Invicta FC 21 results: Megan Anderson captures interim 145-pound title, calls out future UFC champ

“Hey, Dana White,” newly-crowned Invicta FC interim featherweight champion Megan Anderson called right after yet another victorious (and violent) display. “You tell Holly (Holm) and Germaine (de Randamie) to keep my belt warm, because I’m (expletive) coming for it.”

The callout for the yet-to-be-crowned UFC’s first women’s featherweight champ was not exactly out of place. After all, Anderson’s (8-2) clever use of microphone time followed yet another statement-making performance – this time against a game Charmaine Tweet (9-6) in Invicta FC 21’s headlining scrap.

Invicta FC 21 took place at Scottish Rite Temple in Kansas City, Mo., and the entire card streamed live on UFC Fight Pass.

Anderson was the early aggressor in the first round, getting in a good punch and a head kick before pushing Tweet to the cage. The two then scrambled a bit and traded knees for a while on the clinch. Anderson seemed to use her long arms to measure the distance, while Tweet showed redness on her face early on. Tweet, however, touched Anderson before she once again pushed her against the cage, where they traded knees to the body yet again. When they broke up, Anderson looked bloodied – which didn’t stop her from moving forward.

The two quickly clinched against the cage once more. Tweet landed good leg kicks and a solid spinning backfist before grabbing Anderson’s neck and pulling her to the fence – ultimately failing to capitalize on the good moment. When they broke up again, a bloodied Anderson kept moving forward, casually eating punches.

By the end of the round, Tweet seemed to have found the coordinate to Anderson’s face, while Anderson attempted to secure extra points with some ultimately failed takedown attempts.

A forward-moving Anderson seemed eager to end the scrap early in the second, pressuring Tweet against the cage with straight punches right away. Tweet stayed alert but seemed to be throwing a lot less than in the earlier minutes. The beginning of the end came after a quick clinch action, when the sight of a bloodied Tweet seemed to ignite Anderson’s killer instincts.

Anderson then advanced with spaced-out but precise punches, while a flustered-looking Tweet circulated, throwing spinning fists, trying to survive as best she could. Ultimately a tough right hand followed by a head kick prompted the referee to call a stop to the contest.

“This is what I dreamed of,” the newly-crowned interim featherweight champion said. “This is dreams coming true. I’ve reached this dream, so now I’m gonna go to bigger and better things. I want to become the No. 1 in the world.”

Raquel Pa’aluhi taps Pannie Kianzad in first

Bantamweights Raquel Pa'aluhi and. Pannie Kianzad didn’t waste time in the feeling out process, with some early striking that ultimately didn’t do much damage to either side. Pa’aluhi (6-5), however, managed to get the single leg early, and from there it was a pretty one-sided dance that had Kianzad (8-2) tapping out before the end of the first round.

Immediately after managing to get Kianzad down, Pa’aluhi looked to pass the guard from side position. Kianzad kept her back off the ground and remained active from the unfavorable spot, eventually managing to get back to half-guard. Still, she remained punished by Pa’aluhi’s punches from the top until, in an attempt to escape, Kianzad ended up allowing Pa’aluhi access to her back – which she would simply not relent.

Pa’aluhi landed punches from the back to a somewhat defenseless Kianzad, who stayed mobile but seemed unable to shake off her obstinate opponent. Pa’aluhi’s drive paid off at the 3:40 mark of the first round, when she sank the rear-naked choke that put her back on a victorious track almost exactly one year after a setback to Colleen Schneider.

Invicta FC 21 results include:

• Megan Anderson def. Charmaine Tweet via TKO (strikes) – Round 2, 2:05
• Raquel Pa’aluhi def. Pannie Kianzad via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 3:40
• Leah Letson def. Elizabeth Phillips via knockout (high kick) – Round 1, 1:18
• Aspen Ladd def. Sijara Eubanks via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
• Andrea Lee def. Jenny Liou via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 1:14
• Amy Montenegro def. Celine Haga via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Christine Ferea def. Rachael Ostovich via TKO (strikes) – Round 3, 1:29

For more on Invicta FC 21, check out the MMA Events section of the site.