06 Jan Weekend in Fights! January 5th Edition

The first 2013 edition of Weekend in Fights! (January 5th, 2013) featured only Invicta FC 4 on Saturday night which emanated from the Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas. 26-Females stepped into the cage for Invicta’s first venture into Pay-Per-View. Which was not a successful one, in the sense that technical difficulties force the promotion to stream the card for free not a “bad buy rate.”
Headlining the event was the inaugural Strawweight (115lbs) championship bout between Redondo Beach, California native Carla Esparza squaring off against Brisbane, Queensland, Australian native Bec Hyatt. For five rounds Esparza would avoid the heavy hands of Hyatt bring the fight to the ground and work ground and pound and submission attempts. Even though Esparza has two TKOs victories in her last four bouts she respected her opponents ability to strike and exploited her weakness. Every opportunity to strike Hyatt did, even connecting with Esparza’s chin in the third round, but Esparza’s wrestling continued to bring the fight to the ground. Hyatt surprisingly didn’t attempt submissions while in guard considering she had two submission victories in her last four bouts. Esparza would unanimously win 50-45 on all three judges score cards to become the first ever Invicta FC Strawweight champion. She improves her win streak to four, while snapping Hyatt’s four win streak.
The co-main event of the evening featured Sioux Falls, South Dakota native Shayna Baszler versus Port Colborne, Ontario native and STRIKEFORCE veteran Alexis Davis in Bantamweight action. This bout was a 2010 rematch where Baszler would pick the unanimous decision. Just about three years later and two very different fighters are looking at each other across the cage. Davis didn’t let the judges render a decision this time around as she choked Baszler out cold in the third round. In the first round Baszler mistakenly pulled guard after the two exchanged a few strikes. Davis would dominate for the remainder of the round. Down a round Baszler went in for a takedown early in the second, but even with top position lost the round to the very active Davis. From her back Davis had four submission attempts, transitioning from a kimura, to a toehold, to an armbar, to a triangle before Baszler escaped and landed a punch. Davis then swept Baszler and landed some hammerfists in the closing seconds of the round. In the thrid rounds, after a few punches the two clinched, where Davis would jump onto Baszler’s back and sink in a rear-naked choke so tight, that Baszler was choked out before she could tap.
Also on the card, Sarah D’Alelio handled STRIKEFORCE veteran Amanda Nunes for three rounds in a wrestler versus striker bout, where wrestling won. Featherweight Veronica Rothenhausler won her pro MMA debut in stunning fashion with a 72-second knockout of  Katalina Malungahu. Rothenhausler and Malungahu exchanged vicious back and forth strikes, but it was Rothenhausler’s stright right that sent Malungahu crashing to mat. (Full Invicta FC 4 event results below.)
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Saturday Night Fights –
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Invicta FC results:
Carla Esparza def. Bec Hyatt via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45) – becomes 1st Invicta FC Strawweight champion
Alexis Davis def. Shayna Baszler via technical submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 3, 0:58
Leslie Smith def. Raquel Pennington via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Sarah D’Alelio def. Amanda Nunes via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)
Ediane Gomes def. Hiroko Yamanaka via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Joanne Calderwood def. Livia von Plettenberg via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
Cassie Rodish def. Stephanie Frausto via TKO (strikes) – Round 3, 1:04
Tamikka Brents def. Amanda Bell via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Jodie Esquibel def. Liz McCarthy via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
Rose Namajunas def. Emily Kagan via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 3, 3:44
Tecia Torres def. Paige VanZant via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Veronica Rothenhausler def. Katalina Malungahu via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 1:12
Laura Sanko def. Cassie Robb via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 1:07
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