Invicta Fighting Championships kicked off 2022 with its latest all-female fight card tonight at the Police Athletic League in Kansas City, Kansas. Invicta FC 45: “Zappitella vs Delboni 2” featured an atomweight championship rematch between Alesha “Half Pint” Zappitella and Jéssica Correa Delboni.
In the 150-pound co-main event, Ramona Pascual took on short-notice replacement Shamir “Hella Kitty” Peshewa. Elsewhere on the card tonight, “Fearless” Monica Franco faced “All Hail” Hailey Cowan in a bantamweight matchup. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the Invicta FC 45 card.
Invicta FC Atomweight Championship
Jéssica Correa Delboni vs Alesha “Half Pint” Zappitella
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Nick Berens. Zappitella countered Delboni’s early aggression with a takedown into side control and she landed short right hands as Delboni rose to her feet against the cage. Zappitella attempted a standing guillotine choke and the fighters separated momentarily. Another clinch followed and Zappitella used an ankle pick to get Delboni down, but she gave up her back in the process and Delboni tried to trap her in a body triangle. Zappitella prevented her from doing so and turned into Delboni’s guard. The fighters stood back up and exchanged punches, with Delboni finishing with a leg kick. She stuffed a takedown and landed knees to Zappitella’s body, then finished the round with a combination on the feet. 10-9 Delboni due to the second-half rally.
Round 2:
Delboni landed a solid leg kick to begin round two and she followed with another one while preventing Zappitella from securing a takedown. In the clinch, both women landed knees to the body until Delboni broke free. She prawled out of a Zappitella takedown attempt and blasted her with elbows to the face. A stunned Zappitella stood back up and failed with another takedown. Delboni landed a right hook and an uppercut, but she lost her balance and slipped backward, which allowed Zappitella to clinch with her. Delboni stuffed another takedown and she landed a body kick. Three hard elbows landed for Delboni to the side of Zappitella’s head, and Zappitella could not get her down to the mat. 10-9 Delboni.
Round 3:
In the third round, Delboni picked her shots with leg kicks and straight lefts. Zappitella was unable to land much in return and Delboni went high with a head kick. She continued to attack Zappitella’s lead leg and Zappitella charged forward with punches that all came up short. In a clinch, Delboni landed knees to the body and Zappitella tried unsuccessfully for a hip toss throw. Delboni stuffed yet another takedown attempt and landed three right hands to Zappitella’s face. Late in the round, Delboni hurt Zappitella with a flying switch knee to the face, and she folowed with rapid-fire punches until the bell. 10-9 Delboni.
Round 4:
Delboni cracked Zappitella with a combination to open round four and she stunned her with a right cross soon after. Zappitella dropped levels for a takedown and latched on to Delboni’s ankle. Delboni threw hammerfists to the sides of Zappitella’s face and rose to her feet. Zappitella finally tripped her with an ankle pick, but Delboni immediately stood back up. She mixed up her strikes with leg kicks and right hands, then followed with a front kick to the body. Zappitella caught it and took Delboni down, but Delboni grabbed on to Zappitella’s right leg and closed out the round with punches and elbows to the side of her head. 10-9 Delboni.
Round 5:
Zappitella shot in for a takedown and got Delboni down to a seated position in the final round. Delboni got to her knees and threw hammerfists to the side of Zappitella’s head as Zappitella refused to release her grip on Delboni’s leg. Delboni eventually swept and took Zappitella’s back, then transitioned to a belly-down armbar attempt. Zappitella defended well and kept her arm bent, which allowed her to free it. A scramble followed and Zappitella wound up on top, but Delboni attempted a heel hook and a kneebar on Zappitella’s left leg. Zappitella countered with hammerfists and the fighters stood just before the bell. Close final round. 10-9 Delboni.
Winner: Jéssica Correa Delboni by Unanimous Decision (50-45, 50-45, 49-46) after five rounds. She improves to 12-3-0 and becomes the new Invicta FC Atomweight Champion.
Ramona Pascual vs Shamir “Hella Kitty” Peshewa
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Zach Teiberis. Pascual landed a strong leg kick and two overhand lefts. Peshewa threw sloppy punches in return and Pascual hurt her with a knee to the body in a clinch. Peshewa backed up against the cage and Pascual swarmed with punches and another knee, which dropped Peshewa to the mat and ended the fight.
Winner: Ramona Pascual by TKO (Knees To The Body & Punches) at 1:00 of round one. She improves to 6-2-0.
“All Hail” Hailey Cowan vs “Fearless” Monica Franco
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Nick Berens. Franco landed a quick flurry of punches to open the fight and Cowan clinched. Both women landed knees to the body and Cowan tried to sweep out Franco’s leg. Cowan maintained her balance, but she began to breathe heavily in the clinch as Cowan kept her pinned against the fence. She finally got Franco down to a knee, but Franco stood up and Cowan landed two knees to her face. She secured another takedown into Franco’s half-guard and landed a left and an elbow before time expired. 10-9 Cowan.
Round 2:
The second round began with an early takedown from Cowna, who went to work with elbows from top position in a modified half-guard. Franco eventually gave up her back and Cowan used right hands to set up a rear-naked choke. Franco briefly fought it before tapping out on Cowan’s leg.
Winner: Hailey Cowan by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 3:17 of round two. She improves to 6-2-0.
Helen “Iansã” Peralta vs Elise “The Piece” Pone
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Zach Teiberis. Peralta caught a front kick from Pone and dumped her to the mat, then allowed her to stand back up. Peralta landed an axe kick to the side of Pone’s face and then a right hook before clinching with her against the cage. She swept out Pone’s leg and mounted her on the ground. Pone was able to get back to her feet against the cage, but she ate some hard right hands to the face on the way up. Peralta tripped Pone again and this time she landed left hands to her face. Pone tried to block the punches with her right hand and then stood up. The round ended with Peralta landing a flurry to the body. 10-8 Peralta.
Round 2:
Peralta secured a takedown into half-guard in the second round and she pinned down Pone’s right arm with her knee. Pone was able to scramble free and stood up, but Peralta tied her up in another clinch. She ultimately got Pone down with 90 seconds to go and passed to half-guard again. Pone turned to her right and stood up against the cage, but Peralta landed knees to her midsection until the bell. 10-9 Peralta.
Round 3:
Peralta immediately dropped Pone with a right cross to begin round three, but she allowed her to stand up and a clinch ensued. Peralta dumped Pone to the mat and landed on top in side control. Pone got back to full guard and kicked her off, then stood up. Peralta blocked a head kick and countered with a right hook that led to another clinch. Peralta threw knees to the body until Pone broke free with an elbow over the top. Peralta punched her way into another clinch and she held Pone against the fence. Peralta threw knees to the body and briefly tripped Pone, and the fight ended in a clinch. 10-9 Peralta. Could be a 10-8.
Winner: Helen Peralta by Unanimous Decision (30-25, 30-25, 30-26) after three rounds. She improves to 5-2-0.
Katie “Queen of the North” Saull vs Tamika Jones
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Nick Berens. Jones slipped while attempting a sloppy takedown and Saull landed two right hooks as Jones stood up. The southpaw Saull scored with two more lead right hands and Jones clinched. Saull reversed it against the cage and she landed a knee to the body. Saull took Jones down and immediately mounted her. Jones gave up her back and Saull worked for a rear-naked choke while trapping Jones in a body triangle. Saull almost secured the choke, but Jones broke her grip and then turned into Saull’s guard. Saull spun into a belly-down armbar from the bottom and rolled Jones over. Jones initially refused to tap out as Saull wrenched back on her arm, but Saull adjusted her grip and Jones finally tapped.
Winner: Katie Saull by Submission (Armbar) at 4:30 of round one. She improves to 4-5-0.
Sarah “Chucky” Kleczka vs Maria Jose “Majo Leona” Garcia Favela
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Zach Teiberis. Favela jabbed and she eventually landed an overhand right as the fighters traded slow punches. A three-punch flurry scored for Favela and more slow punches were exchanged. Kleczka missed with a spinning backfist attempt and ate two leg kicks in return. Lacklustre round. 10-9 Favela.
Round 2:
Kleczka came up short with a lunging combination attempt in the second round, but she did land a solid right cross soon after. Favela responded with a lead left hook and Kleczka landed a flurry. Favela, bleeding from her nose, countered a leg kick with another left hook. Jabs were exchanged and Favela landed a leg kick as the round entered its final minute. Kleczka answered with a leg kick of her own and Favela blocked a head kick late in the close round. 10-9 Kleczka.
Round 3:
In the final round, Kleczka darted in and out with single leg kicks and jabs. Favela threw nothing in return and circled away to her left. She eventually landed an overhand right and prevented Kleczka from clinching. With two minutes to go, both women landed hard punches in the most significant exchange of the fight. Kleczka landed a left-right combo and she countered a Favela leg kick with three more punches. Kleczka clinched and Favela landed knees to her body until the bell. 10-9 Kleczka.
Winner: Sarah Kleczka by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. She improves to 3-3-0.