The Invicta FC 17 card featured a bantamweight championship bout between Tonya “Triple Threat” Evinger and Colleen “The Thoroughbred” Schneider.

In tonight’s co-main event, Invicta FC Strawweight Champion Livia Renata “Livinha” Souza put her title on the line against Angela “Overkill” Hill. Latoya “Black Mamba” Walker battled Charmaine “Not So Sweet” Tweet at 145. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for tonight’s Invicta FC 17 card.

 

Invicta FC Bantamweight Championship

Tonya “Triple Threat” Evinger vs Colleen “The Thoroughbred” Schneider

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Herb Dean. Evinger opened the action with a kick-punch combo and the fighters traded single punches. Time was called after Evinger was poked in the eye. Action resumed and Evinger kicked at Schneider’s lead leg. She floored Schneider with a left hook and jumped on her back. Schneider stood and Evinger punched the sides of her head while working for a rear-naked choke. She forced Schneider down to the mat again and landed punches and hammerfists. Schneider rolled to her side and Evinger landed punches to the face and knees to the body. 10-8 Evinger.

Round 2:
Evinger clinched in round two and used a leg-sweep takedown to get Schneider down to the mat. Schneider threw elbows from the bottom and Evinger replied with forearm strikes to the face. Schneider tried to stand, but Evinger muscled her back down. Schneider swept and stood over her downed opponent. She tried to dive into Evinger’s guard with punches, but ate two upkicks in the process. Evinger knocked her down with a kick and quickly stood up. Schneider stuffed a takedown, but Evinger got her down on her second try. Close round. 10-9 Evinger.

Round 3:
Schneider landed a spinning back kick to the body in round three and the fighters traded leg kicks. Evinger backed Schneider up with a right cross and more leg kicks were exchanged. Evinger threw a left hook over the top and tried for a takedown, but Schneider defended with a guillotine choke. Evinger escaped and she kept Schneider pinned against the cage wall. She worked for takedowns and threw knees to Schneider’s thigh. Just before the bell, Evinger slammed Schneider down to the canvas. Another close round. 10-9 Evinger.

Round 4:
Evinger immediately closed the distance and attempted takedowns from a clinch against the cage in the fourth round. Schneider tried to break Evinger’s grip, but she could not do so. Evinger dragged her down very briefly, but Schneider stood back up. Evinger took her down for a second time and looked to move to mount. Schneider gave up her back and Evinger threw punches with her left hand. She continued to strike while working for a rear-naked choke until the end of the round. 10-9 Evinger.

Round 5:
Schneider jabbed and kicked at Evinger’s leg in the final round as Evinger looked to land a knockout punch. She connected with a hard right hand and just missed with an uppercut. Schneider landed a side kick to the body and she picked up the pace with quick kick-punch combos. Evinger cracked her with another hard right hook and followed with a leg kick. Schneider responded with kicks of her own, but Evinger caught one and shot in for a takedown. She pulled Schneider down and Schneider threw elbows from the bottom. Evinger punched to the thigh until the bell. 10-9 Evinger.

Judge Jackie Denkin: 49-45 Evinger. Judge Michael Bell: 50-44 Evinger. Judge Ron McCarthy: 50-44 Evinger.

Winner: Tonya Evinger by Unanimous Decision (50-44, 50-44, 49-45) after five rounds. She improves to 19-5-0 and remains the Invicta FC Bantamweight Champion.

 

Invicta FC Strawweight Championship

Angela “Overkill” Hill vs Livia Renata “Livinha” Souza

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Mike Beltran. Souza kicked to the body and just missed with an overhand right early on. Hill stuffed one takedown, but Souza got her down on her second try and landed on top in side control. Hill defended well from the bottom and she regained full guard. She tried to stand up and Souza quickly pulled guard with a guillotine choke. Hill escaped and Souza threw elbows from the bottom. The fighters stood and both women landed right hands. Hill thwarted a takedown attempt, but Souza used a kneebar attempt to drag her down to the mat. She tried for a heel hook late in the round. 10-9 Souza.

Round 2:
Souza took Hill back down in round two and she landed punches from Hill’s guard. Hill stood and Souza jumped into a flying guillotine choke. Hill escaped and Souza failed badly with two weak takedown attempts. The fighters exchanged leg and body kicks and Souza landed two overhand rights. Hill stuffed a takedown and both women landed punches. Souza finally managed to get Hill down just before time expired. Close round. 10-9 Hill, barely.

Round 3:
Souza managed to get Hill down again in the third round, but she was unable to mount much offence from the top and the fight returned to the feet. Both women landed jabs and Hill followed with crisp hooks. Souza landed a nice leg kick and she flurried with punches. Hill kicked at Souza’s lead leg and clipped her with a looping right hook to the ear. More punches landed for Hill and she easily avoided a takedown attempt. She stuffed another takedown and threatened with a guillotine choke in the final seconds. 10-9 Hill.

Round 4:
Souza rushed forward with punches and knees in round four. Hill fired back with a solid right hand to the body and both women connected with right hooks to the temple. Hill jabbed and threw quick right hands from a distance. Souza landed leg kicks, but Hill appeared to have the momentum on her side as she repeatedly countered with crisp punches. Souza turned her back after a failed takedown attempt and Hill landed a head kick. The defending champion stayed on her feet, but Hill landed more kicks and punches late in the entertaining round. 10-9 Hill.

Round 5:
Hill opened round five with jabs and right hands, which were answered by a combination from Souza. The fighters clinched against the fence and Souza tripped Hill to the mat. She landed punches from the top, but Hill quickly scrambled up to her feet. Hill shrugged off a takedown and landed an uppercut. She kept the pace high and scored with a one-two and more stiff jabs. Souza landed a hard right hand and a knee, but Hill continued to land jabs and right hooks. She stuffed a takedown, but Souza threw her down and attacked with a guillotine choke and an armbar. 10-9 Souza due to the late rally. Fight could go either way.

Judge Jackie Denkin: 48-47 Hill. Judge Ron McCarthy: 48-47 Souza. Judge Michael Bell: 48-47 Hill.

Winner: Angela Hill by Split Decision (48-47, 48-47, 47-48) after five rounds. She improves to 5-2-0 and becomes the new Invicta FC Strawweight Champion.

 

Charmaine “Not So Sweet” Tweet vs Latoya “Black Mamba” Walker

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Herb Dean. Walker rocked Tweet with overhand lefts and rights in the opening minute, but Tweet stayed on her feet and clinched briefly. Walker broke free and both women landed hard shots. Walker dragged Tweet down to the mat and quickly moved to mount. She landed punches from the top, but Tweet scrambled and kicked her off. The fighters stood and exchanged punches until Walker took Tweet’s back. Tweet countered with a spinning back elbow. Walker landed another big combination, but Tweet turned her lights out with a spinning backfist out of nowhere and the fight was waved off as Tweet rained down punches upon her barely-conscious opponent.

Winner: Charmaine Tweet by KO (Spinning Backfist & Punches) at 3:41 of round one. She improves to 9-5-0.

 

Kaline “The Dark Angel” Medeiros vs Alline “Hannibal” Sério

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Mike Beltran. Medeiros punched her way into an early clinch and took Sério down against the cage. Sério scrambled up to her feet and locked on a standing guillotine choke. Medeiros escaped and the fighters separated. She muscled Sério back down to the mat and worked from knee-on-belly position. Sério battled back to her feet again, but Medeiros landed a hard right hand and tried for another takedown. Sério defended well and she attempted a guillotine. 10-9 Medeiros.

Round 2:
Medeiros slammed Sério on her head to start round two and she landed a series of left hands from half-guard while pinning down Sério’s right arm. Sério stood up and was rocked by an overhand right. Medeiros dumped her to the mat and attacked Sério’s liver with punches and elbows. She postured up and rained down elbows and punches to Sério’s face as referee Mike Beltran looked on intently. Medeiros continued to land unanswered punches until the fight was stopped.

Winner: Kaline Medeiros by TKO (Punches) at 4:04 of round two. She improves to 7-4-0.

 

Megan Anderson vs Amanda “The Lady Killer” Bell

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Herb Dean. Anderson rocked Bell with a left hook to start the fight and she backed her up with more punches. Bell clinched and tried for a takedown, but Anderson defended with knees. Wild punches were exchanged and Bell reversed a takedown into back control. She looked for a rear-naked choke, but Anderson turned into her guard. She dropped punches from the top and fought off an armbar attempt. More punches and elbows scored for Anderson and the fight returned to the feet. Anderson unloaded with punches and knees in the clinch. She wobbled Bell with a head kick and dropped her for good with punches just as the bell sounded.

Winner: Megan Anderson by TKO (Head Kick & Punches) at 5:00 of round one. She improves to 6-2-0.

 

Christine “Knuckles” Stanley vs Shannon Sinn

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Mike Beltran. Stanley scored with a big left hook early in the fight, which prompted Sinn to clinch in search of a takedown. The fighters eventually separated and Sinn landed a combination. Stanley taunted by holding her hand out and she landed two knees in a brief clinch. A flurry landed for Stanley and Sinn responded with a front kick to the body. Stanley landed two hooks and a body kick, and she followed with another combination before time expired. 10-9 Stanley.

Round 2:
Stanley pressed forward with a two-punch combination and a powerful kick to the liver in round two. She continued to target Sinn’s midsection with kicks and the fighters traded hard punches. Stanley punched to the body and Sinn backed her up with a knee to the face. Stanley regained her footing and threw a spinning back kick and a left hook to the liver. She followed with a head kick and two heavy punches over the top. Sinn was unfazed, but Stanley scored with two more punches and another body kick before the bell. 10-9 Stanley.

Round 3:
A spinning hook kick narrowly missed for Stanley in the final round and Sinn found success with jabs and right hands. Stanley landed an overhand right and a step-in left hook. Sinn retaliated with punches of her own and a series of knees in a Thai clinch. Stanley broke free and she landed right hook, body kick combinations. Sinn connected with jabs and right hands, but Stanley continued to score with step-in punches and kicks to Sinn’s body. Sinn landed a left hook and Stanley immediately fired back with an uppercut. The fight ended with an exchange of hard punches. 10-9 Stanley.

Judge Jackie Denkin: 30-27 Stanley. Judge Michael Bell: 30-27 Stanley. Judge Ron McCarthy: 29-28 Stanley.

Winner: Christine Stanley by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) after three rounds. She improves to 5-1-0.

 

Rachael Ostovich vs Ariel Beck

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Herb Dean. After a cautious opening minute, Beck landed a solid combination and she followed with a knee to the body. Ostovich clinched in search of a takedown, but Beck countered with a left hand over the top. Both women landed body kicks and Beck hurt Ostovich with a left hook to the liver. Ostovich recovered and tried for a takedown, but Beck landed short elbows and circled away. When Ostovich closed in again, Beck punished her with short knees and elbows. Dominant 10-9 round for Beck.

Round 2:
Ostovich attempted a takedown in the second round and she secured a heel hook after a scramble. Beck stood over her and dropped punches in order to escape from the hold. She dropped down into Ostovich’s half-guard and scored with elbows while isolating Ostovich’s arms. The fight returned to the feet and Beck landed a kick-punch combo, but Ostovich ducked under and took her down. Beck scrambled and gave up her back in the process. Ostovich tried for a rear-naked choke and settled for a face lock. She transitioned to an armbar and went belly-down with the hold. Beck defended by clasping her hands together. 10-9 Ostovich.

Round 3:
Beck dropped Ostovich with a left cross early in round three and she stuffed an Ostovich takedown attempt. Another left hand and a knee to the body scored for Beck, and she forced Ostovich to flop to her back. On the feet, Ostovich landed two stiff jabs and she followed with a right hook to the body. She bloodied Beck’s nose with punches and took her down into half-guard. Ostovich landed punches and elbows while working for a keylock, and she pulled guard with a guillotine choke. Beck escaped and she rained down punches. Ostovich stood and Beck narrowly missed with an illegal soccer kick. 10-9 Ostovich.

Judge Jackie Denkin: 29-28 Ostovich. Judge Michael Bell: 29-28 Beck. Judge Ron McCarthy: 29-28 Ostovich.

Winner: Rachael Ostovich by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. She improves to 3-2-0.

 

Laura “Hot Head” Howarth vs Alexa Conners

Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Mike Beltran. The fighters exchanged leg kicks in the opening minute and Howarth targeted the body. Conners backed her up with punches and chopped away at Howarth’s lead leg with more kicks. Howarth remained on the defensive as Conners put together punch-kick combos. Howarth landed a body kick, but Conners cracked her with an overhand right. She continued to mix up her strikes well and scored with another combination. Howarth landed a nice left cross before the bell. 10-9 Conners.

Round 2:
Howarth opened round two with a spinning kick that was answered by a combination from Conners. Howarth threw left hooks and body kicks, but Conners remained the aggressor. A head kick landed for Howarth and she followed with a left cross. Conners landed a big flurry of punches that backed Howarth up against the cage. Howarth kicked her away, but Conners closed the distance again and landed another quick combination. Leg kicks were exchanged and Howarth flashed out a head kick. Conners landed two uppercuts and Howarth responded with a head kick. Conners rocked her with punches just before the bell. 10-9 Conners.

Round 3:
A slick spinning backfist landed for Howarth early in the final round and Conners countered with looping left and right hooks. She used jabs and leg kicks to keep Howarth backed up against the cage. Howarth landed leg kicks of her own, but Conners fired off a powerful right hand and followed with a combination. More leg and body kicks were exchanged and Conners backed Howarth up with punches once again. She picked Howarth apart with jabs and one-twos until Howarth finally answered back with a liver kick. 10-9 Conners.

Judge Jackie Denkin: 29-28 Howarth. Judge Michael Bell: 29-28 Conners. Judge Ron McCarthy: 29-28 Howarth.

Winner: Laura Howarth by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. She improves to 3-1-0.