January 16, 2016 – Invicta FC 15 took place tonight from The Hanger in Costa Mesa, CA at 
the Orange County Fairgrounds, where Cris “Cyborg” Justino Featherweight title against Russian challenger, Daria Ibragimova and UFC Ultimate Fighter veteran Strawweight Angela Hill faced Alida Gray.
Here are tonight’s breakdown of the fights as follow:
Featherweight (145 lbs) Megan Anderson vs. Amber Leibrock
Round one is underway and both fighters lead with their jab as they feel each other out but Leibrock makes the first connect with Anderson answering back. Leibrock is working the body but steps into a left hook and locks up Anderson against the cage. Anderson took control, drove her to the other side of the cage and bloodied Leibrock’s nose. Anderson maintains cage control as Big John McCarthy splits them up but Anderson takes Leibrock to the cage again. Leibrock isn’t dead in the water yet as she lands two knees from the clinch forcing Anderson to attempt a double leg from the cage, but Leibrock has is able to block the takedown as the round comes to a close.
Round two, Anderson charges in a little too eager and eats a right straight but answers with a leg kick before taking cage control again. The two fighters continue to fight for positioning against the cage as they exchange knees. Anderson lands some heavy punches as she has Leibrock falling back on the defensive trying to block another takedown against the cage. Anderson starts letting her hands fly but Leibrock presses her opponent against the cage only to have the position quickly reversed. Leibrock tries to push off with her kick, but Anderson continues to land some bombs to end the second round.
Third and final round, Anderson is looking to end the fight as she leads with a front kick into a short left elbow against the cage. She’s trying to tireout Leibrock by sweeping her to the canvas and landing in Leibrock’s guard. Anderson is stacking her up but Leibrock is attempting a triangle choke to make this unbelievable upset if she can sink it in. Anderson is able to break free, backs up and Leibrock stands up with her. Again, Anderson goes for a headkick and takes cage control once more. Leibrock is dropped with a knee, turtle’s up in the corner and Big John waves this one off.
Your winner by TKO at 2:23 of the third round, Megan Anderson!
Strawweight (115 lbs) Angela Hill vs. Alida Gray
Round one and they touch gloves, Gray a Judo fighter leads with her jab but Hill drives her against the cage and drops her with a knee, but Gray pops up quick. It’s surprising that Gray hasn’t closed the distance and taken this one to the ground yet as she’ eats a right hand and is finished off with a knee.
Your winner by KO at 1:39 of the very first round, Angela “Overkill” Hill.
Strawweight (115 lbs) Lacey Schuckman vs. Mizuki Inoue
Jason Herzog has the time keeper ring the bell and Inoue charges in attempted a hip toss but gets it reversed by Schuckman who takes side control then Inoue’s back who slips out the back door and is on her feet, but takes her down with an outside leg trip righting from half guard against the cage. Inoue gets her hooks in, tries to take the back but Schuckman slips out only to get caught in an armbar situation. Schuckman flips it and pulls Inoue into an inverted triangle, it looks like Inoue tapped, but the referee hasn’t waved it off. Inoue slips our, takes side control and now looks for the armbar yet again rolls through and Schuckman is now going for a guillotine choke. This as been one of the best ground fights I’ve seen in years as Schuckman tries to land a late punch after the bell.
Round number two, Schuckman leads with a stomp kick and drives Inoue against the cage who quickly reverses the position. This round the look a little more determined to stay on their feet, but I spoke too soon as Inoue uses a head-and-arm toss to take Shuckman down. Inoue is taken side mount, transitions to full and drops the ground and pound, transitioning to Schuckman’s back as she looked at Herzog wondering if he was going to stop the fight. Inoue is still looking for that armbar but Schuckman stacks her against the cage and in the roll ends up on her back with Inoue in guard. Schuckman almost is caught with a knee bar and Inoue passes the guard into side control dropping more ground and pound.
Third and final round, this is so far the fight of the night. The fighters are exchanging leg kicks as Inoue is still as energetic as she was in the first round, driving Schuckman against the cage once more. Schuckman drags Inoue down with a guillotine chock but doesn’t have sunk in allowing Inoue to slip out into side guard. Inoue steps over, takes full mount and is dropping hammer fists as she transitions into another armbar attempt and gets it.
Your winner by submission at 3:41 of the third and final round Mizuki Inoue. There was some controversy as it looks like she tapped in the first round, so this could lead to a rematch.
Atomweight (105 lbs) Amber Brown vs. Shino VanHoose
Round one is underway and Brown leads with a right jab. VanHoose reverses the positioning on the cage, but Brown takes back cage control. VanHoose slips but is quickly to her feet. Brown has VanHoose in a standing front face lock and gets swooped to the ground holding on to the guillotine and gets the victory.
Your winner via arm-in-guillotine at 2:30 of the very first round, Amber Brown!
Bantamweight (135 lbs) Raquel Pa’aluhi vs. Colleen Schneider
Schneider, who had 25 percent of her purse cut for not making weight is leading with her feet as Pa’aluhi drives her against the cage with an attempted double leg. Schneider shakes her off but gets pressed against the cage one more, this time with Pa’aluhi picking her up and dropping her down with a double leg. Schneider is up and gets driven to the other side of only to eat a punch combination as they head to the center. Pa’aluhi has what appears to be a busted nose as she’s bleeding heavily from the face after eating a huge kick, but remains on the attack as Schneider is a defensive fighter. Pa’aluhi takes Schneider down in the corner but are quickly back up against the cage and eats an elbow from Schneider, which is causing her left eye to close up. Schneider attempts a single leg kick, is taken down with a single leg after it was caught as Pa’aluhi takes her back with the first round coming to a close.
Schneider leads with a head kick that doesn’t connect, throws another single low kick and is caught again with a single leg take down. Pa’aluhi has cage control once again and drops her with another single leg taking side control, but Schneider is quickly back to her feet. Schneider lands a spinning back fist and is defending herself against the cage as Pa’aluhi taken her back whild standing up. Pa’aluhi’s face is blooded again as Schneider continues to play the role of defensive fighter. The round comes to a close mid-cage and this could be called by the doctors as Pa’aluhi’s left eye is almost completely closed up and her right one isn’t fairing much better.
Third and final round starts off with the fighters exchanging low kicks. Schneider leads with her jab wabbling Pa’aluhi who shoots for a double leg to save herself, that eye has ballooned to the size of a baseball as Pa’aluhi catches another kick and drives Schneider to the cage. Pa’aluhi takes Schneider with another single leg, which has been her best offense all night. How she continues with and eye that swollen is beyond me. Pa’aluhi lands a knee to Schneider’s face as it is her fight to lose if she doesn’t turn on the offense. This one goes to the judges as both women end it on their feet swinging.
Your winner by split-decision, Colleen Schneider.
Strawweight Championship (105 lbs) Livia Renata Souza (C) vs. DeAnna Bennett
Jason Herzog gives the final instruction, the fighters touch gloves Souza leads with a low left kick and is buying her time waiting to pounce as the champion is still undefeated in her career. The champion misses an overhand right but Bennett doesn’t capitalize on it allowing the fight to continue on their feet. The crowd has fallen silent until Souza lands a beautiful hand. She catches Bennett’s leg, lands a liver kick and finishes her off with the ground and pound. This one is all over.
Your winner by TKO at 1:30 of the very first round and still Invicta Strawweight Champion, Livia Renata Souza!
Featherweight Championship (145 lbs) Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino (C) vs. Daria Ibragimova
It is now time for the main event of the evening. As Cris “Cyborg” Justino defends the Invicta Featherweight title against Daria Ibragimova in the most anticipated fight of the evening as the crowd rises to their feet for the champion as the pride of Brazil faces the Russian contender.
Big John McCarthy gives the final instruction and we are underway as they pass on touching gloves. Ibragimova shoots in for a single leg and almost takes the champion down, but are held up against the cage. The Brazilian is throwing punches while the Russian continues to hold on to the leg. Ibragimova still like a dog with a bone as she refuses to let the leg go. The crowd is clearly behind Cyborg as we are close to having our first take down, but Cybrog is posted up on her hand and stands back up on her one leg. Cyborg finally gets her leg free but allthe damage has been done to Ibragimova’s eye as Cyborg is looking to finish the fight. Ibragimova ducks the head kick and drives the champion against the cage again carrying that one single leg that she hasn’t been able to finish. The Russian finally takes the champion down who’s quickly back to her feet and knock’s the Russian out with a left hook.
Your winner at 4:58 of the very first round and still Invicta Featherweight Champion, Cris “Cyborg” Justino!
