Invicta Fighting Championships travelled to The Eastern in Atlanta, Georgia tonight with its latest all-female card. Invicta FC 59 was headlined by a bantamweight title matchup between champion Talita Bernardo and former flyweight titleholder Jennifer Maia, who won her Invicta FC return in August.
In the co-main event, Alejandra “Azul” Lara faced Paula Cristina “Bittencourt” dos Santos Silva in a catchweight bout at 132 pounds. Also on the card, Valesca “Tina Black” Machado battled Yasmin “Monster” Castanho in strawweight action. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for Invicta FC 59.
Invicta FC Bantamweight Championship
Jennifer Maia vs Talita Bernardo
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Nate Mann. Jabs were exchanged during the opening minute and Maia fought off one takedown attempt. Bernardo got her down on her second try and worked from the top in half-guard. Maia spun into an armbar after getting to full guard and Bernardo acted quickly to escape. She pinned Maia against the base of the cage and landed elbows to her face. 10-9 Bernardo.
Round 2:
Maia reversed a takedown in the second round and she took top position in Bernardo’s half-guard. She worked to take Bernardo’s back and tried to set up an armbar, but Bernardo shook Maia off and landed punches before standing up. Maia reversed another takedown, but Bernardo attacked with a kneebar from the bottom. Maia stayed calm and freed her leg before transitioning to an arm-triangle choke setup from the top. A fatigued Bernardo avoided danger from the choke, but Maia landed shoulder strikes to her face to finish the round. 10-9 Maia.
Round 3:
Maia easily sprawled out of a Bernardo takedown attempt in round three and then landed a hard combination of punches after stuffing a second one. Bernardo tried again to take Maia down and Maia reversed it into top position. She moved to three-quarter mount and prevented Bernardo from exploding out from the bottom. 10-9 Maia.
Round 4:
Bernardo landed a quick one-two and Maia responded with an overhand right. A combination from Maia was countered by a Bernardo takedown. Maia kicked Bernardo off and stood up, then scored a body-lock takedown into side control. She took Bernardo’s back and sunk in both hooks while flattening her out. Bernardo rolled to her side and managed to get back to half-guard as Maia threw shoulder strikes to her face. 10-9 Maia.
Round 5:
Bernardo clinched and Maia pushed her down to the mat into half-guard. Bernardo tried to sweep from the bottom and Bernardo held back control momentarily. She got too high on Maia’s back and Maia managed to turn into Bernardo’s half-guard. She passed to side control and Barnardo powered out to her knees. Maia stood and forced Bernardo to follow. Bernardo threw one front kick and Maia backed her up against the cage. Close final round. 10-9 Maia.
Winner: Jennifer Maia by Unanimous Decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46) after five rounds. She improves to 23-10-1 and becomes the new Invicta FC Bantamweight Champion.
“Rad” Riley Martinez vs Jackie “The Hybrid” Cataline
*Fight cancelled prior to start of event.*
Paula Cristina “Bittencourt” dos Santos Silva vs Alejandra “Azul” Lara
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Nate Mann. The fighters clinched and Lara pinned dos Santos Silva against the cage. Dos Santos Silva countered with a knee to the body and she briefly took Lara’s back. A hard elbow landed for dos Santos Silva and Lara responded with three looping punches as the fighters separated. Another clinch battle ensued soon after and both women landed knees to the body. Dos Santos Silva threw an elbow over the top and circled away, then followed with a right hand and Lara answered with a straight left. Close opening round. 10-9 dos Santos Silva.
Round 2:
Lara threw a hook kick that grazed dos Santos Silva’s face to begin the second round. Dos Santos Silva attempted a leg sweep takedown and Lara stayed on her feet. Three hard knees to the upper body landed for dos Santos Silva as Lara held her against the cage. Dos Santos Silva circled out and landed a lead left hook before Lara initiated another clinch. Dos Santos Silva broke away again and she landed a right hook. Lara blocked a head kick and landed a left cross as dos Santos Silva threw a right hook. Dos Santos Silva stuffed a takedown and landed another right hook. 10-9 dos Santos Silva.
Round 3:
Quick punches were exchanges to open the final round and dos Santos Silva bloodied Lara’s nose with a right hook. A quick jab-cross combo scored for dos Santos Silva and she punched her way free from a brief clinch. Dos Santos Silva landed a leg kick and a four-punch flurry. Lara grazed with an elbow and threw a head kick that was blocked. She landed a straight left hand and dos Santos Silva answered with two rights. Lara landed a body kick with just over one minute to go. Dos Santos Silva landed two right hooks and Lara countered with a liver kick. 10-9 dos Santos Silva.
Winner: Paula Cristina dos Santos Silva by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) after three rounds. She improves to 7-3-0.
Valesca “Tina Black” Machado vs Yasmin “Monster” Castanho
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Jason Collins. Very little transpired in the opening minute until Castanho shot in for a takedown and Machado sprawled. She knocked Castanho down with a right hand and Castanho returned to her feet. Machado landed two short right hands and avoided another takedown attempt from Castanho. An overhand right scored for Machado and Castanho continued to throw zero strikes. She almost got Machado down late in the round, but Machado sprawled and landed two kicks after returning to her feet. 10-9 Machado.
Round 2:
As Castanho threw a front kick, Machado countered with two right hooks. She landed a quick one-two and sprawled out of two Castanho takedown attempts. A big right hook landed for Machado and Castanho continued to offer nothing for her on the feet. Machado dropped her to a knee with a right hand and tried to take Castanho’s back. She maintained partial back control during the final minute of the round. 10-9 Machado.
Round 3:
Machado sprawled out of a Castanho takedown attempt and she landed a right hook. Castanho was unable to land anything significant at all and Machado refused to allow her to get a takedown. Machado landed punches and elbows to the sides of Castanho’s head as Castanho tried in vain to drag her down. Castanho dropped to her knees and Machado took partial back control while landing right hands and knees. 10-9 Machado.
Winner: Valesca Machado by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. She improves to 15-4-0, 1 NC.
Ana “La Guererra” Palacios vs Monique Adriane
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Nate Mann. Adriane dropped Palacios with a looping right hook during the opening two minutes, but Palacios quickly returned to her feet and she threw leg kicks until Adriane caught one and knocked her down. Palacios stood again and landed a body kick. As Adriane threw a right hook, Palacios countered with a head kick, but Adriane barely flinched. Palacios darted in and out with one-twos and briefly tripped Adriane, but Adriane took Palacios’s back in a standing clinch. 10-9 Adriane.
Round 2:
Palacios jabbed and threw a few front kicks to Adriane’s body and upper thigh in the second round. She followed with a liver kick and Adriane grazed with an overhand right. Palacios scored with a huge right hook and Adriane was completely unfazed. She grabbed on to Palacios’s leg and backed her up to the cage. Palacios threw right hands and freed her leg before circling away. She landed a combination to Adriane’s body and finished with a right hand over the top. Adriane landed two body kicks before the bell. 10-9 Palacios.
Round 3:
Right hooks were exchanged early in the final round and Palacios threw side kicks until Adriane landed a combination. Palacios landed more kicks to Adriane’s leg and body, then followed with an overhand right. Adriane struggled to land much and Palacios scored with another body kick. Adriane clinched and landed a knee before Palacios turned her around against the cage. The fighters separated and Palacios countered a jab with a leg kick. 10-9 Palacios.
Winner: Ana Palacios by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) after three rounds. She improves to 10-3-1.
Fernanda Orellana vs Ashley “Smashley” Barrett
Round 1:
Referee for this bout is Jason Collins. Barrett tied Orellana up in a clinch and the fighters traded hard knees to the body. Barrett continued to throw knees until Orellana broke free with an elbow over the top. A big one-two dropped Orellana, but she returned to her feet against the cage and reversed a takedown from Barrett. She took Barrett’s back and worked for a rear-naked choke, but Barrett defended. She turned over into Orellana’s guard and avoided an armbar. A scramble ensued and Orellana wound up on top again after shaking Barrett off of her back. She locked on a guillotine choke as Barrett stood up, but time expired. Close, back-and-forth round. 10-9 Barrett due to the knockdown and early clinch strikes.
Round 2:
Orellana landed a spinning backfist early in the second round. She reversed a clinch and held Barrett against the fence. Barrett used a headlock throw to get Orellana down into side control. Orellana got to full guard and postured for a triangle choke and an armbar. She went belly-down with the armbar and Barrett managed to spin free. Barrett took Orellana’s back and hunted for a neck crank. Another close round. 10-9 Orellana by a slim margin.
Round 3:
Barrett took Orellana down into half-guard and put pressure on Orellana’s throat with her shoulder. The fighters exchanged punches on the ground after Orellana got back to full guard. Orellana then attacked with an armbar, but the cage prevented her from extending Barrett’s arm. Orellana adjusted her grip and pulled back on Barrett’s arm, then switched to an omoplata. Barrett escaped and she took Orellana’s back in a seated position. Orellana turned over and promptly took Barrett’s back. She locked on a rear-naked choke and Barrett tapped out.
Winner: Fernanda Orellana by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 4:24 of round three. She improves to 3-0-0.