Rose Namajunas and Paige VanZant
“TUF 20” finalist Rose Namajunas put herself back in UFC women’s strawweight title contention with one of her most dominant victories to date on Thursday night at “UFC Fight Night 80: Namajunas vs. VanZant” in Las Vegas. Namajunas, who stepped into the main event on short notice, submitted Paige VanZant in the fifth round of a one-sided matchup.
Namajunas (4-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) had her UFC title hopes dashed one year ago when she was defeated by Carla Esparza at Thw Ultimate Fighter 20 Finale, but she followed up on her submission victory at UFC 192 in October by dismantling VanZant (6-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC) this past Thursday night.
Namajunas scored a takedown in Round 1 and bloodied VanZant’s right cheek with elbows. She threatened with a rear-naked choke and battered VanZant with punches before the bell. It was more of the same in Rounds 2 through 4, and Namajunas easily got the better of the striking exchanges on the feet. She had VanZant in all sorts of trouble on the mat with tight rear-naked chokes and armbars, but VanZant, just as she has done throughout her pro career, refused to submit and found a way to escape each time.
In Round 5, however, VanZant ran out of options. Namajunas took her down and transitioned to back control once again. She locked on a rear-naked choke and VanZant could not squirm free. She reluctantly tapped out for the first time in her career at the 2:25 mark of Round 5.
Including her three unofficial bouts during “TUF 20,” Namajunas is 5-1 since transitioning to the UFC from Invicta FC in early 2014. All of her professional victories have come via submission.
Earlier on the UFC Fight Night 80 card, strawweight prospect Kailin Curran (4-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC) picked up a crucial victory over Emily Kagan (3-3 MMA, 0-2 UFC). Both fighters scored takedowns in the opening round and Curran attempted a triangle choke shortly before the bell. In Round 2, Curran bloodied Kagan’s face with punches and she reversed a takedown into back control. Curran secured a rear-naked choke and Kagan tapped out at the 4:13 mark of Round 2.
Tecia Torres shuts down Jocelyn Jones-Lybarger at UFC 194
Tecia Torres and Jocelyn Jones-Lybarger
Two days after Namajunas and VanZant took to the cage, a common opponent earned a key victory at “UFC 194: Aldo vs. McGregor” in Las Vegas. Strawweight standout Tecia Torres (7-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC), who holds wins over both Namajunas and VanZant, defeated RFA champ Jocelyn Jones-Lybarger (6-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) on the UFC 194 preliminary card.
Torres was initially slated to face former Invicta FC champion Michelle Waterson on Saturday night, but an injury forced Waterson off of the card and opened the door for Jones-Lybarger, who went 4-0 for RFA and most recently dominated Zoila Frausto in an October title fight.
Rounds 1 and 2 were predominantly contested in the clinch, where Torres scored with short punches and knees. She reversed a takedown late in the middle stanza and finished the round strong with ground and pound. In Round 3, Torres landed flurries on the feet that caused Jones-Lybarger’s left eye to swell up. Torres swarmed on her wounded opponent with more big punches that forced Jones-Lybarger to retreat to the cage wall in the final minute.
All three judges scored the fight 30-27 for Torres, who took home a unanimous-decision victory and joined Namajunas on a short list of 115-pound title contenders.
Seo Hee Ham outpoints Cortney Casey at UFC Fight Night 79 in Seoul
Seo Hee Ham and Cortney Casey
Competing in front of a partisan crowd, former Deep Jewels champion Seo Hee Ham (16-6 MMA, 1-1 UFC) won for the first time inside the octagon on Nov. 28 at “UFC Fight Night 79: Henderson vs. Masvidal” in Seoul, South Korea. The talented striker defeated Cortney Casey (4-3 MMA, 0-2 UFC) in a featured strawweight bout that was contested entirely on the feet.
Ham got off to a good start by landing crisp left hands in the opening round, but Casey rocked her with a head kick and a counter flurry. The fighters traded big power punches before the bell. In Round 2, Ham kept Casey on the defensive with punching flurries. She stunned Casey with a left cross and a body kick early in the final round and continued to target Casey’s midsection with kicks as Casey began to slow down.
After three competitive rounds, Ham was awarded a unanimous-decision victory with scores of 29-28 across the board. She has won seven of her past eight fights.
Sarah Kaufman meets Valentina Shevchenko at UFC on FOX 17
Former Strikeforce women’s bantamweight champion Sarah Kaufman has received a new opponent for her upcoming fight on Saturday night at “UFC on FOX 17: Dos Anjos vs. Cerrone 2” in Orlando, Fla. Kaufman (17-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC), who was first set to face Germaine de Randamie, now takes on octagon newcomer Valentina Shevchenko (12-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC).
Kaufman has competed just twice since her October 2013 UFC debut was declared a no decision when opponent Jessica Eye tested positive for marijuana metabolites. She earned her first UFC win in April 2014 by defeating Leslie Smith for a second time, but sat out for a full year before suffering a submission loss to Alexis Davis in the pair’s trilogy fight at UFC 186.
Shevchenko steps in on short notice in place of an injured de Randamie and brings a four-fight winning streak into her octagon debut. Born in Kyrgyzstan, and now fighting out of Peru, Shevchenko has competed all over the world during her storied combat sports career that includes more than 60 kickboxing matches. Her lone MMA defeat came in September 2010 when she was stopped by former UFC and Strikeforce title challenger Liz Carmouche.
Invicta FC 15 card complete, Cris Cyborg now headlines
Invicta Fighting Championships kicks off the new year with a nine-fight card on Jan. 16 in Costa Mesa, Calif. Invicta FC 15 is headlined by a featherweight championship bout between dominant champion Cristiane Justino (14-1) and Russian challenger Daria Ibragimova (9-1).
Justino has reigned supreme atop Invicta FC’s 145-pound division since July 2013 when she became the promotion’s first and only featherweight champion by stopping Marloes Coenen. She has made two successful title defenses, but some fans have recently become frustrated with Justino frequently changing her mind about whether she will or will not ever drop down to 135 or 140 pounds for “super fights.” In January, Justino remains at featherweight and puts her title on the line for a third time.
Ibragimova enters her Invicta FC debut as a significant underdog and as a relative unknown to North American fans, but she has put together a seven-fight winning streak that includes six first-round stoppages. Her lone defeat came in March 2010 when she was submitted by current Invicta FC fighter Cindy Dandois. Like Justino, Ibragimova has also finished most of her fights in quick fashion. Seven of her professional victories have come via tapout.
In the Invicta FC 15 co-feature, strawweight champion Livia Renata Souza (8-0) puts her title on the line for the first time against unbeaten challenger DeAnna Bennett (8-0). Souza captured the belt by submitting Katja Kankaanpaa in the Invicta FC 12 main event. Seven of her eight wins have come via submission. Bennett is 4-0 inside the Invicta FC cage and most recently eked out a contentious decision win over Kankaanpaa in September, but she failed to make weight for the bout and will not have an extra one-pound allowance against Souza.
Bantamweight rising star Raquel Pa’aluhi (5-4) looks for her fourth straight win when she battles Colleen Schneider (9-6) in a potential title eliminator. Pa’aluhi is coming off of a big win over Ediane Gomes, while Schneider has won three in a row since her loss at Invicta FC 11.
Invicta FC 15 also features two “TUF 20” contestants who compete for Invicta FC following disappointing stints in the UFC. Lisa Ellis (15-10) drops back down to atomweight to face one of Invicta FC’s top 105-pound talents, Amber Brown (5-1), who destroyed Catherine Costigan in July. Angela Hill (2-2) hopes to rebound from back-to-back losses inside the octagon when she makes her Invicta FC debut against Jodie Esquibel (5-1), who has won three of her four Invicta FC bouts and now moves up to strawweight.
Rounding out the action, Deep Jewels champion Mizuki Inoue (9-4) takes on Lacey Schuckman (11-8) at strawweight, Amanda Bell (3-3) squares off against Ediane Gomes(10-4) in featherweight action, Christine Stanley (4-1) clashes with Shannon Sinn (2-2) in a flyweight bout, and knockout artist Amber Leibrock (1-0) opens the card against Megan Anderson (4-2) in a featherweight matchup.
Naho Sugiyama, Emi Tomimatsu among winners at Deep Jewels 10
Former Jewels champion and Invicta FC title challenger Naho Sugiyama (11-4) returned from a 14-month hiatus and posted a unanimous-decision victory on Nov. 23 at Deep Jewels 10 in Tokyo. Sugiyama edged out highly-touted opponent Mina Kurobe (5-2) after three competitive rounds in the atomweight headliner.
Round 1 was a very even one and both fighters tried unsuccessfully for takedowns in a series of clinch battles. Sugiyama showcased improved striking in Rounds 2 and 3, and she pressed forward aggressively with punches. Kurobe used her jab to create space, but Sugiyama hurt her with a flurry before the final bell. All three judges scored the fight for Sugiyama, who has won three of her four Deep Jewels bouts.
In the 105-pound co-main event, former Deep Jewels interim strawweight champion Emi Tomimatsu (10-10) narrowly defeated Satomi Takano (7-7) after three hard-fought rounds. Takano scored a takedown into mount in Round 1 and she took Tomimatsu’s back soon after. Tomimatsu escaped to her feet and rallied back with hard punches in Rounds 2 and 3. Takano pinned her in the corner late in the final round, but Tomimatsu countered with a kimura. The close bout went to the scorecards and Tomimatsu prevailed via a razor-thin split decision.
Deep Jewels 10 also featured five “Deep Jewels vs. Team Date” bouts. In strawweight MMA action, recent Deep Jewels title challenger Emi Fujino (17-9) took a unanimous-decision win over 17-year-old kickboxer Nori Date (0-1) in a three-round bout that was much closer than many had anticipated. Date successfully fought off most of Fujino’s takedown attempts by landing powerful hammerfists to the sides of Fujino’s head, but key takedowns in Round 1 and late in Round 3 allowed Fujino to mount Date. This left a lasting impression with the judges, who rewarded Fujino for her ground control with a decision victory.
Team Date’s lone victory on the card came in the form of a two-round unanimous-decision win for 18-year-old Hana Date (1-0), who upset Pan Hui (1-1) in an atomweight bout. Date stunned Hui with a back fist in Round 1 and battered her with knees in the second stanza en route to a clear-cut victory on the judges’ scorecards.
Earlier on the card, Sachiko Fujimori (4-1) quickly stopped Karei Date (0-1) in a professional strawweight bout. Fujimori took Date down and landed numerous punches from mount until the fight was waved off at the 1:37 mark of Round 1. Natsumi Okubo threatened with a series of kimura attempts en route to a unanimous-decision victory over Daiichi Date in a grappling match. Opening up the card, Reina Miura submitted Nao Date with a scarf hold armlock in Round 1 of their amateur bantamweight bout, but the fight was officially declared a no contest due to Miura’s inability to make the contracted weight limit.
Stephanie Page victorious in 100% Fight 26 headliner
French MMA promotion 100% Fight showcased its 26th fight card, dubbed “Ladies First,” on Nov. 28 in Paris. The all-female event was headlined by a professional bantamweight bout between French prospect Stephanie Page and Spain’s Esther Cardenas. Full results for the six-fight card are listed below.
Bantamweight – Stephanie Page (2-1) def. Esther Cardenas (0-3) via TKO (punches) at the 3:13 mark of Round 2.
Atomweight – Samantha Jean-Francois (2-1) def. Laila Sekaf (0-2-1) via submission (armbar) at the 1:53 mark of Round 1.
Bantamweight – Sandra Ameziane (2-0) def. Sandrine Bouhet (1-1) via TKO (punches) at the 2:39 mark of Round 1.
Flyweight – Clemence Schreiber (2-4) def. Maguy Berchel (2-1) via submission (armbar) at the 4:59 mark of Round 1.
Strawweight – Judith Levi (1-0) def.Amelie Lebrun (0-5-1) via unanimous decision.
Flyweight – Elodie Giorla (1-0) def. Clemence Follea (0-1) via unanimous decision.
Quick results
Catchweight (119) – Karla Benitez (13-8) def. Kseniya Lachkova (5-1) via unanimous decision at “Orenburg MMA Federation: Scythian Gold 2015” on Nov. 21 in Orenburg, Russia.
Strawweight – Bryony Tyrell (1-0) def. Jade Barker (0-1) via TKO (punches) at the 4:02 mark of Round 2 at Shock n Awe 21 on Nov. 21 in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England.
Strawweight – Melissa Sophia Karagianis (1-0) def. Andy Nguyen (1-2) via split decision at “Caribbean Ultimate Fist Fighting 9: Canadian Invasion” on Nov. 21 in Woodbrook, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
Flyweight – Istela Nunes (2-0) def. Maria Vega (0-2) via unanimous decision at 3 Frontier Challenge on Nov. 21 in Ciudad del Este, Alto Parana, Paraguay.
Strawweight – Also on the 3 Frontier Challenge card, Zunilda Borja (1-0) def. Monica Quiroga (0-1) via unanimous decision.
Flyweight – Sabina Mazo (2-0) def. Reina Cordoba (8-1) via split decision at Center Real Fights 19 on Nov. 21 in San Jose, Costa Rica.
Strawweight – Alyse Anderson (1-0) def. Chrissie Daniels (2-2) via TKO (knees and punches) at the 4:21 mark of Round 1 at “Total Warrior Combat 28: Townsend vs. Lozano” on Nov. 21 in Lansing, Mich.
Catchweight (149) – Jan Finney (9-12) def. Allanna Jones (2-6) via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) at “Alpha One Sports: IT Fight Series 38” on Nov. 21 in Dayton, Ohio.
Bantamweight title – Shanna Young (3-0) def. Christina Jobe (2-1) via TKO (retirement) at the 5:00 mark of Round 3 at “King of the Cage: Bear Brawl” on Nov. 21 in Carlton, Minn.
Also on the King of the Cage card, Heather Bassett (3-2) def. Taylor Turner (1-2) via submission (rear-naked choke) at the 1:39 mark of Round 1 in a flyweight bout, and Pam Sorenson (1-0) def. Moriel Charneski (2-3) via unanimous decision in bantamweight action.
Strawweight – Angela Danzig (1-1) def. Stephanie Gonzalez (0-1) via unanimous decision at California Fight League 5 on Nov. 21 in Fort Irwin, Calif.
Strawweight – Maria Vittoria Colonna (1-0) def. Samin Kamal Beik (0-1) via TKO (punches) at the 3:02 mark of Round 2 at “Storm Fighting Championship: Storm Fight Night 2015” on Nov. 27 in Rome, Italy.
Bantamweight – Eeva Siiskonen (5-3-1) def. Diana Belbita (4-2) via split decision at Lappeenranta Fight Night 14 on Nov. 28 in Lappeenranta, South Karelia, Finland.
Bantamweight – Lina Akhtar Lansberg (5-1) def. Lucie Pudilova (3-1) via unanimous decision at Battle of Botnia 2015 on Nov. 28 in Umea, Vasterbotten, Sweden.
Flyweight – Ariane Lipski (6-3) def. Katarzyna Lubonska (3-1) via TKO (punch and body kick) at the 3:25 mark of Round 2 at “KSW 33: Materla vs. Khalidov” on Nov. 28 in Krakow, Poland.
Strawweight title – Viviane Pereira (10-0) def. Vanessa Guimaraes (4-3) via submission (armbar) at the 4:08 mark of Round 3 at XFC International 12 on Nov. 28 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Also on the XFC International 12 card, Vanessa Melo (5-4) def. Molly McCann (1-1) via unanimous decision in a flyweight bout, and Daniela Maria da Silva (4-2) def. Hellen Bastos (2-3) via unanimous decision in strawweight action.
Atomweight – Thaty Bergamaschi (6-0) def. Maria Oliveira Mota (1-2) via majority decision at New Corpore Extreme 3 on Nov. 28 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Bantamweight – Also on the New Corpore Extreme 3 card, Nubia Santos do Nascimento (1-2) def. Pri Thai (0-1) via unanimous decision.
Strawweight title – Polyana Viana Mota (7-1) def. Amanda Ribas (5-1) via knockout (punches) at the 2:54 mark of Round 1 at Jungle Fight 83 on Nov. 28 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Bantamweight – Nicole Upshaw (1-0) def. Bryanna Fissori (2-2) via TKO (punches) at the 1:46 mark of Round 3 at Pancrase 272 on Nov. 28 in Honolulu, Hawaii.
