Invicta FC Phoenix Rising Series 1 competitors - Photo by Dave Mandel
Invicta FC Phoenix Rising Series 1 results – A strawweight champ will be crowned
Invicta Fighting Championships returns to Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan. for the promotion’s inaugural Phoenix Rising Series tournament. The strawweight division’s top contenders battle over the course of one night, with the tournament winner being crowned Invicta FC strawweight champion.
Brazilian mixed martial artist Virna Jandiroba vacated the strawweight title to sign with the UFC.
Invicta Phoenix Rising Series 1 streams live on UFC FIGHT PASS tonight at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT.
MIZUKI, scheduled to face Sharon Jacobson in the quarterfinal round, was forced to withdraw yesterday for precautionary reasons due to complications with her weight cut. Amber Brown, previously in a reserve bout, will now face Jacobson.
Janaisa Morandin missed weight for her bout against Brianna Van Buren and was removed from the tournament. Left without an opponent after Brown replaced MIZUKI, Manjit Kolekar will now face Van Buren in the quarterfinal round.
Because this is a one-night tournament series, the first and second set of fights that competitors go through will be reduced to just one-fight minute round.
Joining play-by-play announcer Laura Sanko and color analyst Jimmy Smith, the third member of the Phoenix Rising broadcast team will be Taryn Tempel, who will handle in-cage interviews for the event.
What an exciting first fight fans were treated to as Kailin Curran and Sunna Davidsdottir had it all in their one-round affair. Knockouts, punches, kick, submission attempts, and “hellbows” as commentator Laura Sanko said. Curran wins and advances by way of split decision.
In the second fight of the night, Juliana Lima defeated Danielle Taylor, again, another split decision victory.
Brianna Van Buren looked fantastic tonight against Manjit Kolekar. Inside one round she was able to get a big slam before demonstrating a powerful top game and finishing the fight with an armbar submission.
Sharon Jacobson was having a rough start against Amber Brown, as it was Brown out was outwrestling the wrestler, but Jacobson was able to weather the storm and ground and pound her way to a unanimous decision win.
In the night’s reserve bout, Alyssa Krahn defeated Itzel Esquivel by way of split decision. If one of the ladies who won earlier in the night cannot continue later tonight, Krahn will jump in their place.
Van Buren was the only fighter who finished her opponent so she got to pick who she would fight next. She chose Juliana Lima. Van Buren dominated Lima and will advance to the finals tonight against the winner between Sharon Jacobson and Kailin Curran.
Curran defeats Jacobson by way of unanimous decision to move on to the finals and meet Van Buren.
In the night’s co-main event, the only fight that was not part of the one-night tournament, Magdalena Sormova earned his first Invicta FC win and handing Kay Hansen her very first loss with a tough split decision victory.
Van Buren gets her second submission win of the night, wins the tournament, and the title, after submitting Curran in the second round.
3 fights. 3 wins. 1 new strawweight champ!
Congrats to @115_brianna! Incredible performances all night! #PhoenixRising pic.twitter.com/XQ1eQFyKqT
— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) May 4, 2019
INVICTA PHOENIX RISING SERIES 1 RESULTS:
Strawweight Main Event:
Brianna Van Buren defeated Kailin Curran via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 3:49
Strawweight Co-Main Event:
Magdalena Sormova defeated Kay Hansen via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Strawweight Tournament Semi-final:
Kailin Curran defeated Sharon Jacobson via unanimous decision (10-9, 10-9, 10-9)
Strawweight Tournament Semi-final:
Brianna Van Buren defeated Juliana Lima via unanimous decision (10-9, 10-9, 10-9)
Strawweight Tournament Reserve:
Alyssa Krahn defeated Itzel Esquivel via split decision (10-9, 9-10, 10-9)
Strawweight Tournament Quarterfinal:
Sharon Jacobson defeated Amber Brown via unanimous decision (10-9, 10-9, 10-9)
Strawweight Tournament Quarterfinal:
Brianna Van Buren defeated Manjit Kolekar via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 3:20
Strawweight Tournament Quarterfinal:
Juliana Lima defeated Danielle Taylor via split decision (10-9, 9-10, 10-9)
Strawweight Tournament Quarterfinal:
Kailin Curran defeated Sunna Davidsdottir via split decision (10-9, 9-10, 10-9)
