Invicta Fighting Championships showcased its atomweight division with the fourth edition of the Phoenix Series tonight at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas. The event featured a one-night, single-elimination grand prix tournament as eight women competed to earn an atomweight title shot.
Among those competing in tonight’s tournament was Brazilian standout Jéssica Correa Delboni, who suffered a contentious Split Decision defeat when she challenged for the Invicta FC Atomweight Championship three weeks ago. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the Phoenix Series 4.
Atomweight Tournament Final
Jéssica Correa Delboni vs Lindsey “Damsel” VanZandt
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Nick Berens. Both women landed leg kicks early in the fight as VanZandt circled on the outside. She connected with a two-punch combo and Delboni answered with another leg kick. She tried to close the distance with punches, but VanZandt used side kicks to the body to keep Delboni at bay and she continued to circle to her right. Soon after, VanZandt dropped levels for a takedown and Delboni easily stuffed it. VanZandt landed a right hook and Delboni swarmed on her with punches before clinching against the cage. VanZandt quickly broke free and Delboni pursued her with more punches. She avoided another VanZandt takedown attemptbefore the bell. 10-9 Delboni.
Round 2:
Delboni finished a combination with a leg kick in the second round and VanZandt resumed circling on the outside. She landed a side kick to the body and a leg kick, then followed with a head kick. Delboni barely flinched and she clinched with VanZandt against the cage. VanZandt circled to her right and landed a quick right cross. Delboni clinched after landing a three-punch flurry and VanZandt immediately pushed her away. Delboni caught a head kick attempt and clinched very briefly. Delboni remained the aggressor in the final 20 seconds and she landed a knee to the body. Close round. 10-9 Delboni by a slim margin.
Round 3:
The final round began with Delboni pressing forward aggressively as she landed jab-cross combos at will. VanZandt was forced to play defence as Delboni continued to land combinations and leg kicks, and Delboni easily stuffed a takedown attempt. As the fight entered its final two minutes, VanZandt landed a nice right cross and that prompted Delboni to fire off a combination to the head and body. She clinched in the final minute and threw knees to VanZandt’s thighs. VanZandt tried in vain for a takedown and Delboni chased her down with punches before the bell. 10-9 Delboni.
Winner: Jéssica Correa Delboni by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. She improves to 11-3-0 and becomes the Invicta FC Phoenix Series atomweight champion.
Atomweight Tournament Semi-Final #2
Jéssica Correa Delboni vs Marisa “Spider Monkey” Messer-Belenchia
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Marcio Laselva. Leg kicks were exchanged throughout the opening minute and Delboni darted in with a right hook. She landed another leg kick and an overhand while staying outside of Messer-Belenchia’s range. Messer Belenchia’s left leg turned bright red as Delboni landed more kicks, but Messer-Belenchia connected with a hard right hand over the top. Delboni bloodied her nose with a lead left hook and continued to find success with inside leg kicks. The fighters clinched with 30 seconds to go and Delboni landed short punches, then spun Messer-Belenchia around and landed a knee before the bell. 10-9 Delboni.
Winner: Jéssica Correa Delboni by Unanimous Decision (10-9, 10-9, 10-9) after one 5:00 round. She advances on to the tournament final.
Atomweight Tournament Semi-Final #1
Lindsey “Damsel” VanZandt vs Linda “F109” Mihalec
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Nick Berens. VanZant opened the fight with a quick jab and a head kick attempt, and she tripped Mihalec to the mat after catching a body kick. Mihalec got back to her feet and the fighters traded leg kicks. VanZandt followed up with a two-punch combo and she landed a head kick. Mihalec was unfazed, but VanZandt continued to attack her left leg with kicks. She attempted another head kick and Mihalec blocked it. A quick one-two scored for VanZandt and she prevented Mihalec from shooting in for a takedown. As the fight entered its final minute, VanZandt landed a side kick to Mihalec’s face and she kept the pressure on with punches and a flying switch knee. 10-9 VanZandt.
Winner: Lindsey VanZandt by Unanimous Decision (10-9, 10-9, 10-9) after one 5:00 round. She advances on to the tournament final.
Atomweight Tournament Reserve Bout
Samantha Seff vs Kara Marie Vislosky
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Marcio Laselva. Seff fought through early right hands from Vislosky and clinched with her against the cage. She got Vislosky down and tried to pass to mount, but Vislosky worked back to her feet. She could not stay there for long, however, and Seff tripped her to the mat once more. She held Vislosky down until the 90-second mark when Vislosky got back to her feet and broke free from the clinch. Seff landed a kick-punch combo and tried to clinch. Vislosky circled on the outside and landed a one-two. The fight ended with an exchange of punches in the centre of the cage. 10-9 Seff.
Winner: Samantha Seff by Split Decision (10-9, 10-9, 9-10) after one 5:00 round.
Atomweight Tournament Quarterfinal #4
Marisa “Spider Monkey” Messer-Belenchia vs Paulina “Firefox” Granados
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Nick Berens. Hard punches were exchanged right away and Messer-Belenchia initiated a clinch. Granados got her down on her second try and passed to half-guard, but Messer-Belenchia swept from the bottom and took top position. Granados rolled over and gave up her back. Messer-Belenchia hunted for a rear-naked choke and prevented Granados from shaking her off. She pulled Granados back down to the mat and tried again for a rear-naked choke. Granados defended well and scrambled up to her feet. Messer-Belenchia landed a combination and Granados fired back with a nice right hand. As Granados threw a leg kick, Messer-Belenchia countered with a right hook that knocked her down. Granados quickly returned to her feet and Messer-Belenchia pressed forward with overhand lefts and rights. Two big right hands landed for Messer-Belenchia, who got Granados down to a knee and peppered her with punches until the bell. 10-9 Messer-Belenchia.
Winner: Marisa Messer-Belenchia by Split Decision (10-9, 10-9, 9-10) after one 5:00 round. She advances on to the tournament semi-finals.
Atomweight Tournament Quarterfinal #3
Linda “F109” Mihalec vs Jillian “Lionheart” DeCoursey
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Marcio Laselva. Mihalec closed the distance and landed jabs in the opening seconds, and DeCoursey responded with a hard right hook. Mihalec continued to throw jabs and leg kicks until DeCoursey took her down into side control. Mihalec powered out from the bottom and quickly returned to her feet. DeCoursey landed a right hand and Mihalec responded with a leg kick. She continued to chop away at DeCoursey’s lead leg and she followed with a one-two that opened a cut on the bridge of DeCoursey’s nose. DeCoursey landed a hard leg kick late in the fight. 10-9 Mihalec.
Winner: Linda Mihalec by Split Decision (10-9, 10-9, 9-10) after one 5:00 round. She advances on to the tournament semi-finals.
Atomweight Tournament Quarterfinal #2
Lindsey “Damsel” VanZandt vs Katie “Maquina Asesina” Perez
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Marcio Laselva. VanZandt sprawled out of a takedown attempt from Perez and took top position in Perez’s half-guard. She stood up and allowed Perez to follow. A hard flurry scored for VanZandt and Perez shot in to try to get the fight to the ground. VanZandt easily stayed on her feet and she landed a hard right hand. Perez dove at her legs and VanZandt countered by trapping her in a reverse triangle choke. She then attacked Perez’s arm as well and switched to a triangle armbar. Perez initially defended by scissoring her legs around VanZandt’s head, but VanZandt pulled her head out. She switched from a triangle armbar to a conventional armbar and pulled back on Perez’s arm, forcing Perez to finally tap out.
Winner: Lindsey VanZandt by Submission (Armbar) at 3:10 of round one. She advances on to the tournament semi-finals.
Atomweight Tournament Quarterfinal #1
Jéssica Correa Delboni vs Tabatha Ann “Batgirl” Watkins
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Nick Berens. Delboni took Watkins down in the opening ten seconds She threw hammerfists from the top and Watkins postured for an armbar. Delboni defended well and landed knees to the body until Watkins adjusted her grip and tried to fully extend Delboni’s arm. Delboni scissored her legs around Watkins’s head and eventually freed her arm with just over one minute remaining. From side control, Delboni landed punches to Watkins’s face and body. She landed harder shots in the final seconds to close out the round strong. 10-9 Delboni.
Winner: Jéssica Correa Delboni by Unanimous Decision (10-9, 10-9, 10-9) after one 5:00 round. She advances on to the tournament semi-finals.