Invicta Fighting Championships held its latest all-female fight card tonight at ReelWorks Denver in Denver, Colorado. Invicta FC 52 was headlined by a strawweight title fight between champion Valesca “Tina Black” Machado, who had won four straight bouts, and challenger “Mad” Danni McCormack.
In the co-feature, also at 115 pounds, Karolina “Polish Assassin” Wójcik took on Ediana “Mel Pitbull” Silva. Elsewhere on the card tonight, Minna “Brutsku” Grusander returned to the promotion to face Shauna “Mama B” Bannon. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the Invicta FC 52 card.
Invicta FC Strawweight Championship
“Mad” Danni McCormack vs Valesca “Tina Black” Machado
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Joel Ojeda. Machado dropped McCormack with a right hook in the opening seconds and followed with two more punches as McCormack got to her feet. McCormack landed a left hook and ate a jab-cross combo in response. Machado stepped forward with a left hook, then dropped McCormack with a left-right combo. She swarmed on her with punches on the ground as a dazed McCormack tried to hold on and recover. Machado continued to score with punches and then took McCormack’s back. McCormack bled heavily from her nose as Machado hunted for a rear-naked choke. This continued until McCormack eventually turned over and got to her feet. Machado landed a knee and McCormack clinched with her. She held Machado against the cage until the bell. 10-8 Machado.
Round 2:
McCormack sprawled out of a Machado takedown attempt and landed a left hook on the break. She tied Machado up in a clinch against the cage and landed two elbows and a left hook. The fighters separated and McCormack landed a left hook as Machado threw a jab. Machado pushed McCormack away from a clinch and McCormack landed a stiff jab late in the round. 10-9 McCormack.
Round 3:
Machado scored with a right-left combo in round three and followed with a right hook as McCormack closed in and clinched. The fighters separated and both landed two-punch combos. Machado landed an elbow and then a right hook to McCormack’s body. Soon after, Machado landed a right hand to McCormack’s nose and McCormack clinched with her. Both women landed elbow strikes on the break and Machado scored with another right hook. Late in the round, McCormack moved forward and landed a lead right hook. 10-9 Machado.
Round 4:
McCormack pressed the action in the fourth round, but Machado landed a counter knee and caused McCormack’s face to further swell up with right hands. McCormack clinched with her against the cage and landed a left hook. She briefly got Machado down to a knee and landed a knee strike on the way up. McCormack held Machado in a body lock and then whipped her down to the mat. She landed on top in side control, but Machado spun into a heel hook attempt and McCormack stood over her. McCormack spun free from the heel hook and finished the round with punches from Machado’s half-guard. 10-9 McCormack.
Round 5:
McCormack clinched with Machado during the opening minute and then slammed her down. Machado worked back to her feet against the cage and pushed McCormack away momentarily. McCormack clinched again and took Machado down. Machado countered with an armbar from the bottom and McCormack freed her arm. She threw two short right hands from three-quarter mount and Machado got back to half-guard. McCormack stood up and kicked at Machado’s legs. 10-9 McCormack.
Winner: Danni McCormack by Unanimous Decision (49-46, 49-46, 48-47) after five rounds. She improves to 7-2-0 and becomes the new Invicta FC Strawweight Champion.
Karolina “Polish Assassin” Wójcik vs Ediana “Mel Pitbull” Silva
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Oscar Martinez. Wójcik pawed out with jabs and circled to her right until she landed a jab-cross combo. Silva stayed on the centre of the cage, but she did not throw any significant strikes and Wójcik continued to circle. Wójcik landed a leg kick and both were warned for timidity by the referee. When the fight resumed, Silva charged forward with a right hook. Wójcik resumed circling and she landed a right hook. In the final seconds, Wójcik landed a hard jab. 10-9 Wójcik.
Round 2:
Silva continued to stand in the centre of the cage while throwing very few strikes and Wójcik circled on the outside. A right hook landed for Wójcik and Silva answered with a one-two. Wójcik circled and circled until Silva landed a right hand and followed with a head kick. Silva clinched and took Wójcik’s back, but Wójcik turned into the clinch and broke free with a knee. Silva landed a left-right combo and a body kick before the bell. 10-9 Silva.
Round 3:
Time was called early in the final round when Silva was poked in the eye. Action resumed and Wójcik threw occasional jabs. Silva came up short with a right hand and Wójcik landed another jab. Swelling began to form under Silva’s right eye, but she threw jabs of her own and attempted an overhand right. The fighters exchanged right hooks in the final minute and Wójcik landed a hard jab. She blocked a head kick and the round ended in a clinch against the cage. 10-9 Wójcik by the slimmest of margins. Not a good fight.
Winner: Karolina Wójcik by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. She improves to 11-3-0.
Shauna “Mama B” Bannon vs Minna “Brutsku” Grusander
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Joel Ojeda. Bannon landed an early body kick and Grusander threw a quick combination in response. Bannon landed two more kicks and Grusander took her down into half-guard. Bannon got back to her feet and threw a head kick that was partially blocked. Bannon threw two more high kicks and Grusander landed a right-left combo. Bannon briefly held her in a standing arm-triangle choke. She pushed Grusander away and landed a body kick. In the final 20 seconds, Bannon landed another body kick and a head kick. Grusander caught the second kick and tried to take Bannon down, but Bannon wound up on top and closed out the round with hammerfists to Grusander’s face. 10-9 Bannon.
Round 2:
Grusander took Bannon’s back in a standing clinch and tried to get her down. Bannon stayed on her feet against the cage and turned into the clinch. She used an underhook to push Grusander down and took top position in Grusander’s half-guard. Grusander rolled for a kneebar and Bannon blasted her with hammerfists. She landed elbows as well and settled into Grusander’s half-guard. Bannon threw more elbows and pinned down Grusander’s left arm with her knee. Grusander’s right eye swelled up and time was called when Grusander turned her head and Bannon landed hammerfists to the back of her neck. Bannon was only given a warning for the accidental foul and Bannon threw a head kick during the final seconds. 10-9 Bannon.
Round 3:
Bannon landed two body kicks and followed with a counter combination when Grusander tried to close the distance. Another kick and an uppercut scored for Bannon, but Grusander cracked her with a lead left hook. Bannon knocked Grusander down with a side kick to the body and Grusander rolled for a kneebar on the ground. She extended Bannon’s leg, but Bannon stayed calm and peppered Grusander with right hands until Grusander eventually rolled over and gave up half-guard. Bannon postured up with elbows and then stood over Grusander. She allowed her to stand up, then threw a tornado knee strike and reversed a Grusander takedown into top position. 10-9 Bannon.
Winner: Shauna Bannon by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. She improves to 5-0-0.
Mayra Cantuária Rodrigues vs Calie “The Honey Badger” Cutler
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Oscar Martinez. Cantuária landed a straight left hand and charged forward with a flurry of punches that backed Cutler up. A strong right hook scored for Cantuária and Cutler, bleeding from her nose, tied her up in a clinch. Cantuária broke free and then took Cutler down. Cutler postured for an armbar and Cantuária stood up. Cutler followed and she dropped levels for a takedown, but Cantuária took her back and looked to set up a rear-naked choke. Cutler turned over into Cantuária’s guard and Cantuária held her in an arm-triangle choke from the bottom. Cutler escaped and landed short right hands, then avoided a Cantuária armbar and landed elbows from her half-guard. Cantuária countered with a heel hook attempt and Cutler punched her in the face. 10-9 Cantuária despite Cutler’s late rally.
Round 2:
Cutler was the aggressor in the second round, but Cantuária landed a counter right hook and held Cutler in a front headlock. She took Cutler’s back and Cutler threw back elbow strikes to Cantuária’s face. Cantuária locked on a palm-to-palm rear-naked choke that Cutler initially fought before reluctantly tapping out.
Winner: Mayra Cantuária Rodrigues by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 2:16 of round two. She improves to 10-5-1, 1 NC.
Fatima “The Archangel” Kline vs Natalia Kuziutina
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Joel Ojeda. Kuziutina attempted to take the fight to the mat with a headlock throw in the opening seconds, but Kline defended well and she threw short strikes during a clinch against the cage. The fighters separated and Kline caught a kick. She took Kuziutina’s back and somersaulted forward. Kuziutina was able to escape from back control and she got to her feet. She took Kline down into the scarf hold position and tried to set up a scarf hold armlock. Kline again defended well and she took Kuziutina’s back. Kuziutina prevented Kline from locking on a rear-naked choke and eventually got to her feet. She briefly tripped Kline, only for Kline to stand and hold Kuziutina against the cage. Back-and-forth round. 10-9 Kline.
Round 2:
Kline landed a right hook early in the second round and she took Kuziutina down into half-guard. Kline landed hammerfists and forearm strikes while keeping Kuziutina pinned down. Kuziutina eventually gave up her back when she tried to get to her feet and Kline trapped her in a body triangle. She worked for a rear-naked choke and threw short punches to the side of Kuziutina’s head. 10-9 Kline.
Round 3:
Kuziutina tried unsuccessfully to punch her way into a clinch until she finally secured a standing headlock a minute into round three. Kline freed her neck and took Kuziutina’s back. She pushed Kuziutina down and Kuziutina got to her feet. Kuziutina attempted a single-leg takedown and gave up her back again. Kline landed right hands to the side of her face and Kuziutina rose to her feet. A hard one-two scored for Kline, who sprawled out of a takedown and wound up on top in Kuziutina’s half-guard. She landed right hands and Kuziutina scrambled up to her feet. Kline got her down into back control and secured a one-arm rear-naked choke, but Kuziutina held on and Kline closed out the fight with hard right hands to her face. 10-9 Kline.
Winner: Fatima Kline by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) after three rounds. She improves to 4-0-0.
Sayury Canon vs Amanda Macioce
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Oscar Martinez. Macioce stunned Canon with a right hand early in the fight, then tried for a takedown. Canon stayed on her feet and Macioce backed her up with a barrage of punches. She bloodied Canon’s nose and a back-and-forth clinch battle ensued against the fence. When the fighters separated, Macioce spun Canon around with a leg kick and both women threw punching combinations. Time was called when Canon was kneed in the groin. The fight resumed and Canon missed with a spinning backfist. Macioce briefly took her down, but Canon stood up and Macioce chased after her with punches. She tripped Canon to a knee and threw right hands to the side of her face. 10-9 Macioce.
Round 2:
Macioce landed a hard leg kick in the second round and Canon briefly limped on it before clinching with Macioce against the cage. Macioce, bleeding heavily from her nose as well, pushed Canon away and landed a right hook. Canon scored a double-leg takedown and she almost got to mount, but Macioce worked back to her feet against the cage. Canon threw a flying switch kick to the body and a quick flurry of punches. She landed a nice right hook and a spinning backfist. 10-9 Canon.
Round 3:
Macioce hurt Canon with a leg kick in the final round, but Canon switched stances to southpaw and scored a key takedown into side control. Macioce worked back to her feet and Canon dragged her back down into back control. Once more, Macioce stood up against the cage with Canon maintaining a back clinch, and that continued until the bell. 10-9 Canon.
Winner: Sayury Canon by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. She improves to 3-0-0.
Kendra McIntyre vs Diana Sanchez
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Joel Ojeda. Sanchez tied McIntyre up in a clinch against the cage abd held back control, but she was unable to take McIntyre down and eventually fell to the ground herself. McIntyre allowed her to stand and she used her jab to set up a right cross. McIntyre closed in with a knee to the body and a combination as Sanchez backed up to the cage. Sanchez shot in for a takedown and finally got McIntyre down in the final seconds of the round. 10-9 McIntyre due to damage.
Round 2:
Sanchez took McIntyre down early in the second round, but McIntyre worked back to her feet against the cage and she sprawled out of a second Sanchez takedown attempt. The fighters separated from a clinch and McIntyre just missed with a one-two. She used her jab to keep Sanchez on the defensive. Little transpired for the next minute until McIntyre caught a kick and landed a right hand. She followed up with a three-punch combo and Sanchez slammed her down to the mat. Close round. 10-9 McIntyre.
Round 3:
McIntyre caught a kick from Sanchez and knocked her down with a leg kick. Sanchez returned to her feet and she moved forward with jabs as McIntyre’s output slowed. Sanchez managed to drag McIntyre down, but McIntyre got to her feet with Sanchez on her back. She turned into the clinch and landed knees to Sanchez’s head and body. A nice right hand also scored for McIntyre, who stuffed a takedown. The fatigued fighters traded right hands and McIntyre backed Sanchez up with two punches and a knee to the body. Sanchez got McIntyre down by rolling into an inverted heel hook attempt, but McIntyre quickly freed her leg. The round ended with Sanchez trying to secure a rear-naked choke from a partial back control. 10-9 McIntyre.
Winner: Kendra McIntyre by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. She improves to 1-0-0.