Invicta Fighting Championships showcased its 25th all-female card tonight at the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino in Lemoore, California. Invicta FC 25 was headlined by a vacant bantamweight championship bout between Raquel “Lionheart” Pa’aluhi and top contender Yana “Foxy” Kunitskaya.
In the strawweight co-feature, “The Brazilian Gangster” Livia Renata Souza took on the unbeaten Janaisa “Evil Princess” Morandin. In a would-be bantamweight bout, Alexa Conners faced Katharina Lehner, who missed weight by five pounds. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the card.
Invicta FC Bantamweight Championship
Yana “Foxy” Kunitskaya vs Raquel “Lionheart” Pa’aluhi
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Josh Rosenthal. Power punches were exchanged right away and Kunitskaya backed Pa’aluhi up against the cage. Pa’aluhi maintained her balance with double underhooks and prevented Kunitskaya from taking her down, but Kunitskaya landed a four-punch flurry and mixed in knees to the body. Pa’aluhi responded with knees of her own, but she was unable to break free from Kunitskaya’s grasp. Kunitskaya ultimately backed away herself after landing a standing elbow and Pa’aluhi took advantage by throwing her down to the mat. Kunitskaya landed upkicks from her back, but Pa’aluhi dropped down into side control and moved to mount. Kunitskaya swept and finished the round on top. 10-9 Kunitskaya.
Round 2:
Kunitskaya opened round two with kick-punch combos until Pa’aluhi stunned her with an overhand right. Kunitskaya recovered quickly and set up a clinch by landing a quick flurry. Pa’aluhi circled away and caught a front kick, but she was unable to take Kunitskaya down. Kunitskaya punished her with knees to the body and head against the cage. Pa’aluhi tried unsuccessfully for a takedown and Kunitskaya threw more front kicks to the body. She fought off another takedown attempt from Pa’aluhi in the dying seconds of the round. 10-9 Kunitskaya.
Round 3:
Pa’aluhi was more aggressive in the third round and she scored with a nice combination of punches and a body kick. Kunitskaya stuffed a takedown and backed Pa’aluhi up with a counter left hook. Both women landed punches and finished with kicks to the body, but Kunitskaya got the better of the exchange and she followed with a lead left hook. Pa’aluhi attempted a head kick and shot in for a takedown, but she was thwarted once again. With 40 seconds to go, Kunitskaya landed a head kick and a standing elbow. She scored with a spinning back kick to the body as time expired. 10-9 Kunitskaya.
Round 4:
Kunitskaya snapped out quick jabs in the fourth round and she fought off a takedown attempt by pinning Pa’aluhi against the cage. Kunitskaya further bloodied Pa’aluhi’s already damaged nose with knees and Pa’aluhi tried for a standing Brabo choke in an ensuing clinch battle. Kunitskaya avoided danger and stuffed more takedown attempts before landing hard knees to Pa’aluhi’s midsection. Late in the round, Pa’aluhi landed a knee and threw Kunitskaya to the mat. She landed a handful of punches from the top in side control before the end of the round. 10-9 Kunitskaya.
Round 5:
The final round began with a clinch against the cage and Kunitskaya landed short knees and an elbow. Pa’aluhi set up a takedown attempt with an overhand right, but Kunitskaya blasted her with a series of knees to the face. Pa’aluhi landed one big knee of her own and grabbed on to Kunitskaya’s leg, but she was not able to drag her down to the mat. Pa’aluhi then attempted a hip toss and Kunitskaya reversed it in mid-air. She wound up on top, but Pa’aluhi kicked her off and the fighters returned to their feet. Kunitskaya landed a head kick and the fight ended after a clinch. 10-9 Kunitskaya.
Judge Abe Belardo: 50-45 Kunitskaya. Judge Mark Lawley: 50-45 Kunitskaya. Judge Jason McCoy: 50-45 Kunitskaya.
Winner: Yana Kunitskaya by Unanimous Decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45) after five rounds. She improves to 10-3-0, 1 NC and becomes the new Invicta FC Bantamweight Champion.
“The Brazilian Gangster” Livia Renata Souza vs Janaisa “Evil Princess” Morandin
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Jason McCoy. Morandin cracked Souza with an overhand right in the opening seconds and she fired off a series of hard one-twos soon after. Souza shot in and took Morandin down, and she postured up with punches from top position. Morandin eventually kicked Souza off and stood up, but found herself trapped in a standing guillotine choke. Souza muscled her down to the mat and landed on top in mount. Morandin countered by spinning into a leglock attempt, but Souza escaped. Morandin locked on an armbar from the bottom and Souza punched her way free. She trapped Morandin in a North-South choke, but Morandin was saved by the bell. 10-9 Souza.
Round 2:
Early in the second round, the fighters exchanged kicks until Souza dropped levels and took Morandin down against the base of the cage. Morandin rose to her feet and ate a straight right hand before she was taken back down again. Souza used a lateral drop to take Morandin down into side control and she quickly secured an arm-triangle choke from the top. Morandin scrambled and regained full guard. The fighters were stood up for absolutely no reason, but Souza wasted no time in taking Morandin back down after the restart and she closed out the round on top. 10-9 Souza.
Round 3:
The pace slowed somewhat in round three and both women threw single kicks and punches in the early exchanges. Souza scored a takedown with three minutes remaining and she postured up with punches from side control. Morandin kicked her off and Souza settled into Morandin’s guard. She spent the remainder of the round landing punches from the top while pinning Morandin’s head against the base of the cage wall. 10-9 Souza.
Judge Abe Belardo: 30-27 Souza. Judge Mark Lawley: 29-28 Souza. Judge Josh Rosenthal: 29-28 Souza.
Winner: Livia Renata Souza by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. She improves to 11-1-0.
Katharina Lehner vs Alexa Conners
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Mark Lawley. Lehner established her jab right away and used one-two combos to keep Conners on the defensive. She landed more combinations and stunned Conners with a stiff jab. Lehner clinched and kept the pressure on as Conners struggled to land anything in return. Another hard combination scored for Lehner and she blasted Conners with uppercuts. Conners staggered and Lehner pinned her against the cage again. She continued to throw punches and dropped Conners face-first to the canvas with a final right hand that finished the fight.
Winner: Katharina Lehner by TKO (Punch) at 4:21 of round one. She improves to 6-0-0.
Kali “Pop Tart” Robbins vs Sharon “The Dream Catcher” Jacobson
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Josh Rosenthal. Jacobson flurried with punches and whipped Robbins to the mat right away, but Robbins immediately attacked with an armbar from the bottom. She went belly-down with the hold and Jacobson was forced to verbally submit, giving Robbins a big victory in her promotional debut.
Winner: Kali Robbins by Submission (Armbar) at 0:42 of round one. She improves to 5-0-0.
Shino VanHoose vs Alyse Anderson
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Jason McCoy. The fight began with an exchange of knees to the body and Anderson quickly shot in for a takedown. VanHoose balanced on one leg and fought off one takedown, but Anderson briefly got her down on her second try. VanHoose stood and landed knees, then locked on a tight guillotine choke. She pulled guard with the choke and Anderson had to act quickly to escape. Anderson worked from the top and tried to pass VanHoose’s guard until the referee stood the fighters up. Anderson took VanHoose down once more, but VanHoose stood back up with ten seconds to go and she finished the round with a big flurry of punches. 10-9 Anderson by a slim margin.
Round 2:
VanHoose was aggressive with body kicks and punches in round two, but Anderson responded with a takedown into her guard. From the top, Anderson threw short punches to the sides of VanHoose’s head as VanHoose looked to set up a submission from her back. Anderson snuck in more short punches and elbows while avoiding VanHoose’s attempts to secure a triangle choke. VanHoose stayed busy from her back and she landed numerous elbows in the final ten seconds. 10-9 VanHoose.
Round 3:
Round three began with VanHoose landing crisp punches on the feet until Anderson answered with a body kick and a takedown attempt. VanHoose reversed the takedown into mount and she transitioned to an armbar, but lost the position. Anderson wound up on top, but VanHoose held her in place and postured for a triangle choke. The fighters were stood up and Anderson hopped on VanHoose’s back. She pulled VanHoose down, but VanHoose turned into her guard and finished the round with punches. 10-9 VanHoose.
Judge Abe Belardo: 29-28 Anderson. Judge Mark Lawley: 30-27 VanHoose. Judge Josh Rosenthal: 29-28 VanHoose.
Winner: Shino VanHoose by Split Decision (30-27, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. She improves to 6-5-0.
Sarah “Chucky” Kleczka vs AmberLynn “ALO” Orr
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Mark Lawley. The opening round began with a clinch against the cage, but neither fighter could mount any offence and they soon separated. Orr secured a takedown and fought off a guillotine choke, but Kleczka scrambled up to her feet and reversed a clinch. Orr locked on a standing guillotine choke and pushed her down to the mat, but Kleczka spun free and she returned to her feet once again. In the final 30 seconds, Kleczka trapped Orr in a front headlock and she unloaded with knees to the face until the bell. 10-9 Kleczka due to the late rally.
Round 2:
Kleczka used side kicks to try to keep Orr at bay in round two, but Orr closed the distance and looked for a trip takedown. Kleczka reversed the trip and wound up on top in Orr’s guard. Orr countered with an armbar and she switched to a triangle choke that allowed her to sweep into mount. Kleczka scrambled out the back, but Orr retained top position and she dropped some solid punches from Kleczka’s half-guard. Kleczka locked on a kimura from the bottom and she transitioned to an armbar shortly before time expired. Another close round. 10-9 Orr, barely.
Round 3:
It was Kleczka who initiated a clinch in the final round and she tried to muscle Orr down to the mat against the cage. Orr stayed on her feet and she reversed the clinch as Kleczka landed knees to the face. More knees scored for Kleczka and the referee eventually separated the fighters following a lull in the action. Kleczka immediately clinched after the restart and she landed a nice knee. The fight ended with both women landing knees to the body. 10-9 Kleczka.
Judge Abe Belardo: 29-28 Orr. Judge Jason McCoy: 29-28 Kleczka. Judge Josh Rosenthal: 29-28 Kleczka.
Winner: Sarah Kleczka by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. She improves to 1-0-0.
Shaianna “Yaya” Rincón vs Courtney “The Lion” King
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Josh Rosenthal. Rincón took King down against the cage right away and landed a series of hard left hands before King battled back up to her feet. Rincón eventually backed away and King put together combinations of body kicks and punches. Rincón tripped her again and wound up on top in half-guard. She lost the position in a scramble, however, and King took her back. King hunted for a rear-naked choke in the final seconds of the round, but Rincón easily defended. Close round. 10-9 Rincón.
Round 2:
Rincón opened round two with another takedown and she took King’s back on the ground. King rolled to her side and Rincón mounted her within seconds. She dropped heavy punches and elbows from the top as King covered up and tried to defend. Rincón landed dozens of short punches until referee Josh Rosenthal had seen enough and stopped the fight.
Winner: Shaianna Rincón by TKO (Punches) at 3:41 of round two. She improves to 2-0-0.
Cheri Muraski vs Tracy Cortez
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Jason McCoy. Cortez landed power punches in the opening seconds and Muraski responded with knees in a clinch. Cortez bloodied her nose with straight right hands and punished her with knees. She kicked at Muraski’s lead leg until Muraski fired back with a series of right hooks. A body kick and a big one-two scored for Cortez, who shot in for a takedown. Muraski attacked with a standing kimura attempt, but Cortez dragged her down after taking her back. 10-9 Cortez.
Round 2:
The fighters battled for position in a clinch in round two as Muraski looked for a takedown. She landed a looping left hook that knocked out Cortez’s mouthpiece and time was called. Action resumed and Muraski once again pursued a takedown against the cage. Cortez defended well with elbow strikes, but Muraski locked on a standing guillotine choke in a scramble. She used it to drag Cortez down to the mat and Cortez immediately tapped out.
Winner: Cheri Muraski by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 2:42 of round two. She improves to 4-0-0.
Jillian “Lionheart” DeCoursey vs Ashley Medina
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Mark Lawley. Quick punches were exchanged early in the opening round and DeCoursey initiated a clinch against the cage. Medina fought off a takedown attempt and she landed a nice body kick soon after. The fighters traded knees in close and DeCoursey fired off a combination. She followed with a straight right hand and backed Medina up with lunging punches. Medina regained her footing and looked to establish her jab as time expired. 10-9 DeCoursey.
Round 2:
DeCoursey flurried with punches to begin round two and Medina answered back with a combination of her own. DeCoursey stunned her with left and right hooks that led to a clinch against the fence. Medina broke free, but DeCoursey tagged her with a one-two. She mixed up her strikes with kick-punch combos until Medina scored with a hard right hand. The fighters exchanged knees in a clinch battle late in the round. 10-9 DeCoursey.
Round 3:
The final round began with both women landing punches until DeCoursey secured a takedown into half-guard. She passed to side control and peppered Medina with punches. DeCoursey took Medina’s back and worked for rear-naked chokes. Medina tried to roll to escape, but DeCoursey flattened her out and landed punches to the sides of her head. She remained on Medina’s back until the bell. 10-9 DeCoursey.
Judge Abe Belardo: 29-28 DeCoursey. Judge Jason McCoy: 29-28 Medina. Judge Josh Rosenthal: 29-28 DeCoursey.
Winner: Jillian DeCoursey by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. She improves to 1-0-0.