Invicta FC 15 Results: ‘Cyborg vs. Ibragimova’ Play-by-Play, Updates & Round-by-Round Scoring

Megan Anderson vs. Amber Leibrock

Round 1

Leibrock cuts angles around the outside and decks the centered Anderson with a pair of hard right hands over the top. Anderson flicks out some long punches but winds up eating two more big right hands, and now she looks hurt. On wobbly legs, Anderson tries to clinch up away from the fence, but she’s reversed and shoved against the fence. The featherweights separate 90 seconds into the bout, and as they do, Anderson connects with a hard clinch knee to Leibrock’s jaw. Leibrock staggers backward as Anderson charges on her, running to the other side of the cage and pinning Leibrock to the fence with an underhook. Anderson switches to a single-leg, can’t get the takedown and comes upright to touch Leibrock’s face with another knee. Referee John McCarthy splits up the fighters after an inactive stretch in the clinch, now with 1:40 remaining. Back to the clinch goes Anderson, forcing Leibrock up against a post, where the 145ers trade knees inside. Anderson leans over to try a high double-leg takedown but Leibrock does well to keep her balance and finishes the round on her feet. 10-9 Anderson.

Round 2

It’s only a matter of seconds before Anderson once again traps Leibrock against the fence. Leibrock tries to reverse and then goes for a head-and-arm throw, but the Australian stays based and maintains the outside position. There’s not much activity in the clinch, so referee McCarthy breaks up the fighters about midway through the round. Leibrock tries to attack with kicks, gets countered by Anderson’s left hook. Anderson runs her against the fence again and pulls down Leibrock’s head to deliver a couple more knee strikes. Leibrock seems to be fading quickly, leaking blood from her nose as Anderson backs up a step to connect with half a dozen punches and forearms.

Leibrock runs Anderson to the other side of the cage and gets reversed straight away. Anderson continues to control the clinch in the final minute, then backs up with 20 seconds left to throw hands once again. Leibrock tries to kick with her back against the fence and gets lit up with a right hand, left hook, then one more knee to the face as time expires. 10-9 Anderson.

Round 3

The fighters go straight back to the clinch at the start of the final frame, but now Leibrock opts to pull guard rather than fight on the fence. She throws up her legs and tries to isolate Anderson’s left arm; the Aussie kneels and drops a few punches, slowly working her way free of the submission attempt. Back to their feet they go with just under three minutes remaining. Anderson catches Leibrock against the cage again and slugs her with a right cross. Leibrock doubles over, eats one last knee and drops to the ground, prompting referee McCarthy to stop the bout.

The Official Result

Megan Anderson def. Amber Leibrock via TKO (Punches and Knees) R3 2:33

Angela Hill vs. Alida Gray

Round 1

Gray paws with punches over the top but it’s Hill landing the first hard shot with a sneaky uppercut. Hill walks Gray toward the cage, attacks with a volley of punches and then backs off a few steps to throw leg kicks. A long right hand to the body lands for Hill, who has avoided several spinning strikes from Gray here in the first 90 seconds. Hill lands a blistering right hand over the top that causes Gray to wilt, and the UFC veteran smells blood. Hill rushes her opponent against the fence and assaults her with a series of hard clinch knees.

The first few strikes bounce off Gray’s forearm, but when Hill throws a knee to the body, Gray collapses to the ground. Referee John McCarthy steps in to stop the beating, giving Angela Hill an impressive first-round stoppage.

The Official Result

Angela Hill def. Alida Gray via KO (Knee to the Body) R1 1:39

Lacey Schuckman vs. Mizuki Inoue

Round 1

Schuckman wastes no time shoving Inoue against the cage and then hurling her to the canvas with a high double-leg takedown. Inoue rolls to her knees and Schuckman climbs on her back, but before the American can establish hooks, Inoue scrambles back up. Now it’s Inoue’s turn to hit a takedown, planting Schuckman on the mat and shoving her up against the base of the fence. Schuckman has Inoue’s left foot trapped in deep half guard, but now Inoue extract it and passes to full mount. Inoue lands three or four heavy right hands as Schuckman rolls to her belly. Schuckman flips over again, shaking Inoue in the process, and now it’s Schuckman on top. Inoue throws up an armbar and tries to extend it as Schuckman counters by stepping over the top. Schuckman extracts the arm and gets swept underneath, where she catches Inoue in a reverse triangle choke. Inoue appears close to tapping as Schuckman squeezes tight with her legs, but the Japanese fighter guts out the submission and eventually slips loose. Inoue attempts another armbar but it’s defended by Schuckman, who powers back to her feet at the end of a wild opening round. 10-9 Inoue.

Round 2

Schuckman goes after another early takedown and gets spun around by Inoue, who releases after a few seconds. Again, Schuckman comes barging in, looking to clinch or trip, and this time Inoue is waiting with a throw that puts “The Ladie” on her back near the fence. Inoue kneels down in side control on Schuckman’s left side, drops a couple hard left hands on her face and then passes to full mount. Schuckman covers up, tries to roll over but Inoue stays heavy on top and keeps the punishment coming. Schuckman goes belly-down, and this time Inoue sets her hooks, not allowing the American to roll again. Inoue begins hunting for a rear-naked choke but Schuckman defends, peeling away Inoue’s hooks to roll onto her back again. Inoue kneels in half-guard now, leaning forward to land more left hands on Schuckman’s already lumpy face. Schuckman tries to buck and roll but can’t escape Inoue’s top pressure, and Inoue finishes the round on top. 10-8 Inoue.

Round 3

Inoue opens with some crisp counterstriking, looking much fresher than Schuckman as the final round begins. The Japanese fighter opts for a takedown about one minute in, but as the strawweights hit the ground, Inoue has to pause to extract her head from a loose guillotine attempt. After freeing herself from the headlock, Inoue moves to full mount once again, dropping left-handed hammerfists on Schuckman’s face to soften her up for an armbar attempt. Inoue gets the angle she wants and peels off from mount to try the armbar, rolling belly-down to extend Schuckman’s right arm.

Schuckman tries to stack up and defend, but when Inoue rolls her onto her back and extends the arm, Schuckman is forced to submit.

The Official Result

Mizuki Inoue def. Lacey Schuckman via Submission (Armbar) R3 3:41

Amber Brown vs. Shino VanHoose

Round 1

Brown closes the distance and clinches VanHoose against the fence, getting double underhooks after VanHoose attempts to jump guard. VanHoose lands a few knees to the body before she’s thrown to her knees. She tries to scramble up and push Brown against the fence, but Brown loops her right arm around VanHoose’s neck for a guillotine attempt. VanHoose seems to be slipping free as she puts Brown on the floor with a takedown, but once they hit the canvas, Brown adjusts the choke. VanHoose is trapped, trying to pull back and create some breathing room, but Brown has the choke deep and VanHoose is forced to tap out.

The Official Result

Amber Brown def. Shino VanHoose via Submission (Guillotine Choke) R1 2:36

Colleen Schneider vs. Raquel Pa’aluhi

Round 1

After a lengthy delay waiting for an ambulance to return to the venue, the bantamweights start the fight tentatively, pawing with jabs from range. Pa’aluhi closes the gap to push Schneider against the cage and then backs away with a left hand. Schneider caught Pa’aluhi with something in the early exchanges, as the Hawaiian is bleeding from her nose. Back comes Pa’aluhi, diving on Schneiders legs and completing a takedown, but she bails as the Californian tries a guillotine from her back. The fighters scramble up and Schneider pops Pa’aluhi with another punch on the nose, then comes across the middle with a right hand that leaves Pa’aluhi wincing. Two minutes left in the round and the damage done to Pa’aluhi’s nose and eyes seems to be bothering her now, as she wipes at her face in between strikes. Pa’aluhi drives Schneider against the fence and completes a slow double-leg, but Schneider bounces right back up. Pa’aluhi catches a late kick and takes down Schneider, then jumps on her back as she stands. Schneider fends off a quick rear-naked choke attempt but finishes the frame with Pa’aluhi hanging off her back. 10-9 Schneider.

Round 2

Pa’aluhi hits a quick takedown and tries to climb on Schneider’s back as she stands, but “Lionheart” has to settle for a rear waistlock holding Schneider on the fence. Pa’aluhi pulls Schneider to the ground for a split second; Schneider stands and has to defend another takedown attempt, then circles away and off the fence. Two minutes into the round, the bantamweights are back to striking from range, but a few seconds later, Pa’aluhi dives on Schneider’s legs for another takedown try. Again, they wind up on the fence with Pa’aluhi wrapping up Schneider and not much happening in the clinch. Schneider separates with a knee to the body, and now Pa’aluhi plods forward on her opponent with a left eye which is almost completely swollen shut. Schneider slides backward, avoiding Pa’aluhi’s punches but not offering much in return. 10-9 Pa’aluhi.

Round 3

Schneider is starting to push the pace as the final round begins, no longer sliding backward and allowing Pa’aluhi to press the action. A few punches rock Pa’aluhi’s head, and her legs seem to buckle a bit before she regains her footing and runs Schneider to the ground.

Once again, Schneider springs back up, and now she’s clowning her injured opponent a bit, hanging her hands down to her waist and inviting Pa’aluhi to throw hands. Pa’aluhi opts to close the gap and push Schneider against the cage again. Pa’aluhi hits a takedown, can’t hold Schneider on the floor and winds up clinching on the fence. Not much happening on the cage as Pa’aluhi holds the outside position, but now Schneider breaks loose. Pa’aluhi sticks a jab, lands a leg kick and counters Schneider’s punches with a few good right hands to the body down the stretch. 10-9 Pa’aluhi (29-28 Pa’aluhi).

The Official Result

Colleen Schneider def. Raquel Pa’aluhi via Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) R3 5:00

Livia Renata Souza vs. DeAnna Bennett

Round 1

Bennett fires off a string of long punches which bounce off Souza’s high guard, and the champion circles away shaking her head. Souza swings over the top and plants a right hand on the taller woman’s cheek. Suddenly, a liver kick from Souza has the challenger doubling over in pain. Bennett drops to her knees and Souza smashes her with a few punches, prompting referee Jason Herzog to step in and stop the contest. Livia Renata Souza retains her Invicta FC strawweight title with a first-round stoppage, the first knockout of her 9-0 pro career.

The Official Result

Livia Renata Souza def. DeAnna Bennett via TKO (Body Kick and Punches) R1 1:30

Invicta Featherweight Title Fight:
Cris “Cyborg” vs. Daria Ibragimova

Round 1

John McCarthy is the referee for tonight’s 145-pound championship main event, with judges Michael Bell, Chris Crail and Jackie Denkin scoring at cageside. Ibragimova swings a big right hand, misses and dives for the ankles of “Cyborg,” who balances on her right leg and hops backward to the fence while Ibragimova clings to the left. Justino lands right hands and elbows to the side of Ibragimova’s head as the challenger keeps hold of the limb, still looking for a trip takedown up against a cage post. Cyborg continues to land punches while Ibragimova just clings on; there’s almost nothing happening, but referee McCarthy lets them fight on. Ibragimova switches over to Cyborg’s left leg, still can’t find the takedown, and now Justino gets separation midway through the frame. Cyborg denies a double-leg attempt from Ibragimova, pulls down the challenger’s head in the Thai clinch and delivers a series of brutal knees to the face and body. Ibragimova comes away from the exchange with a mangled right eye, and she’s grabbing at it as Cyborg steps forward with punches.

Ibragimova somehow avoids the champion’s assault and shoots for another single-leg takedown against the fence. Cyborg just stands on one leg and cracks Ibragimova with punches as they stand there. Ibragimova finally trips Justino to the floor, but she’s back on her feet within seconds. Cyborg walks forward with 10 on the clock and absolutely melts Ibragimova with a straight right hand on the jaw. Ibragimova drops to the ground and Cyborg makes sure she’s out cold with a pair of hammerfists. Referee McCarthy rushes in to rescue the fallen Ibragimova, and Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino defends her Invicta FC featherweight belt with just seconds remaining in the first round.

The Official Result

Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino def. Daria Ibragimova via KO (Punches) R1 4:58