Invicta FC 26: Maia vs. Niedźwiedź Results and Recap

December 8, 2017

Jennifer Maia vs. Aga Niedzwiedz at Invicta FC 26 — Jennifer Maia vs. Aga Niedzwiedz Credit: Dave Mandel, Invicta FC

A flyweight title scrap, plus the debut of a jiu-jitsu wizard topped Friday’s Invicta FC 26.

Invicta FC returned to its home base in Kansas City, MO to close out 2017 in style! With a flyweight title fight between top 125lb’ers Jennifer Maia and Agnieszka Niedźwiedź, plus the promotional debut of BJJ phenom Mackenzie Dern, fight fans were in for a treat at Invicta FC 26.

In the main event, Maia was returning to action for the first time in over a year. Last time out, she defended her belt against Roxanne Modafferi, who recently challenged for UFC gold. Niedźwiedź, meanwhile, entered the night a perfect 10-0, and was looking to stake her claim as the best fighter in the flyweight division.

Airing exclusively on UFC Fight Pass, Invicta FC 26 kicked off at 7PM CT. Check back below for a recap and full results!

Kay Hansen vs. Emilee Prince

Kay Hansen didn’t take long to get the card’s opening bout to the ground. Nor did she take long to get the night’s first submission. With Emilee Prince briefly giving up the back, it wasn’t more than a minute or so before Hansen was able to grab an arm, get her legs in position, and get the tap!

Kay Hansen def. Emilee Prince by submission (arm-bar), Round 1, 1:23

Karina Rodriguez vs. Christine Ferea

The evening’s second bout, Rodriguez vs. Ferea didn’t wait long to get the sparks flying. Opening with a number of spirited exchanges and solid kicks, the pair then moved to the fence. There the duo exchanged knees in a Thai clinch before breaking. Rodriguez would get her kicks going subsequent to that, with the bout being contested on the feet through the first round. Ferea would look for a takedown toward’s the end of the first, but was unable to complete it.

Round two opened with Rodriguez pressing, working her jab and kicks to the body and legs. Ferea countered, but seemed to be showing some damage to a leg. By the mid-way point of the frame, Rodriguez had found her range, and was connecting clean with several punches. Ferea still held the edge in power, but Karina had the edge in volume. Ferea managed to get her own kicks going, with each landing with a crack. As the round progressed, the pair engaged in an exciting and downright fun back and forth scrap, with Ferea showing some damage to the nose.

The back-and-forth action continued in the third. Rodriguez went high early along the cage with a kick. She followed that up with a knee. Ferea would answer back with power shots of her own, with the two consistently engaging, and neither woman wanting to back down. Ferea looked to find a home for her right hand; Rodriguez continued to flash kicks, which were her deadliest weapon. They swung right to the bell, rock ’em sock ’em style.

Karina Rodriguez def. Christine Ferea by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Amber Brown vs. Tessa Simpson

The third fight in, Brown vs. Simpson was contested at a catchweight after Amber Brown missed the atomweight limit. They went to the ground early, with some quick transitions, then Brown latched onto an arm. Looking to finish quick, Brown extended the limb, but Simpson was able to hold on. Not for long though — Brown refused to let up, and got the tap!

Amber Brown def. Tessa Simpson by submission (arm-bar), Round 1, 0:50

Amy Montenegro vs. Virna Jandiroba

In the second of four straight catchweight bouts, Brazil’s Virna Jandiroba took on Amy Montenegro. Jandiroba opened with a kick and threatened with her jab to create distance. Montenegro then got her own jab going. She stayed low, and went to the body a couple of times for good measure. Jandiroba connected with a right hand, and just around the three minute mark, shot in and landed a quick takedown. That led to yet another arm-bar submission! Jandiroba gets the tap to stay undefeated.

Virna Jandiroba def. Amy Montenegro by submission (arm-bar), Round 1, 2:50

Vanessa Porto vs. Milana Dudieva

Porto vs. Dudieva started off with Porto threatening with her heavy hands and strong leg kicks. Dudieva held her own, however, then executed a throw along the fence. Scoring the takedown, she was able to move to side control, and land a number of shots with her free hand wrapped around Porto. Porto would power up, but was quickly taken down again, cage grab not withstanding. Dudieva had the back quickly, and began landing blow after blow from above. Porto could do little more than cover up, and when she sat up, Dudieva, with her hooks in, looked for the rear-naked choke. Porto was able to reverse position, however, and wound up in Dudiea’s half guard working a head and arm choke. While Dudieva survived that scare, Porto ended the round in mount landing a few final shots.

The second round, Dudieva would have been forgiven to looking to get things back to the ground. Instead, the opening minutes were contested on the feet, with Porto having the edge. An eye poke on Dudieva then halted the action, and the cage side doctor checked on the fighter. Though it looked particularly nasty, Dudieva was able to continue. Back underway, she finally opted to try to get things back to the canvas. However, after catching a Porto kick, she couldn’t get the fight down. Porto would try for a trip of her own and also fail to take her opponent down. She did, however, land a knee off the break.

In the third, Porto began to pull ahead. Landing multiple kicks and pushing her foe back against the fence, she was landing more and more frequently. Getting the better of Dudieva in nearly every exchange, she finally trapped her against the cage and unleashed a heavy body shot, dropping her. That was all she wrote.

Vanessa Porto def. Milana Dudieva by TKO, Round 3, 3:02

Kinberly Novaes vs. Janaisa Morandin

Though Janaisa Morandin lost out on original opponent Mizuki Inoue, she found a spirited dance partner in Kinberly Novaes. The pair went to the fence and jockeyed for position early. However, after something of a stalemate, they reset in the middle. There, Morandin got her hands going, landing hard on Novaes before pushing her into the cage. Novaes was able to reverse, and control for a few moments, but once Morandin broke free, she again let her hands lose. The pair swung to the bell to cap off a solid first round.

Round two wound up being a bloody war. Morandin scored with a front kick to the head of Novaes. Whether it was the kciks, or the strikes that followed, Novaes wound up bloodied. Not out, however, she weathered the storm to try to press her opponent against the cage, looking to make something happen. Morandin, however, was able to impose her will, reversing position. She’d land a number of elbows, and later some big, big body shots to the midsection of her opponent. Novaes survived the round, but things were not looking good.

The pair kept throwing in round three, where Morandin’s leg was showing redness from some Novaes kicks. Novaes missed with a spinning back fist, but Morandin would later find the mark with a spinning kick along the fence. Novaes was looking worse for the wear, and Morandin was throwing bombs. Kinberly was looking to the clock as the round wore down, exhausted. With Novaes unable to find an answer for the dangerous Morandin, but too tough to be finished, they’d go to the final bell.

Janaisa Morandin def. Kinberly Novaes by unanimous decisino (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Mackenzie Dern vs. Kaline Medeiros

Mackenzie Dern has been one of the hottest prospects on the female side of the sport over the past couple of years. At Invicta FC 26, she made her promotional debut against Kaline Medeiros, and all eyes were on the BJJ champ. Medeiros opened with a leg kick, and stayed mobile, no doubt wary of the takedown. Darn ate a number of punches coming in that she clearly felt, but she continued to press. After looking like she might be vastly outmatched in the striking department, Dern then connected with a hard overhand right of her own. She changed Medeiros down and they clinched against the cage. Shortly after, a second overhand right from Dern landed, and while she lacked the finesse of Medeiros, she certainly displayed some power. Curiously, the only takedown in the round came from Medeiros, who wisely chose not to stay on the ground with Mackenzie Dern.

Medeiros opened throwing some heavy overhands early, and it looked like both women had decided to swing for the fences. Dern went to the body with a kick, and later, another overhand that connected. She would try to swarm Medeiros, looking to land some follow-up strikes but had a kick caught and was pushed back to the fence. When the fight finally went to the ground, Dern’s dominance on the mat immediately was on display. Threatening immediately, looking for a leg, she wouldn’t get the sub, but finished the round in mount, dropping punches as Medeiros covered up.

Medeiros opened round three throwing Dern to the canvas, but refused to follow her there when Dern sent the invitation. Dern landed an uppercut along the cage, then a knee, and went to work on a single leg. Medeiros fought this takedown attempt off and reversed. She’d look to score with knees of her own. Medeiros would press for a time, and land some shots of the break. Back in the middle, Dern would land another overhand right. Medeiros’ corner urged her to keep coming forward, but it was Dern pressing the action. She would land a trip in the final minute of the action, and immediately get into mount. From there, she dropped a big elbow that forced Medeiros to her back. Crucial mistake. Dern grabbed an arm, and in an instant had an arm-bar locked him, securing the tap!

Mackenzie Dern def. Kaline Medeiros by submission (arm-bar), Round 3, 4:45

Jennifer Maia vs. Agnieszka Niedźwiedź

Aga held the center of the cage early, while Maia looked to counter. She got some combos going, while Niedźwiedź was sticking with single strikes. With Maia finding success on the feet from the outset, Niedźwiedź changed levels for a takedown. However, she was stuffed and pressed up against the fence instead. Throughout the round, Maia seemed to be well in control, but towards the final minute, Niedźwiedź caught a kick and dumped her on her back. Aga was able to do some damage from the top, while Maia threatened toward’s the dying moments with a triangle.

Niedźwiedź clipped Maia just seconds into round two, opening up the possibility of a momentum shift. Maia, however, drove her into the fence, buying time to recover. When the action resumed, Maia was able to maintain control, pressing the action and winning the striking battle. With Aga unable to get the find to the ground, Maia was able to dictate both pace and position.

Another quick flurry started the third, after which the pair settled in. Niedźwiedź finally got the fight down again, changing levels and shooting forward. Maia, however, was active off her back. With Niedźwiedź in half-guard, Maia fought her back to a closed guard. Aga would stay heavy, then posture up; Maia was able to escape, and clinch with Niedźwiedź against the fence. Heading to the championship rounds, it felt as if Maia was in the driver’s seat.

Maia continued to dictate the pace in the fourth round, opening with a combo that saw at least one shot hit home. Following that, she once again pressed Aga into the fence. With her hands clasped behind Niedźwiedź’s back, the challenger was unable to escape or reverse. When the action finally moved, Aga was again pressed up against the wall, and ate a number of knees in the clinch. This time, however, she was able to get off some offense of her own, and reverse briefly.

The fifth saw more of a standup battle, with less grappling on the fence and more action out in the open. Maia proved her counter-striking was on point, getting the better of Aga in most exchanges. The challenger was soon showing damage around the eyes, accumulated over all five rounds. Nose bloodied, she carried on. Knowing she needed a finish, in the dying moments of the fight she went all out, throwing with abandon. It wasn’t enough, however, and it went to the scorecards.

No surprise on this one – Jennifer Maia was awarded the unanimous decision, defending her flyweight title once again.

Jennifer Maia (c) def. Agnieszka Niedźwiedź by unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46)