Invicta FC 8 ‘Waterson vs. Tamada’ Results: Play-by-Play & Updates

J.J. Aldrich vs. Delaney Owen

Round 1

Owen grabs a kick from southpaw Aldrich and works for a takedown near the fence, but Aldrich sprawls and they wind up in the clinch with Owen on the outside. Owen pops Aldrich with a short right hand, and Aldrich answers back with a knee to the body as they move around the outside. The strawweights separate briefly, then Owen comes back to clinch again and runs into a knee. Owen is staying in Aldrich’s face, holding her against the cage with underhooks, but now they come to the center and Aldrich scores with more knees to separate. Aldrich gets the last word in the round with a Superman punch and a nice right hook.

Sherdog Scores

Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Aldrich

Round 2

Owen comes straight back to the clinch, but this time Aldrich reverses. The women exchange positions on the cage again, now it’s Owen keeping Aldrich pinned with an underhook. Referee Mike England warns Owen not to grab the cage, and now they move away from the fence, where Aldrich drives more knees up the center. A short left hook and another knee to the body connect for Aldrich before she’s finally tossed to the ground in the middle of the cage. In the scramble, Aldrich transitions straight to back-mount and begins heel-striking Owen’s body, drawing a warning from referee England to mind the low blows. Aldrich switches to a body triangle, trapping Owen’s left arm in the process. Now it’s left hands from Aldrich, mashing Owen’s face on the unprotected side. Aldrich tries a rear-naked choke, can’t get it and wrenches a neck crank instead. Owen turns into it and frees her arm, so Aldrich releases to throw right hands. Aldrich moves to Owen’s half guard in the closing seconds and sits up to drop a few punches before the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Aldrich

Round 3

Aldrich strikes with a right cross and then gets pushed against the fence. Owen changes levels and goes to her knes to work for a takedown, but Aldrich cracks her with a knee on the way down. Aldrich defends the single-leg, traps Owen’s right arm and uses it to reverse her on the fence. The strawweights walk off the fence, still clinched, and Aldrich hits Owen with two more knees and a short elbow before they split. Owen pulls Aldrich into her half guard and then drops back to attempt a heel hook. Aldrich stands to defend, then comes back to her knees and socks Owen with hammer fists to the face. Owen is committed to the heel hook, leaving her face uncovered as Aldrich unloads with left hands and forearms at the end of the round.

Sherdog Scores

Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Aldrich (30-27 Aldrich)

The Official Result

J.J. Aldrich def. Delaney Owen via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26) R3 5:00

Jodie Esquibel vs. Jinh Yu Frey

Round 1

Both women swing punches and test the range in the opening 90 seconds, neither seeming to connect with anything significant. Frey flashes a high kick when Esquibel threatens to dip into range, and now Esquibel backs out. Frey smacks Esquibel with a pair of counter hooks as the latter woman steps into the pocket. A liver kick and a short right hand send Esquibel crashing to the mat, and Frey wastes no time jumping on her back and working for a rear-naked choke. Esquibel defends even as Frey goes palm-to-palm, peeling away Frey’s hands and arms to stay in the fight. Frey is locked in back-mount with one minute on the clock, still fishing for the choke as she squeezes Esquibel with a body triangle. With 15 seconds on the clock, Esquibel twists around and takes top position, swinging and missing with right hands to finish the round.

Sherdog Scores

Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Frey

Round 2

There’s more feinting and feeling-out in the opening minute of round two, until Esquibel steps into range and gets swept out with an uppercut. Frey is swinging vicious right hooks, and now she catches Esquibel with a left on the chin. Esquibel gets through with a long right hand to the midsection, a hook upstairs, then she runs into range and gets hit with a step-in knee. With 65 seconds on the clock, Frey puts a looping right hook behind Esquibel’s ear. A straight right follows as Esquibel wades into the pocket with wide shots. Esquibel catches a kick and knocks Frey backward momentarily, then deflects a kick from Frey to finish the round.

Sherdog Scores

Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Frey

Round 3

Esquibel is getting through with some left hooks early in the final round, keeping forward pressure on Frey, who is threatening with hooking counters off her back foot but not landing like she was in the early rounds. Another left hook pops Frey, who swings to counter and gets air as Esquibel dips out of range. A jab snaps back Frey’s head, and the next straight right from Esquibel opens a nasty cut under Frey’s right eye. Esquibel keeps the pressure on late in the round and finishes the fight with a body kick and another right hand up top.

Sherdog Scores

Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Esquibel (29-28 Frey)

The Official Result

Jodie Esquibel def. Jinh Yu Frey via Split Decision (29-27, 29-28, 28-29) R3 5:00

Alexa Grasso vs. Ashley Cummins

Round 1

Both women connect with straight right hands in the opening exchange, then Cummins changes levels behind an uppercut to try a takedown against the fence. Grasso defends at first but goes to the ground about one minute into the round. Grasso pops up a few seconds later but takes a knee to the face along the way. They 115ers fight in the clinch, Grasso scoring with short elbows and then circling out to the center of the cage. Cummins is getting through with straight rights again before driving and completing a high double-leg takedown. Grasso throws up a high guard, tries a guillotine, then switches to an armbar attempt on Cummins’ left side. Cummins stacks her up and works to extract her arm with two minutes left in the round. Grasso pops Cummins with short punches, still trying to extend the arm, but her progress is impeded by the fence. Cummins is still defending with 30 seconds left, now with Grasso pulling the right arm across the far side. Cummins finally gets her arm free and sits down in Grasso’s guard just before the bell.

Sherdog Scores

Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Grasso

Round 2

Cummins emerges for round two sporting a significant hematoma beneath her right eye, but the American pushes forward on Grasso nonetheless. The women go to the clinch, Cummins on the outside, but they don’t stay on the fence for long. Cummins sends a hard right hand down the center, follows with a jab and just misses with a right high kick. Grasso sticks a pair of jabs and shuts down a long doube-leg attempt. Grasso catches Cummins coming inside with a nice right cross. Again, Cummins shoots a long double, and Grasso backpedals to the fence to defend the takedown. Cummins presses Grasso against the fence, then backs out after Grasso connects with a couple hard elbows to the face. Cummins pulls up short on a left hook and takes a hard one from Grasso in return. Grasso stuffs another takedown try to hit Cummins with a couple more elbows in the last 20 seconds.

Sherdog Scores

Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Grasso

Round 3

Grasso sprawls on a shot and stands up to knee Cummins in the ribs. Cummins answers with an outside thigh kick and sticks Grasso with a long, straight right. Grasso grazes with a jab, shuts down yet another takedown attempt and gets pushed against the fence. Grasso does good work with her back to the fence, hitting a knee up the center, an elbow up top and a short hook to knock Cummins out of range. Cummins’ punches are coming up short as she strikes flat-footed against her more energetic opponent, but Grasso is just laying back, not offering much in return. With two minutes left, Grasso finds her mark with a few jabs, deflects a high kick and jabs again. Cummins gets sprawled on with another double-leg attempt and eats a pair of right hooks for her trouble. The American lands a body kick, sticks a jab of her own, but Grasso comes right back with a nice right cross.

Sherdog Scores

Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Grasso (30-27 Grasso)

The Official Result

Alexa Grasso def. Ashley Cummins via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) R3 5:00

Peggy Morgan vs. Irene Aldana

Round 1

Forty seconds in, Aldana catches Morgan walking into the pocket and cracks the American with a huge right hand. Another right hand hits as Morgan hits the deck, then a knee, and Aldana is all over her downed opponent. Morgan somehow regains her wits while being mounted, grabs Aldana’s waist and pushes her off to power back up. Morgan takes the outside position in the clinch but can’t hold Aldana there. The 135ers reset in the center, and now the rangy Morgan sends a long, straight left down the middle. Morgan eats another right hand on the chin and crashes to the ground again. Aldana jumps into full mount and unloads with both hands, bloodying Morgan’s nose before taking her back with a tight body triangle. Aldana sinks in a deep rear-naked choke that has Morgan tapping out in no time.

The Official Result

Irene Aldana def. Peggy Morgan via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) R1 2:50

Veronica Rothenhausler vs. Charmaine Tweet

Round 1

Rothenhausler catches Tweet with a right hand down the center and picks at the Canadian’s legs with a couple kicks. The Team Alpha Male fighter knocks Tweet off-balance with a right hook under the armpit, but Tweet keeps her balance. Tweet misses with a two-piece but finds a low kick behind it, then lights up Rothenhausler with a looping right hand. Rothenhausler is coming up short on her strikes as she swings wild hooks and backfists. Tweet catches her near the fence with a right hand, tries a standing rear-naked choke and wades back out when Rothenhausler defends. With 2:00 on the clock, Tweet hits a takedown near the fence and passes to side control on Rothenhausler’s left side. Ten seconds later, Tweet is in full mount, then back mount as Rothenhausler rolls to her belly. Tweet drops right hands and looks for an opening to choke Rothenhausler, who’s keeping covered up on the ground but not offering anything in return. Rothenhausler rolls over but still can’t escape, and Tweet smashes away with punches until referee Greg Franklin steps in.

The Official Result

Charmaine Tweet def. Veronica Rothenhausler via TKO (Punches) R1 4:05

Michelle Ould vs. DeAnna Bennett

Round 1

Ould brings the fight to the fence with an underhook, looks for a takedown but can’t bring Bennett to the ground. Bennett reverses the position after a minute, continually throwing knees up the center. Bennett hits an overhand right off the break, dodges some kicks and then catches one to shove Ould to the ground. Ould keeps a tight guard underneath, limiting Bennett’s offensive opportunities, and now Bennett stands over her opponent with 90 seconds on the clock. After some ineffectual kicking from both fighters, referee Greg Franklin decides to reset them on their feet with one minute to go. Bennett lands a long right hand in the closing seconds, grabs the Thai plum and drills Ould with five or six good knees to the gut. Ould doubles over on the way back to her corner, clutching her body where the knees hit her.

Sherdog Scores

Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Bennett

Round 2

Bennett presses forward at the start of the round, stepping back when Ould throws a right hand or high kick. Ould takes a turn coming forward and walks into a right straight. Bennett launches a hard kick at Ould’s ribs, Ould takes a seat at the base of the fence, and this one is all over.

The Official Result

DeAnna Bennett def. Michelle Ould via KO (Kick to the Body) R2 1:34

Roxanne Modafferi vs. Tara LaRosa

Round 1

Modafferi sticks a jab, takes one in return and then cracks LaRosa with stiff, straight riht. LaRosa looks for a Thai plum, can’t grab hold of Modafferi and eats another jab. LaRosa strikes from the center, puts a jab in Modafferi’s face and knocks her backward. A hard jab from LaRosa gets Modafferi blinking as she circles out of the pocket. Modafferi puts a loud kick inside LaRosa’s lead leg and touches the Jackson-Wink MMA product with a jab. LaRosa sends a wide right hand off Modafferi’s shoulder, and “The Happy Warrior” counters with a right cross on the other side. A pair of leg kicks lands for LaRosa, answered by Modafferi with another jab. LaRosa is trying to close the gap but keeps walking into long, straight punches from the rangier fighter.

Sherdog Scores

Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Modafferi

Round 2

Modafferi puts a right round kick on LaRosa’s ribs, steps back to evade the counterfire but then comes forward and gets tapped by a couple LaRosa jabs. Modafferi switches from orthodox to southpaw and back again, then hits LaRosa with a kick that backs the veteran up to the fence. The 125ers move to the center of the cage, where LaRosa throws a wide two-piece combo, countered by a straight right from Modafferi. Another front kick pushes LaRosa back to the fence, prompting her to stick out her tongue at Modafferi. LaRosa tries a Superman punch, gets picked off by a jab. LaRosa is ducking and feinting, trying to draw her opponent forward, but Modafferi is staying just out of range, striking with single shots and then backing out. LaRosa’s left hand finds its mark on Modafferi’s cheek with one minute left in the round. LaRosa switches to front kicks in the final 30 seconds and keeps pushing Modafferi out of range.

Sherdog Scores

Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Modafferi

Round 3

Modafferi puts another right round kick under LaRosa’s ribs, then drops her to the ground in the center of the cage with a stiff right hand. Modafferi wants her back up, so referee Greg Franklin orders LaRosa to stand. LaRosa gets turned around with another right hand, tries to back-kick Modafferi but comes up empty. Halfway through the final round, Modafferi cuts angles and pumps jabs in the middle of the cage, looking for an opening on the relatively stationary LaRosa. Modafferi presses forward, moving LaRosa toward the fence by flashing jabs. They come back to the center and Modafferi puts a push kick in LaRosa’s breadbasket. A right cross from Modafferi stings LaRosa, who just grins and bobs her head, then comes ahead swinging a wild right hand. Modafferi circles the outside in the final half minute, staying out of LaRosa’s range to the final bell.

Sherdog Scores

Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Modafferi (30-27 Modafferi)

The Official Result

Roxanne Modafferi def. Tara LaRosa via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) R3 5:00

Ediane Gomes vs. Tonya Evinger

Round 1

Evinger sends a wide right hand off Gomes’ guard but gets through with a kick to the body on the other side. Gomes opts to clinch and shoves Evinger against the fence, only Evinger reverses the momentum and trips the Brazilian to the ground. Evinger nearly passes to full mount, can’t get there and instead dives on a kneebar, while Gomes tries a heel hook. Evinger switches to a toe hold, then both women give up on the leglock battle and scramble up. A pair of overhand rights land for Evinger before the “Triple Threat” hits another trip takedown, depositing Gomes at the base of the fence. Gomes swings her legs around for an armbar attempt but gets stacked up by Evinger, who escapes the submission attempt midway through the round. Evinger allows Gomes to stand, only to bring her back down a few seconds later. Evinger gets to full mount with 1:50 to go in the round and begins dropping punches to set up an armbar. The veteran peels off to the side and extends Gomes’ left arm, keeping the submission locked on even as Gomes stands up, forcing the Brazilian to tap out.

The Official Result

Tonya Evinger def. Ediane Gomes via Submission (Armbar) R1 3:31

Stephanie Eggink vs. Katja Kankaanpaa

Round 1

Mike England is the referee for this Invicta FC strawweight title fight. Kankaanpaa opens with inside leg kicks while the taller Eggink uses her jab to test the range. Ninety seconds in, Kankaanpaa opts to clinch up and shoves Eggink against the fence to deliver some knees to the legs. Eggink breaks free but eats a stiff jab from Kankaanpaa on the way, and now Eggink answers with a jab of her own. Eggink pulls Kankaanpaa’s head down in the Thai clinch to deliver a knee to the chin. Kankaanpaa leans into the clinch to push Eggink to the fence, where Eggink pulls guard and hunts for an armbar. The submission doesn’t come, so Eggink closes her guard around Kankaanpaa. With a high guard, Eggink sweeps straight into full mount, nearly a mounted triangle, with 40 seconds on the clock. Eggink puts her shoulders on the mat with a loose triangle in place at swats at Kankaanpaa’s trapped head for the final 20 seconds.

Sherdog Scores

Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Eggink

Round 2

Kankaanpaa shoots a double-leg behind a jab and runs Eggink to the ground, where Eggink immediately begins creeping her legs up. Kankaanpaa shuts it down this time and passes to half guard, then sits up and drives three or four hard elbows into the side of Eggink’s head. Eggink ties up Kankaanpaa’s hands, minimizing any offense, and then puts the Finnish fighter back in full guard. Halfway through the round, Eggink pushes Kankaanpaa away and scrambles to her feet, but Kankaanpaa rushes right back in to clinch on the fence. Eggink tries an inside trip, thwarted by Kankaanpaa, but the American does manage to take the outside position in the tie-up. They separate with about one minute left in the round. Eggink lobs some long punches in Kankaanpaa’s direction, but neither woman comes up with anything big in the final moments.

Sherdog Scores

Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Kankaanpaa

Round 3

Kankaanpaa takes 40 seconds before shooting a double-leg. Eggink sprawls on it, so Kankaanpaa switches to a single, then settles for pushing Eggink against the cage. Eggink pulls Kankaanpaa into her guard and looks for a triangle. It’s not there at first, but Eggink keeps after it and catches Kankaanpaa, then stretches out the visiting fighter’s right arm to crank a triangle-armbar. Kankaanpaa slips her head out, then her arm, but Eggink is able to sweep to top position shortly thereafter. Kankaanpaa drops back to try a heel hook, then gives it up when Eggink drops a couple hammer fists on her face.

Sherdog Scores

Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Eggink

Round 4

It’s straight back to the clinch for Kankaanpaa, digging for a double-leg takedown against the fence and getting stood up. After a minute’s struggle, Kankaanpaa finally gets Eggink on the ground and immediately has to bail out as the “Snowflake” throws up another triangle. Eggink is the aggressor now, jabbing at Kankaanpaa and thwarting another sloppy shot. This time, Eggink overpowers Kankaanpaa and moves straight to full mount, then back-mount when Kankaanpaa rolls over. Eggink is dropping punches with both hands as Kankaanpaa covers up, while referee Franklin warns Eggink to keep the shots away from the back of Kankaanpaa’s head. With 1:50 on the clock, Eggink drops back and seems to briefly consider a rear-naked choke, but she quickly goes back to pounding on her opponent’s head. Kankaanpaa is just covering up, offering nothing in return, but she does manage to get to her feet with Eggink still on her back in the last 10 seconds.

Sherdog Scores

Chris Nelson scores the round 10-8 Eggink

Round 5

Kankaanpaa gets a takedown straight to side control, then sets up a brabo choke from north-south position with her left arm looped around Eggink’s neck. It takes a minute of twisting and adjusting as Kankaanpaa tightens the choke, but once she hooks Eggink’s leg and bears down to take away any possible escape, Eggink taps out.

The Official Result

Katja Kankaanpaa def. Stephanie Eggink via Submission (Brabo Choke) R5 2:03

Michelle Waterson vs. Yasuko Tamada

Round 1

Greg Franklin is the referee for this Invicta FC atomweight title fight. Waterson starts with a round kick to Tamada’s ribs, steps back and then charges ahead again to drive a right hand down the center. “The Karate Hottie” sends another kick off Tamada’s forearm before closing the gap and pulling down the challenger’s head in the Thai plum. Two or three heavy knees rock Tamada, who escapes the clinch and just doges a snappy front kick up the center. The next front kick from Waterson sends Tamada to the ground, but the champ wants her back up. Another Thai clinch, more knees from Waterson, and now Tamada circles out of danger. Tamada is on her back foot, pushed backward to the cage continually as Waterson pushes the action with quick kicks. Waterson flashes a quick double jab and hits Tamada with a right cross. A right round kick to the body appears to hurt Tamada, but the challenger just won’t go down. Waterson blasts into range with a right hook and three more big knees in the final moments of the round.

Sherdog Scores

Chris Nelson scores the round 10-8 Waterson

Round 2

Waterson sticks a pair of punches in Tamada’s face and rocks her head with a right high kick. The champion’s pace has dropped off a bit in the early part of round two, but she’s still overwhelming Tamada, who is fighting almost entirely defensively at this point and sporting a large mouse beneath her right eye. Waterson mixes it up with some body punches, zaps Tamada with a right hook and steps out of range of the challenger’s reaching punches. A shovel uppercut snaps back Tamada’s head, then a left hook and a right high kick follow from Waterson. Down to the final minute of the round, Waterson stalks the Japanese fighter around the outside, blasting Tamada’s body with a round kick and denying a long-distance double-leg attempt.

Sherdog Scores

Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Waterson

Round 3

Waterson thumps Tamada’s body with a right high kick and then steps back to the center of the cage, allowing Tamada to come forward and swing missing punches. Waterson counters a low kick with a straight right hand, moves Tamada toward the cage and attacks the left side of the challenger’s body again. From the Thai clinch, Waterson lands another huge knee to Tamada’s chin; the AACC product just eats it and keeps standing in front of the champion. Tamada walks through a spinning back kick to the jaw, takes another knee to the face and has a single-leg attempt shut down. Another right round kick from Waterson crashes into Tamada’s ribs as the round enters its final 90 seconds. Waterson just misses with a right high kick near the fence, and now the atomweights circle back to the middle of the cage. Waterson pulls down Tamada’s head and lands a huge knee that sends the Japanese fighter staggering backward toward the fence. One big right hand from Waterson is all it takes to polish off Tamada and send referee Franklin into action.

The Official Result

Michelle Waterson def. Yasuko Tamada via TKO (Knee and Punch) R3 4:58