Invicta Fighting Championships travelled to ReelWorks Denver in Denver, Colorado tonight for Invicta FC 50: Strawweight Title Tournament. The event featured a one-night tournament as Valesca Machado, Ediana Silva, Gloria de Paula and Karolina Wójcik competed to become strawweight champion.
In non-tournament action on the card, Katharina Lehner returned to Invicta FC to face UFC veteran Talita Bernardo at bantamweight. Also at 135, “Grizzly” Claire Guthrie battled promotional newcomer Brigid “Khan” Chase. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for tonight’s Invicta FC 50 card.
Invicta FC Strawweight Championship Tournament Final
Valesca “Tina Black” Machado vs Karolina “Polish Assassin” Wójcik
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Bobby Wombacher. Both fighters were very cautious during the opening two minutes. Machado landed the first significant strikes with a quick jab-cross combo. She countered a Wójcik leg kick with a straight right hand. Wójcik began to taunt, but she landed nothing of significance and Machado connected with two more right hands. The fighters exchanged left hooks with 30 seconds to go and Wójcik landed a right hand before the bell. 10-9 Machado.
Round 2:
Machado used her jab to keep Wójcik at bay in round two. Wójcik tried to clinch and Machado cracked her with a lead left hook. She landed a knee to the body and Wójcik grazed with a left hook as the fighters separated. Machado jabbed and landed an uppercut. Wójcik rushed at her with punches that mostly came up short, but Wójcik did land a knee in the final seconds. 10-9 Machado.
Round 3:
Wójcik landed two lunging right hands early in the final round and Machado jabbed while circling to her right. Wójcik clinched with her and held Machado against the cage. Machado broke away with a slashing elbow over the top. She landed a jab and Wójcik clinched again. Machado quickly broke free again and she landed a quick flurry. Wójcik initiated one more clinch in the final minute. She held Machado in place and kneed her in the thighs. Close final round. 10-9 Wójcik by a slim margin.
Winner: Valesca Machado by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. She improves to 12-3-0, 1 NC and becomes the new Invicta FC Strawweight Champion.
Talita Bernardo vs Katharina Lehner
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Joel Ojeda. As Bernardo threw a leg kick in the opening minute, Lehner countered with a right cross that knocked her down. Bernardo stood up and scored a double-leg takedown. She took Lehner’s back and sunk in both hooks. Bernardo spent almost four minutes working for rear-naked chokes and Lehner defended against each one. 10-9 Bernardo.
Round 2:
Lehnar landed a hard jab in round two and Bernardo dragged her down to the mat. She moved to side control and then to North-South position while trying for a kimura on Lehner’s right arm. Lehner freed the arm and Bernardo wound up in her half-guard. Lehner kicked her off and Bernardo fell into a triangle choke. She got her head out and stacked Lehner, then returned to North-South position. Bernardo cranked on a kimura on Lehner’s right arm and this time Lehner tapped out.
Winner: Talita Bernardo by Submission (Kimura) at 4:26 of round two. She improves to 9-4-0.
“Grizzly” Claire Guthrie vs Brigid “Khan” Chase
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Joel Ojeda. Chase charged at Guthrie with a flying side kick to open the fight and Guthrie took her back in a clinch. She got Chase down and Chase quickly stood back up. Guthrie scored another brief takedown and nearly passed to mount, but Chase exploded up to her feet again. She landed jabs and Guthrie clinched. Chase broke free and landed a spinning hook kick. She followed with a one-two that stunned Guthrie, but Guthrie took her down and moved straight to mount. Chase tried unsuccessfully to kick off of the cage and Guthrie landed elbows from the top. Chase swept and took over top position in Guthrie’s guard. 10-9 Guthrie.
Round 2:
Guthrie dropped Chase with a right hand to begin round two and settled into Chase’s guard. She dropped back for an Achilles lock and Chase countered with an inverted heel hook attempt. Guthrie switched to a toe hold and Chase wound up taking top position in Guthrie’s half-guard. Chase mounted Guthrie and secured an arm-triangle choke. She maintained the choke throughout the final minute, but Guthrie defended and held on until the bell. 10-9 Chase.
Round 3:
Guthrie immediately took Chase down and passed to mount. She moved to a high mount and rained down punches to Chase’s face. Chase rolled over and gave up her back, which allowed Guthrie to secure a body triangle while working for a rear-naked choke. Guthrie moved back to mount and she resumed punching. Once again, Chase gave up her back. Guthrie flattened her out and punched the sides of her head. Chase rolled over again and Guthrie landed elbows from mount. She switched back to punches and then locked on a rear-naked choke just before the end of the round. Chase was likely saved by the bell. 10-8 Guthrie.
Winner: Claire Guthrie by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. She improves to 4-1-0.
Invicta FC Strawweight Championship Tournament Reserve Bout
“Mad” Danni McCormack vs Maíra Mazar
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Bobby Wombacher. Mazar landed a nice right hand early in the fight and the southpaw McCormack used her jab to set up a left cross. She backed Mazar up to the cage wall with punches and badly rocked her with a right-left combo. Mazar recovered enough to shoot in for a takedown and McCormack took her back. She landed elbows to the side of Mazar’s head and tried to pass to mount. Mazar managed to keep her in half-guard and McCormack landed short right hands. Mazar eventually kicked her off and McCormack stood over her. Mazar sat up and McCormack held her down while throwing short left hands to her face. 10-9 McCormack, if not a 10-8.
Round 2:
Mazar caught a kick and took McCormack’s back, then dragged her down to the ground. She hopped on McCormack’s back as McCormack stood up. Mazar locked on a tight rear-naked choke, but McCormack managed to break her grip by holding on to Mazar’s left wrist. Mazar maintained a standing body triangle and threw hammerfists to the side of McCormack’s face. McCormack finally shook her off and Mazar landed a knee. She scored with a hard jab and McCormack landed an overhand left. Hard punches were exchanged late in the round and McCormack landed two left hooks. Mazar answered with a straight right. 10-9 Mazar.
Round 3:
McCormack took Mazar down and Mazar worked back to her feet after a brief battle on the ground. McCormack jabbed and Mazar landed a body kick. She took McCormack down and avoided a triangle choke attempt. Mazar landed short right hands to McCormack’s face until McCormack stood up against the cage. Mazar maintained back control, but McCormack spun free and landed a left hook. The fight ended with McCormack landing three more left hands and Mazar countered with two right hooks. 10-9 McCormack, just barely.
Winner: Danni McCormack by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-27) after three rounds. She improves to 6-2-0.
Invicta FC Strawweight Championship Tournament Semi-Final #2
Valesca “Tina Black” Machado vs Ediana “Mel Pitbull” Silva
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Bobby Wombacher. Machado kept her distance and landed two leg kicks while circling to her right. She missed with a spinning backfist and the fighters exchanged right hooks. Silva charged forward and connected with an overhand right, which prompted Machado to clinch. Silva pushed her away and landed another overhand right as Machado threw an uppercut. Silva remained very aggressive and she landed a right hand, then avoided a spinning backfist attempt from Machado. Both women landed left hooks and Silva marched forward. Machado jabbed and she took Silva down late in the close round. 10-9 Machado.
Round 2:
Silva shrugged off a takedown attempt from Machado and she landed a right hook. Machado missed again with a spinning backfist attempt and Silva landed a two-punch combo. Machado took her down and hunted for a rear-naked choke. Silva stood up and Machado let go of the clinch. She quickly took Silva down again and moved to back control once more. Machado locked on a body triangle and tried to secure a rear-naked choke. Silva defended well during the final minute. 10-9 Machado.
Round 3:
Machado briefly took Silva down early in round three and Silva quickly got back to her feet. She landed an elbow and followed with a right hook. Machado clinched with her and landed a knee to the body. The fighters separated and both landed right hooks. Silva stuffed a takedown and walked Machado down with a body kick and a right hook. Machado continued to circle away and Silva landed a jab-cross combo. Machado finally got Silva down and Silva stood right back up again. Machado landed an elbow and Silva finished the round with a one-two. Another close round. 10-9 Silva despite Machado’s very brief takedowns.
Winner: Valesca Machado by Split Decision (30-27, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. She improves to 11-3-0, 1 NC and advances to the strawweight tournament final.
Invicta FC Strawweight Championship Tournament Semi-Final #1
Karolina “Polish Assassin” Wójcik vs Gloria “Glorinha” de Paula
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Joel Ojeda. During an early clinch against the cage, de Paula landed knees to Wójcik’s body. The fighters briefly separated and de Paula initiated another clinch. Wójcik turned de Paula around and then took her back. She could not get de Paula down and de Paula eventually turned back into the clinch. She landed a hard knee to the body and pushed Wójcik away. De Paula landed a quick one-two and missed with a head kick. Close round. 10-9 Wójcik.
Round 2:
Following a clinch in round two, Wójcik landed an overhand right and she circled on the outside of the cage as de Paula moved forward. De Paula landed a knee to the body as Wójcik threw a right hook. Wójcik took her down and de Paula postured for a triangle choke from the bottom. Wójcik avoided it and took de Paula’s back in a scramble. She tried for a rear-naked choke and then punched the side of de Paula’s head. Wójcik landed more punches and then attempted one more rear-naked choke before the bell. 10-9 Wójcik.
Round 3:
De Paula opened the final round with a flurry of punches. Wójcik clinched with her against the cage and de Paula broke free with an elbow. She landed a left-right combo and another hard elbow. As Wójcik slowed down, de Paula landed a head kick and swarmed on her with punches. Wójcik turned away and de Paula landed another head kick. She held Wójcik in a Thai clinch and landed two knees and a right hook. An exhausted Wójcik clinched and de Paula cracked her with an elbow over the top. She battered Wójcik with knees and elbows during the final 30 seconds. 10-9 de Paula. Could even be a 10-8 due to the one-sided offence.
Winner: Karolina Wójcik by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. She improves to 10-2-0 and advances to the strawweight tournament final.
Elise “The Piece” Pone vs Melissa “La Bella Bestia” Oddessa Parker
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Joel Ojeda. Pone circled to her right and threw body kicks until Oddessa tied her up in a clinch. Knees were exchanged and Pone used a headlock throw to get Oddessa down. She moved to her back, but lost the position and Oddessa wound up on top in North-South. When Oddessa tried to take Pone’s back, Pone slipped out the back and returned to her feet. She held Oddessa in a guillotine choke and then switched to a Brabo choke while kneeing Oddessa in the ribs. She pulled Oddessa down to the mat and rolled to tighten the choke, but Oddessa made it to the bell. 10-9 Pone.
Round 2:
The second round began with a clinch against the cage and Pone held Oddessa in place while kneeing her in the thigh. This continued for almost three minutes and Pone kneed Oddessa in the body as well. Oddessa eventually reversed the clinch, but only briefly. Pone put her back against the cage again and resumed throwing knees to the body. She landed two short elbows as well and Oddessa kneed in response. Late in the round, Pone landed four more knees to Oddessa’s thigh. 10-9 Pone.
Round 3:
Pone quickly tied Oddessa up in another clinch to begin the final round. She held her against the cage and landed knees and elbows. Oddessa reversed the clinch and ate a high knee to her face. Pone turned her around and landed more knees, and the fighters traded right hooks after briefly separating. Pone clinched once more and the fighters were separated. Pone landed a front kick to Oddessa’s face and tied her up in a clinch. When the fighters were separated again, Oddessa landed a left hook and she held Pone in a body lock. Pone reversed it and went back to kneeing Oddessa in the body. 10-9 Pone.
Winner: Elise Pone by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. She improves to 2-1-0.