The final Invicta FC card of 2017 is in the books!
Invicta FC put on its final show of 2017 on Friday. Airing live on UFC Fight Pass, Invicta FC 26 was headlined by a flyweight title bout between champ Jennifer Maia and Aga Niedźwiedź. In the co-main event, newly signed jiu-jitsu ace Mackenzie Dern made her promotional debut, taking on the gritty Kaline Medeiros.
Also on the card, former title challenger Vanessa Porto squared off against former UFC fighter Milana Dudieva.
In the main event, Maia and Niedźwiedź battled it out for five rounds. While it wasn’t the thriller that Maia’s last bout against Roxanne Modafferi was, it certainly was a display of the champ’s excellent counter-striking. While Niedźwiedź did find some success when she caught a kick and got the fight down at the end of the first round, she had difficultly replicating the feat as the bout wore on. Ultimately, it went to the judges, with all three seeing it for Maia.
The co-main event was the more curious affair. Despite her BJJ pedigree, Mackenzie Dern opted to stand and bang with Kaline Medeiros. And bang she did. Dern, who looked outclassed on the feet early, began uncorking a heavy overhand right that caught Medeiros several times. Dern would then charge after her, albeit somewhat recklessly. Still, it was enough to have the fight leaning in her favor by the third round. Not that it would matter. Dern sealed the deal with an arm-bar with less than thirty seconds remaining in the fight, maintaining her perfect record.
A couple of earlier fights stole the show on the night, however. Vanessa Porto and Milana Dudieva were in a war for the better part of their bout. With Dudieva finding some success with the takedowns and ground and pound, it felt like an upset could be brewing. Porto, however, came on strong in the third and cornered the ex-UFC fighter, dropping her with a body shot.
Kinberly Novaes vs. Janaisa Morandin also turned out to be a bloody battle, with Morandin wailing away on her foe. Novaes, however, refused to be stopped, and the bout wound up going the distance.
You can relive some of Invicta FC 26’s best action in the gallery below!
