Invicta FC: Phoenix Series 3 results: Julija Stoliarenko wins 135 title in open-scoring bloodbath with Lisa Verzosa

In a fight that turned into arguably the bloodiest in the promotion’s history, Julija Stoliarenko took a split decision from Lisa Verzosa to become Invicta FC’s new bantamweight champion.

Stoliarenko (9-3-1) took a split decision at Invicta FC: Phoenix Series 3 from Verzosa (5-1), who was dealt her first pro loss – and also given two massive cuts on the forehead and under her left eye that bled profusely starting in the third round. Despite those cuts and what seemed to be a mostly dominant performance from the new champion, Verzosa won 49-46 from one judge. Stoliarenko had two other cards 48-46 and 49-46 to win the vacant belt.

The victory may have set up a future title fight with Taneisha Tennant, who won Invicta’s one-night bantamweight tournament earlier in the event at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan. The card streamed on UFC Fight Pass.

Verzosa and Stoliarenko came out firing with punches and kicks. The fight spilled the canvas, then quickly moved back to the feet. There, Stoliarenko landed hard kicks and punches and kept Verzosa stuck mostly counter-punching. With two minutes left, the two started firing at each other again. When the fight went to the canvas again, Stoliarenko grabbed Verzosa’s arm for a submission attempt, but Verzosa worked out of it and finished the round on top.

But Verzosa rallied in the second and took the round to even things up. It was the first time the open scoring seemed to have an effect on things.

In the third, Verzosa was drilled with a massive elbow that opened up a huge cut on her forehead. Her face quickly became a bloody horror show, and Stoliarenko went after it big time. She landed hard right before the end of the round, and the cageside doctor took a look in between rounds and let it go on. Somehow, Verzosa smiled in between rounds even though the vertical cut on her forehead looked like she’d been hit with an axe.

Stoliarenko went after the cut right away in the fourth, and the cut opened up quickly. Stoliarenko threw jabs and elbows, then went high with a kick. Stoliarenko was bloodied up, herself, but from her nose. The canvas was covered with blood, and it got a little bloodier each time Stoliarenko landed on Verzosa’s head.

The scores were a little all over the place after four rounds, though. Despite looking like something from a horror movie, Verzosa was up 39-37 on one of the cards. Stoliarenko was up 39-37 on one and 39-36 on another.

Verzosa seemed to push hard in the fifth, likely because she had been told she was down on two of the judges’ cards. She was covered in her own blood. Stoliarenko was covered in Verzosa’s blood thanks to a second massive cut under the left eye. But already, Stoliarenko had done enough to secure a win as long as she didn’t get finished.

Tennant shuts down Guardado’s comeback story

Taylor Guardado had a Cinderella story working for her, but ultimately came up short against Taneisha Tennant.

Guardado, once a top MMA prospect whose only amateur loss came to Ronda Rousey, returned to fighting after nearly nine years away – and she did so in Invicta’s single-night bantamweight tournament. She reached the final, but Tennant was too much and took a unanimous decision.

Their fight also was notable because it featured open scoring – which meant Guardado’s corner knew after each of the first two rounds that she was down on the cards.

To reach the final, Guardado had a one-round unanimous decision win over Claire Guthrie and a one-round split decision win over Serena DeJesus. Tennant topped Brittney Victoria and Hope Chase by unanimous decision to reach the final.

Tennant tried to work inside leg kicks early in the opening round, but a minute in found herself taking a look at a Guardado takedown attempt with a single leg. Tennant’s height and reach seemed to work for her early. Midway through, Tennant landed a snapping kick, but Guardado stayed on her feet and landed a counter right hand. With a minute left in the round, the two traded punches and Guardado went after a takedown. Tennant got away with a mild cage grab to stay on her feet, then sprawled out of the position and ended the round on top. Thanks to the open scoring, it was known between rounds Tennant was up 10-9 on all three judges’ scorecards.

Guardado lost her mouthpiece a minute into the second round, but kept throwing punches. Tennant’s jab was on point, though, and kept Guardado from being able to put a ton together. Once again, Tennant picked up 10-9 scores from all three judges – though the round seemed closer than the first.

The third round was much of the same for Tennant, who never let Guardado get going in what was her pro MMA debut. Her first two fights in the tournament actually count as exhibition bouts since they only were scheduled for one round.

With the tournament win, Tennant said she hopes for a title shot later this year.

Open scoring kicks off with easy decision

The first fight to feature open scoring was perhaps a little anticlimactic, even if it was historic. Kay Hansen dominated Liana Pirosin for a unanimous decision. She took a pair of 30-27s and a 30-26. After the first two rounds, commission officials stood behind each fighter’s corner, outside the cage, and held a tablet device up that showed the round score from the three judges. With the tablet behind the fighters’ backs, it was incumbent on their corners to decide whether or not to tell their fighters the scores.

It probably wouldn’t have mattered much. Hansen dominated Pirosin on the canvas in the first round for a clear 10-9 from all three judges. It was have been surprising to hear either fighter thought the scoring would be any different. The second round was much of the same, though Hansen picked up a 10-8 from one judge in that round.

Afterward, Hansen advocated to continue the open scoring experiment, saying she wants to know if she’s up or down because it might influence how she’d fight.

In the semifinals, Guardado took a split decision in a one-round fight against DeJesus. And Tennant outworked Chase for a unanimous decision.

The opening quarterfinal round of tournament fights, like the semifinals, were set to be just one round each. And all four bouts went five minutes and resulted in 10-9 across-the-board unanimous decisions.

DeJesus topped Kerri Kenneson, Guardado took Guthrie out of the tourney, Chase dominated Julia Ottolino, and Tennant outworked Victoria.

The card also featured a pair of tournament alternate fights, also a round a piece. Kelly Clayton submitted Florina Moeller with a rear-naked choke with just nine seconds left in their bout. And Mitzi Merry took a unanimous decision from Morgan Hickam. But neither fighter was needed later in the tourney.

Invicta FC: Phoenix Series 3 results:

• Julija Stoliarenko def. Lisa Verzosa via split decision (46-49, 48-46, 49-46) – to win vacant bantamweight title
• Taylor Guardado vs. Taneisha Tennant – bantamweight tournament final
• Kay Hansen def. Liana Pirosin via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
• Taneisha Tennant def. Hope Chase via unanimous decision (10-9, 10-9, 10-9) – bantamweight tournament semifinal
• Taylor Guardado def. Serena DeJesus via split decision – bantamweight tournament semifinal
• Mitzi Merry def. Morgan Hickam via unanimous decision (10-9, 10-9, 10-9) – bantamweight tournament reserve bout
• Kelly Clayton def. Florina Moeller via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 4:51 – bantamweight tournament reserve bout
• Taneisha Tennant def. Brittney Victoria via unanimous decision (10-9, 10-9, 10-9) – bantamweight tournament quarterfinal
• Hope Chase def. Julia Ottolino via unanimous decision (10-9, 10-9, 10-9) – bantamweight tournament quarterfinal
• Taylor Guardado def. Claire Guthrie via unanimous decision (10-9, 10-9, 10-9) – bantamweight tournament quarterfinal
• Serena DeJesus def. Kerri Kenneson via unanimous decision (10-9, 10-9, 10-9) – bantamweight tournament quarterfinal