Last night in Davenport Iowa, the all women’s MMA promotion Invicta 9 main event featured Barb Honchak winning the organization’s Flyweight title with a strong five-round unanimous decision win over Japan’s Takayo Hashi. In terms of pure competition, Honchak is smart to stay at 125 lbs where she has really established herself as one of the best in the world, rather than add weight and try to get to the UFC at 135 lbs. When the UFC initiates those weight classes, Honchak will likely be the top dog heading in. Honchak was a (-530) favorite, so she was able to come through for anyone bold enough to lay that kind of juice out.
Mizuki Inoue, a Japanese protege at just 20 years old, got to show some of her wizardry in her match against Karolina Kowalkiewicz of Poland, but in the end it was the Polish fighter who used her height advantage and a savvy cage came to win 2 of the 3 rounds and take the fight. Inoue was a (-210) favorite heading in, so the Polish fighter came through at (+160).
Raquel Pa’aluhi and Kaitlin Young engages in a fight between two solid veterans of the MMA scene. Young was scheduled to fight another opponent, but Pa’aluhi stepped in with under 10 days notice to take the fight. Pa’aluhi was able to get Young to the ground and get strong positions to dominate and take two of the three rounds. Young was an ever so slight favorite at the books, with Pa’aluhi returning even money.
The last match on the 10 fight card with a line at the books featured Atomweights Jodie Esquibel and Nicdali Rivera-Calanoc, who battled it out in an entertaining fight that saw Esquibel win the UD. Esquibel was a 3 to 1 favorite (-300) over Rivera-Calanoc, and this gives Esquibel a very strong 3-1 record under the Invicta flag.
Women’s MMA continues to show that it has developed into a full fledged sport with a lot of competitive and technical fighters, and it is no longer a side show or an undercard attraction.Check out the Invicta’s pre-fight show, for good details on what is going on within the MMA scene.
